SOLVER: Todd Holes
460 Raintree CT Unit # 1R
Glen Ellyn IL 60137
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the December 2020 Contest
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PROBLEM A: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM D: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Club Jack
PROBLEM A: 4 Diamonds.
First, we need to determine if we want to go on, or to pass and go quietly. Is it close? Yes. It’s IMPs not Matchpoints, which steers me towards making another call. 4NT seems a reasonable way to show extras and invite. Partner has ostensibly denied having three hearts since he did not support. But maybe partner has two? Since he already denied having three, if I allow him to show two (say, with Qx or Jx?) I must leave him the room to do so. Bidding 4
would, in my opinion, show a two-suited hand with extras.
But what about 4
?
It surely shows extras. If partner also has extras, he can move accordingly. With a minimum—and unwilling to show decent two-card support of hearts, his 4NT should be regressive.
PROBLEM B: 2 Diamonds
That’s a sketchy diamond suit, so I hesitate to double with the intention of bidding diamonds at some higher level. What--the 3-level? Even higher should responder support hearts with a preemptive jump? I’m not going to be a bean-counter and double first merely because the book says to do so with these values.
PROBLEM C: 2 Clubs
The value bid is 2NT or possibly 3
. Both lie, one about stoppers, the other suit length. 2
is an overbid but due to the space it saves, is the most flexible. Zia would say, “I would open this, what’s the problem?”
I get the desire to underbid here. It’s a misfit. If I did so, my choice would be 1NT.
PROBLEM D: 1NT
WTP? I’m not bold enough to pass.
PROBLEM E: 2NT
I hate this.
PROBLEM F: 1NT
Another WTP?
PROBLEM G: 3
Tag, you’re it, partner! When all else fails, leave partner with the nasty decisions.
PROBLEM H: Club Jack.
I have no clue. Zero.
I hate lead problems.