I'm bummed that I chose not to shoot for the stars on "C."

Like Joe, I wanted to bid 3 as a "waiting-pick a major if you have one" bid. But I was not convinced it would be construed as such.
I still am unsure whether partner's subsequent 3M bid would promise four. Does it? Or does it simply show the suit under control?

Very hard month I think!

Two IAC members made the Bridge World Honor Roll:

Yleexotee with a 710 and CCR3 with 680.

JUNE 2024 MSC
Deadline: APRIL 30 at 11:59 p.m. (ET)

Submit your JUNE MSC responses here: The Bridge World - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB

BWS 2017 System: BWS 2017
BWS 2017 POLLS, CHANGES AND ADDITIONS: BWS 2017 - Polls, Changes, and Additions

• Bridge World Standard 2017 (BWS or BWS2017) is effective beginning with the January 2017 Master Solvers' Club problems. This page shows (1) the results of the panelist polls that were used to adjust the system; and (2) the changes in and the additions to Bridge World Standard 2001 (BWS2001) that were made.
  In the listings of the questions and answers, an asterisk indicates the BWS2001 agreement; the proportion of the expert votes for each item, rounded to the nearest percent, is shown in brackets.

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IAC Forum MSC Scores

If you post to The Bridge World you will receive a confirmation immediately and by email. It is preferred that you copy/paste that confirmation as it is easy to read due to the formatting. (Thanks!)

Also, if you post to The Bridge World those will be your official bids. If you make a mistake (try not to as it has happened), you must live with it.

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CONFIRMATION# 240520859HOLE

SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes


PROBLEM A: Pass
50/50 between this (forcing) pass and 5 . I don’t know partner’s heart length, so would prefer if he bid RKCB if still available. If he gets the answer of three keys he can better place the contract. I see partner bidding this way with as little as Axx QJTxxx – KQxx.

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PROBLEM B: 3 Diamonds
After partner’s free-bid 3 Clubs, this should be forcing (there may be dissension among the panel on this), showing a big hand. Although 3 asks partner to bid again, this is at least more informative than 3 .

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PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump
I see no reason to rebid the spades—something I would do with 8 HCP. Partner has, at most, two. And the suit quality is poor. While I initially discounted the value of the K, it is now worth something. I assume 8-10(11) or so for partner’s 1NT—this range is systemic--and rebidding 3NT is tempting. But 2NT should suffice. As long as we’re on the same page partner should accept (possibly even showing me Hx along the way) with a maximum.
[Added]: One thing that concerns me in notrump is, with a six-card unsupported spade suit, where is our source of tricks?

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PROBLEM D: Pass
It’s not my habit to open flat 11s, even in third seat. The only possible option I see is 1 . But not for me.

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PROBLEM E: 2 Spades
Right on values. Shows 5. I’d like to have a third club, but you can’t have everything. If my spades were better I might double and pull 2 to 2 .

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PROBLEM F: 4 Clubs
Showing primary Clubs (so 6-5?). I do not believe this to be forcing, but it surely shows a massive hand.

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PROBLEM G: 5 Diamonds
Though 2 is tempting as a lead director, partner will know to lead it if a ruff is needed against a high-level spade contract. 4 as preempt Blackwood is mildly interesting—even fun—but would fool no one.

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PROBLEM H: Club 3
Difficult. Not fond of lead problems.

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MAY 2024 MSC
Deadline: MARCH 31 at 11:59 p.m. (ET)

Submit your MAY MSC responses here: The Bridge World - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB

BWS 2017 System: BWS 2017
BWS 2017 POLLS, CHANGES AND ADDITIONS: BWS 2017 - Polls, Changes, and Additions

• Bridge World Standard 2017 (BWS or BWS2017) is effective beginning with the January 2017 Master Solvers' Club problems. This page shows (1) the results of the panelist polls that were used to adjust the system; and (2) the changes in and the additions to Bridge World Standard 2001 (BWS2001) that were made.
  In the listings of the questions and answers, an asterisk indicates the BWS2001 agreement; the proportion of the expert votes for each item, rounded to the nearest percent, is shown in brackets.

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IAC Forum MSC Scores

If you post to The Bridge World you will receive a confirmation immediately and by email. It is preferred that you copy/paste that confirmation as it is easy to read due to the formatting. (Thanks!)

Also, if you post to The Bridge World those will be your official bids. If you make a mistake (try not to as it has happened), you must live with it.

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F: 6NT
Give partner a min opener ♠AQxxx, ♥Axxx, ♦xx, ♣ Jx  and we have 12 tricks in clubs or no trumps. I trust that 3♠ is forcing but I want to either play in no trumps or clubs to protect my K♦.  So 3♠ gets me nowhere.  I am not selling out with 3NT.  We could just about be missing 2 aces partner having ♠AQJxx, ♥QJxx, ♦Qx, ♣xx so I cannot blast 6NT. 
Is there a way out?  If I bid 4NT, that would (I assume ) be keycard in ♥s so that is out. 
What about 4♣?  I don’t think that will get me anywhere.  In principle I will bid what I would bid at the table and not what I think the panel will bid.  So 6NT it is.

Not so sure about 4NT being RKC for hearts. Though I do agree the game-force has been established. 3 should do that. To play it as only a one-round force would be strange.
If we wanted to agree spades we had a cuebid available in the previous round.
To agree hearts now we have 4 .
So 4NT is, I think, quantitative with no fit.

Which is probably what I should have chosen. But I chickened out and went low with 3NT due to the lack of a fit.

SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
U.S.A.

PROBLEM A: 3 Diamonds
Although 3NT looks attractive, it can wait. I want to show my diamonds and, if partner trots out 3S next, I’ll bid 3NT. Presumably showing my somewhat dubious “stopper.”

PROBLEM B: 5 Clubs
They took away my two-suited 4NT. And 4 is majors. So 5 must be some sort of freak two-suited strong hand. Although this may not garner a lot of panel votes, it will not be dismissed completely. It also has the advantage of keeping alive 5 , something 5 does not.

PROBLEM C: Double
This seems like a no-brainer?

PROBLEM D: 3 Notrump
OOPS! Need to be more careful. I meant to choose 3 . These accidents never work out for me. I've done it three times. Hopefully, this one does.
[Added] This one won't hurt me too much (I hope) since 3NT is a viable bid and will score okay.

PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
This is the latest iteration of The Bridge World Death Hand. Strong hand. Six of my minor. Good three-card support for partner's major.
KnR gives this a 16.45 (the HCP were downgraded), so this is right on values. It simply lacks a fourth heart. My other choice eventually dismissed was an admittedly off-shape 2NT. If anyone is bidding notrump, it should be me with the stiff honor.

PROBLEM F: 3 Notrump
Very much a chicken bid. The other choice for me would be 4NT, which could be safe. It at least invites slam. This--3NT--will put an end to the auction.

PROBLEM G: Double
Unanimous?

PROBLEM H: Diamond 4
Due to the long club suit, time is of the essence. Though a heart lead is safest, the diamonds rate to set up faster than hearts.

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Three on the Bridge World honor roll: Masse24, WackoJack, and BluBayou.

A 790 and two 730s.