Problem A:>>  A98, QTx, K9x, T9xx;    (2H) p (3C) p; p, Dbl, p, ___?
  This may make, but I am not betting the ranch on hitting pard's 5 card suit [ if he even has one]. Poll question:  Might partner have as little as 11 pts?  If so,  color me frightened
                                   ---Pass---

Problem B:>>  x, x, AKJxxx, JT9xx;  (3H), 3S, (4H), ___?  After mulling over "5D" and [briefly] 4NT I choose defending, I double more to get partner to assume a misfit for his spades than because I have real confidence in setting them.
                                   ---Double---

Problem C:>>  KQ9x, ATxx, 9x, 9xx;  (1C), 1D, (p), ___? Not so many years ago, this is a one-answer problem--PASS!  Now I am sadly convinced that "4-card majors up the line" works better.  sigh
                                  --- One Heart---                              ---One Heart---

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Problem D:>>  Axx, --, Qxxxx, Qxxxx;  1C, (1H), ___?  All I lack to make a jump-cue THE perfect bid is another queen (king??).  Here on Jan 11, I am voting for it anyway.  Just bidding what I have can lead to a major disaster here; Bidding what I WISH I had should just throw another 50 on the campfire when partner doesn't bring the extra we need.
                                      ---Three Hearts---
                                   

Problem D:>>  Axx, ---, Qxxxx, Qxxxx;  1C, [p], ___?  Cue-advance is all right but short sighted.  I am going ta award myself an extra queen  and make what would then be the perfect bid...  ta-da:
                                     ---Three Hearts---
                                 
Problem E:>> ♠ A 4 2,♥ 8 4♦10 7 6 5,♣ A Q 9 7; 1H, (2D), ___?  I have always lurked with this sort of holding, and I have a bucket of +100s on file to prove it (for some sadly below average MP scores--sigh).   I'm continuing stubbornly to make the book call of pass despite the above (and leave in the reopening double, too)
                                       ---Pass--- 
   P.S.  None of my partners fail to reopen with appropriate [or nearly appropriate SHAPE despite no extras, or they are banished to te "funzies" tables!


Problem F:>>  I wanted to interact with Jim's thoughts on this one but... one of us has misread the auction, and it is now Jan. 21, so:  If the bridge world asked what the response, is to 1 with 3=4=3=3 and game values the panel would be unanimous:  "2 ".
   With this 16 count though, I am feeling the urge to drive up to the five-level so will start and continue to bid where my cards are.  Yes--I see tis is an (adjusted) 7-looser and, see may be bucking some stiff headwinds for that reason alone
                                          ---Two Hearts---

Problem G:>> Like JCreech says--sure.  won't somebody research whether 1m, "3 spades"  is a splinter or not? (Not saying that would be a good bid,  but in the running if so).
                                         ---Two Diamonds---


























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--

what happened to my early  problem  A, B, C  guesses??  Well there wasnt much juicy insights in those  ...or any other until the "ahahh!" that finally gelled  for the lead problem

No long wait to jump someone into the breach THIS month....




Problem B:>> hmmmm.......

Problem c:>>  Since BWS plays our change to 2-minor as nonforcing,  there's nothing left for us but a single raise on jack-doubleton. 
                                                    ---Two Spades---

As for Problem F...What number of key cards (plus off-suit kings) can inspire a grand slam here?  It's more likely that 11 tricks are our limit than that 13 of them is a no-brainer.  If 4NT is a raise, here,  then delete this reply   


SOLUTIONS FOR:Jock McQuade3 Bag EndHobbiton OR
[/size].A.PROBLEM A: Double
[/size]PROBLEM B: 5 Hearts
[/size]PROBLEM C: 4 Diamonds
[/size]PROBLEM D: (a)
[/size]PROBLEM E: 3 Spades
[/size]PROBLEM F: 6 Hearts
[/size]PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs
[/size]PROBLEM H: Heart 10
[/size]
[/size]A copy of these solutions will be e-mailed to you for y

problem A:>>  The t/o double is almost flawless.   can't say the same for  2 , 2NT, 3 , ( or "pass"??)
                                           --- Double---


problem B:>> Penciling in a jump raise now.   This isn't great since it probably demands she go to slam if holding the diamond ace, rather than being natural.  How about blackwood?  Or, on the lowball side 3NT or just 4 hearts?
                                           --- Five Hearts--     for now
---
problem C:>> After a jump-overcall: Responder's jump-shift is fit-showing. So, if we aren't chickening out with a simple raise, this is better than pre-empting to four--and more HELPFULL to partner than a cuebid.  I need partner to be the decider should eiter opp manage to say "four spades".   I suspect this fit-jump is meant to show 10 cards in "our" 2 suits, but...

                                                   ---Four Diamonds---

problem D:>>  This week,  bidding feels like changing a plus into a minus  (or changing a SMALL minus [130] into a horrendous one.  If we could trust that pard's takeout of the reopening  double would be on a 6-bagger, the thinking would be different but....
                                                   ---Pass---

problem E:>   Three Diamonds seems enough.  Who knows--we might catch a spade preference with his queen-X  ( He denyed three thanks to the non-use of support double)
                                                    ---Three Diamonds---

problem F:>>  I already had bid slam after the single raise!  Nothing much has changed after this extra round of bidding oter then tipping off the leader that a spade lead might not be a good idea.   booo!
                                                     ---Six Hearts---                                                       

   On the Flannery  deal, I will resist to my dying day answering  pard's forcing NT with 2   holding xx.  Still   I object to my reverse to spades scoring 30points less  than  the "equivalent" (in the sense of invitational values)  than the notrump raise----grrr.
   There are two or more to play Flannery 2 ,  this pattern being the most obvious.   The more subtle one is that opener is free to raise pard's 1 GUILT FREE with most opening hands shaped 3=5(6)=blah=blah.
  Kudos to the paneliists who honored pre-60's bridge and started with 1    and shame shamon the plurality  that open a NOTRUMP with 9 majorcards.

PROBLEM D:>>  1   , 1NT; 2   .  No reason to GO TO  2NT when this is basically equivalent.  And there's the added chance that we can play 2 spades!  I have been dropped in 2   a dozen times in the past century, or done the dropping-- mostly with good results.  Have pondered a couple weeks over opening 1S.
                                                              --- C-4---


PROBLEM E:>>   Super-obvious penalty double.      ---pass---

PROBLEM F:>> At last a problem with 3 or 4 good answers, including Dick's promoting the hand to redoubling strength.  I'm going with a 5th possibility--lurking. A delayed 2   or 3   ought to show this count, these diamonds, and even this heart tolerance!
                                                                      ---pass---


PROBLEM G:>>  ...................      --- fOUR cLUBS ---

PROBLEM H:>>  ANOTHER KAMIKAZE QUEENxx SACRIFICE!  Does that make three in the last five months?  Thanks for the nudge, DickHY!

REALLY ticked off  that the punt of 1 Spade didn't win  problem B  ,  or that i didn't stay with the field's choice of  2D or 1NT  to win the iac contest..  but at least the right rebid did manage a 50  garnering an honorable mention.   Can't waat for the summary to quote the 2 panelist that did choose the 1 Spade rebid   
   We are not suprized that the bottom of the honor roll  took  720 on this largely no-brainer set!