lead problem  :    hearts is either the mother-lode  or it isnt  --KEEP your big ones   even the six!   deception has no roll in this problem     


I LOST my deuce  [actually the three]  to enemy's  54 on 4th round  with this exact holding in BBO  a week after the msc  set was posted!   


should i smell "RAT"  inBBO dealing???

SOLUTIONS FOR Jock McQuade,Portland ORU.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass,
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump,
PROBLEM C: 2 Clubs,
PROBLEM D: 2 Clubs,
PROBLEM E: Double,
PROBLEM F: 4 Notrump,
PROBLEM G: (b6),
PROBLEM H: Heart 2
    I  wimped out of both  attractive  'natural'  3-card spade rebid/responses  (C  and F).  Have grown more content with 4NT for his minor on #F  as the weeks passed,  but  sad to wave goodbye  to  "1 Spade"   on #C.
i wonder how much mark-down  5th best heart lead will get compared to the 4th-best 6!

PROBLEM A :>>     East hasn't a prayer of having a 2-level free-bid,  so he will pass when raised.   If opener puts him in game when I pass,  and [surprise]  it is makeable,  are we going to save red vs. not?   That's 500  folks.This looks like 9 for each side to me  quite often, so I let sleeping dogs lie,  not even trying to eke out the 1 IMP  for 4 diamonds -100.       ---  PASS now,  and sell out to 3 hearts, also.

PROBLEM B: >>  The first step here is to realize  that this is a mere opening hand after all.  The second  is to research BWS agreements about what a LEAP TO 4 HEARTS would have meant.  (Is it some kind of "picture bid", or is it "Drop-dead unless you have all the goodies").  But given all that I am making the hinted-at mild slam try of 3NT -- because of the top cards and great hearts.  i fantasize pard's4 club cue, so i can get the diamond ace of my chest  then let 4H  alone  if that comes next.  May Brigita have mercy on my soul.    -------3NT

PROBLEM C:>>  This problem  made me recall the habit of the Big Gun  panelists  of the 50s--70s  to ABSTAIN  when they simply could not swallow the bidding dictated to them  ie: opening one club. But that time is gone   along with the dream-auction of  "1D, 1H; 2C, 2D; 2NT".    LETS avoid the distortion of both size and shape in a 1NT rebid,  and try another one of those cute 3-card 1 spade rebid.                        ------ 1S    (scoring 30 this month)

PROBLEM D:>>            ---- 3C

PROBLEM E:>>  Three-only choices.  I  cross off the 1NT overcall  because the tight AK  do not provide enough bang for the buck.  I like to expect to play my 1NT overcalls  and make them,  and those diamonds are a bad start at doing this.  Coin toss between  Double  and One Spade came ut "Double"                     -----DOUBLE


PROBLEM F:>>    Too hard;  maybe Feb9th   lightning will have struck.    ---tabled


PROBLEM G:>>   In the Bronze Age,  this was a 3NT opener. I miss those days.  So obviously,  i am in for 3NT  on round two.        -----  B6


PROBLEM H:>>   Playing pard for the heart ten  [ or maybe just the eight], for all the marbles. Cannot dream up a reason to lead the honest 4th-best -- pard's roll  on this one  is probably just to avoid revoking                     ------ HEART DEUCE

[problem B, of course]
     To my esteemed senior members  (who outscored me by 150 pts or more anyway , this month):  You cannot  'outsmart the MSC panel!   If your better bid  is too deep for them, and the rejected "no-brainer" bid is chosen by a majority or even a plurality,   the peasants will get the 100,   and you will get 40 or less.  I commend you three for tanking honor roll placements  sticking to the bid you 'love' --  and the new gal who actually bid TWO spades --my homemade system-bid  which 2-3 panelist actually chose(!?!?!?)
     I think we should all  'vote our heart's desire" once a month,   but that is not actually  our job --  it is the 25 panelists' job.
    p,s.  problem D  ....-- AQTx, Jxxx, AQJxx    IS a trap pass,   and we all knew that 2C overcall would get the 100,  but i voted my heart  --trap-pass and lucily got Best of the Also-Rans  70 pts  not the 20  that sometimes comes from being stubborn like this

I did it.   stuck with my day-one impressions all the way through.   except for thelead problem which i misread  (  low heart is for GAME bid--very silly vs point-count NT slam bid).
problem F  i should have switched to 2NT rather than the "cue-bid"  as my spade holding may need lead protection more than partner's hearts do, but who knows,  we may be headed for somewhere else than 2 or 3  notrump?

SOLUTIONS FOR jock mcQuadeportland ORU.S.A
.PROBLEM A: 2 Spades
PROBLEM B: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: (a3)
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Spades
PROBLEM G: Double
PROBLEM H: Club 3[

Jock McQuade
Portland OR, U.S.A.
problem A:      Pass
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM D: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM E: (b1)
PROBLEM F: 3 Hearts
problem G:      Pass
PROBLEM H: Diamond Ace
    Problem A  and G  still give me the creeps;  I especially would hope  that in this imaginary world  I would not be tempted to leave in a reopening double of  1H overcall--  but that is the only consistent second call pointed to by this first turn pass

jan, 2020:
A:>>  since  ELC double and correct to diamonds  is  not allowed,   I am 'trapping'  on Jxx in spades                                                    --pass
B:>>  the footnote says it all!    trying to right-side 3NT  with club jump-shift  is fun  if we are shooting?                                           --3NT
C:>>    what can possibly go wrong,  if i rebid .....                                                                                                                                    --3 hearts
D:>>    in life,  i bid 1NT over a double  withouth a thought of anything else --  but i may change my mind in a week or two.....                     --1 notrump
E:>>    never pass up a chance  to reverse into  AQx suit  in the MSC!   an oldie but goodie  for 60 years!                                                    -- 2 hearts
F:>>    ifi t's goulash void-splinter raise of diamonds,  but here, ride the tiger  with a 2 heart advance                                                          -- 2 hearts
G:>>   first guess is go for the throat  at 1 heart,  but when i sober up,  will probably fall from grace                                                             -- pass
H:>>   leading my trump void.  if that is barred,  then my good suit.                                                                                                           -- diamond ace

,,,
PROBLEM A:2 Clubs  loosing out to  diamond raise on three - fine.  but  100 versus FOURTY  is ridiculous!   (40)
PROBLEM B: 4 Clubs   moderator dug out  an obsure but correct agreement that double in this bidding is responsive i hate it (30)
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump  whoopie-  almost a no brainer  but not quite                                                                                     (100)
PROBLEM D: Double !!  the iac hated this  but i THOuGHT i knew my ACBL champs  would go with me  and for once...(100)
PROBLEM E: 2 Diamonds  clown bidding by our betters -- Jxx is a stopper  FOOIE--  bu accepting the 90                             (90)
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump                                               ok  i can't play BAM,  but i love it accepting my wimpy    ---->>        (30)
PROBLEM G: 3 Di   3 diams is correct  but requres pard to be totally focused.  will take my lumps vs  the simple raise          (60)
PROBLEM H: Heart 10      !  REALLY suprised to  beat out diamond ace lead  for a top  i never thought of diam ideas!       (100)
After painful searching,  i found NO BWS decision that  " [2x]  double  [3x]  double"                    550     550
  is responsive -- SO IT IS NOT.  So problem B remains the bloody mess i thought it was 3 weeks ago    <pay me.boss>