I'll proffer a contribution here, though I may be an uninvited guest.

I don't have much bridge literature to hand, but years ago a teacher explained a Unassuming Cue Bid (UCB) was necessary because partner's overcall could be quite wide-ranging, say from 6/7 to about 14/15 HCP.   Clearly, advancer with 9/10+ HCP and support uses a UCB because game might be on.  A weak jump overcall, in contrast, is limited in range (6-9 probably) so my teacher considered a UCB much less useful: advancer could decide what level was reasonable.  That seemed a sensible view.

Turning to this hand, as Ken points out, various hands can be constructed to produce a decent 5 contract.  At the table, however, I would probably diagnose this as a 20-20 hand, where a part-score was the limit.  We should make 8 tricks (2S, and 6D) even if overcaller has AQxxxx in D and nothing else and, in that case, we can make 9 if overcaller has 3 cards in C (overcaller might easily be 3262 however).  A 9th trick might also come if overcaller has SQ or CK.

In other words, if overcaller is min 3 looks to be the limit (-100 or making with a club ruff) and 4 looks dangerous (potentially the dreaded -200).  If overcaller is max then 4 looks safe (-100 at worst).  So, despite what my teacher said, this looks a good example of advancer opposite a WJO using a UCB to say "we can play two levels up if you are max and if we're pushed to that, otherwise one level up is the limit." 

Of course after bidding 3 we may then have to suck our teeth wondering if we can defeat 3 .  We probably won't if overcaller is min (2S, S ruff, D), but then the alternative to -140 will be -200 in 4 . 

There may be hoots of derision, but ...

A.  Pass.  Partner looks to have 16/17 HCP and 4504 (ish); each of the rest of us with 8 or so.  3N is tempting, but if E (who’s likely to have an outside honour) has Qxx in H, 3N is doomed.  In that case defending 3Dx, we would take 3 black suit tricks (presumably), 2 H tricks, a H ruff and a D for +500.  If H break badly, say with Q98x in W, 3N would go off, but defending 3Dx would score +300 (3 blacks, 2H and a D).  If E had only one H we only score +100 defending 3Dx: could we make 4C against opps with x54x and x16x for +130?  Not sure.

B.  4D.  West and partner figure to have 24 HCP between them, either side may have game or we might both have just part-scores.  Vulnerable I don’t want to go too crazy and discover a 20/20 hand.  However, I don’t need much from partner to make 5D, but I need fast tricks: Ks and Qs won’t be useful - but they will be useful if I opened a Gambling 3N and diamonds break.  It is not clear from the BWI system notes what partner will do opposite a Gambling 3N with a void in my suit (which will be clear).  If he bids 4N (System Change No. 425 asking for my minor) all might be ok.  If he passes with a void in my suit (say with 10-14) and opponents then pass, my diamonds will be useless and he will be trying to make 9 tricks with 12 out of 32 points.  Given that uncertainty I will have to settle for 4D.

C.  3H.  Double might work, but I worry that partner holding a hand with which I could make 4H (say 0346/1345 and 8-10 HCP) will pass my 3C after a Lebensohl sequence.

D.  Pass.   E has passed twice so has 5 or fewer HCP, say 3.  Partner and opener have 28 between them.  Partner figures to be short in H, but didn’t x, so perhaps has 10/11.  In that case, as we’re vulnerable and quite a few of my points may not pull much weight (J of C, QJ of H), I’m inclined to be cautious and see what happens.  After passing now, I can always bid diamonds or 2S later, depending on how the auction develops.

E.  2S.  3C is a possibility, but I’d like to bid 2S asking for a S stop.  Am struggling to find that bid in the BWI system; surely it’s available?   

F.   F1: x and F2: x.  Partner could have 5 spades and, even though he might have as little as just one honour card, that break could pose problems for declarer.  Alternatively, he could hold 5 clubs.  Either way I don’t want to impose a red suit on him (through a 4N overcall showing two suits).  So, x first and then, after (4S) – p – (p), x again.

G.   5C.  We’re vulnerable so my ever-reliable partner will have KQxxxxx in C and an honour card outside.  Even so, we could have 3 or 4 losers.  The HA is very useful if it survives as an entry until after the finesse or ruffing finesse in D, but will it?  Opponents don’t have game, so pass or 5C seems the choice.  What the heck.       

H.    Club T.  Partner has 6 HCP and 5 hearts.  He might have QJxxx in H and an outside entry, but I don’t really want to be banging down the HK at T1.  Call me simple, but a club lead seems reasonable.  Sure, opener may be 4315 but he could also be 4333.  I have entries (including probably the failed H finesse) to press on with clubs.  Left to my own devices I would lead the CT.  BWI may insist on 4th highest though, and a duck will be in the offing.       


SOLUTIONS FOR:
Dick Harvey
Southampton
U.K.

PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: 2 Spades
PROBLEM F: Double | Double
PROBLEM G: 5 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Club 10

Here's a view from the intermediate side of the tracks.  I decided on my entries before reading beyond Ken's discussion of the first two problems.  It was good fun after making my selections to read what you guys (who are much better than me) thought.  Doubt it will entertaining for you to read my thoughts, but I may enter regularly just to see if I improve.

A.  3S.

Partner didn’t double – but 3H would be the bid (irrespective of the S holding) with AKxxxx in H and some HCP in minors (even with 4 cards in one of the minors).  We could run into A of S lead and a S ruff, and then find Qxx in trumps with East.  Still, slam could be on.  If partner cue-bids 4C, then I sign-off in 4H.  If partner cue-bids 4C, then I will bid 4N, passing a 5H response and raising 5S to 6H (with a prayer that partner has xx or x in S).

B.  4C

Partner will be able to work out from the bidding that I am short/void in H, so I will show the C shortage with a splinter bid.  Partner looks to be 5512/5503/5413 so a C shortage could be of great interest, and leaves room for a 4D cue-bid.

C.  2D

I am happy to force here because of the good spades.  If partner continues with 2N, 2H or 2S then the choice of game is obvious.  After 3C, however (probably showing a 2515/1525 hand), I would bid 3S thinking partner might raise to 4S (holding 2515) which looks a decent spot or bid 4C (holding 1525).  I might pass 4C, knowing we have 2 diamonds losers at T1 and T2.  I would worry that my 3S bid after partner continues 3C over 2D is not crystal clear, but with 6 spades I would have rebid 3S instead of 2D, so perhaps partner can work out it shows a solid 5c suit?

D.  3D

Slam looks possible even if partner has only a moderate opening hand (say xx Axxx KJx KQxx).  Much depends on agreements on game tries.  The BWS First Slam-Try [“When the first slam-try after suit agreement is made by a player who has shown no suit other than the agreed suit, it shows length in the bid suit (or, when applicable, where a high-card value will be especially useful).”] suggests 3D – asking partner if he has values in the suit – and that seems a reasonable start.  Certainly, if partner has no high cards or control (void/x) in D slam is not on (especially after advertising the D weakness!) 

E.  6H

Defensively it looks as though we’re not going to make a H trick, but the two diamond tricks look safe.  What have we got in C?  Partner probably is 36xx, but not 36xx with both the A and K of clubs (surely 5H is a little shy then?).  6H is on with 3631/3640 or 3622 with either the K or A of C, but looks dicey with 3613 and Kxx/Axx in C.  Partner maybe not have bid 5H (holding 3613 or 3622) without the K or A of C.  However, if he did, we look unlikely to beat 5S.  So, in that case 6H-2 would be a good result.

F.  2N

Assuming East’s jump overcall is 6-9 and shows a 6c suit, we may have game as West is a passed hand: (partner 16, me 10, East 7, West 7).  Partner figures to be short in H, so with 16 HCP could not have opened 1N.   Alternatively, E could have 9, West 8 and partner 13, so a GF bid looks dodgy.  2N shows partner the H stop and a decent point count (if partner asks where the 11th HCP is, I can point to the combined 10 and 9 of diamonds to distract him while I make my escape). 

G.  3S

North may well have KQxxxx in S and not a great deal else.  East has shown 4 hearts offering us a choice of declaring with trumps 6-2 (S; with the top 3) or 7-1/7-0 (H, probably missing the A).   3S looks a better spot than 3H - which looks a decent bid if it wasn’t non-forcing.   EW look to be heading to D, but 5 may be too many for them.  Am not sure about xx here, would partner think 10-13 and no S fit?  And is 3S now rather than later stronger?  Whatever, partner being a good egg will raise to 4S when holding the C K!
           

H.  CJ

A 3H response to 2C shows a one-loser suit apparently so perhaps 2H shows none or two losers.  West with his 6C bid suggests he is missing a black suit ace or the KC. East offers reassurance so must have S covered as well as the red suits.  A club lead looks safest – not always a selling point.  I want to avoid a red suit lead.  A club lead might result in East playing off clubs, then I can discard from the red suits after East does.     

 

Yeah, am making progress slowly.  Tried to edit it to include my partner and to change the time but that seemed to erase it.  Made another entry.  Will probably leave that as it is.

... ah ah , I followed Curls advice and my computer surrendered

Oliver, I suppose I was thinking about having a calendar for the month ahead.  However, it might be wise to opt for something simpler to begin with to see if there is the demand for advertising slots when members intend to play in the IAC.  So how about your first suggestion, which sounds simpler than the second to implement and, as you say, might start up some regular sessions?  Individuals/pairs could annotate their time slots with "usually" or "often" if necessary.