I keep telling myself that I need to stop this procrastination but I never get around to it.
SOLVER: Ken Berg
Your Solutions for the July 2019 Contest
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PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
Here I figure I must be missing something. As I see it, this is what 3NT shows and it's what I have.
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
I suppose there might be something to be said for 2H. Can partner be 6-4 and bid this way, or would he then bid 2H over the 2D? I decided I don't care, if he is 6-4 it should play fine in spades. And I assume he will not pass 3NT if he is 6-4. I also assume that if he is 5-4 in the majors then his bid over 2D would have been 2H, so 6-4 is the only issue.
PROBLEM C: 5 Clubs
As has been noted, it's not all that great a bid but I don't see any reasonable alternative
PROBLEM D: Double
If partner bids 3S I will bid 3NT, that should give him a reasonable idea of what I have, and if he bids 4S over my double, not all that likely but possible, I would be tempted to bid 5D.
PROBLEM E: 2 Spades
Todd asked just how Walshy BWS is and the answer is perhaps pretty Walshy but with exceptions. My thinking is that if pard has a minimum then he will pass and this could well be the right contract. If he has more I would like it if he allows for other contracts than 4S but is he doesn't, it still could be the right contract.
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump
This is a very frustrating hand. And it also gets to just how Walshy BWS is. With a dedicated Walshite I might well consider 2C since he will have five clubs to bid this way. But BWS, while saying that pard cannot be 4=4=2=3 doesn't rule out 4=4=1=4. Of course it also does not seem to rule out 2=4=3=4, in which case 2D is right. I assume partner, if 1=4=2=6, will get us out of NT at his turn. And yes, I would like the NT to be played from his side. Among other things, he would have to play it. Maybe 1S is right, I think 1S is some sort of wishy-washy call, not necessarily showing spades and not game forcing. I should look that up.
PROBLEM G: 2 Diamonds
Pard would make a negative double with four spades and a six count so I am not really enthusiastic about leaving this in. I bid a pessimistic 2D.
PROBLEM H: Spade 8
Yes, I know, this might pickle partner's Q, But all leads have issues, I think this is the least likley to help declarer and maybe it cuts down on ruffs. In the old days that 4S call showed five spades but not I think it is often done with four spades and a stiff. If we can hold him to, say, two ruffs we might beat this