IAC Forums
Chew the Fat! => IAC & Master Solvers Club => Topic started by: Masse24 on June 09, 2018, 06:39:57 PM
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I recently (two years ago) started subscribing to The Bridge World, the world's leading bridge magazine.
One of the more enjoyable aspects of my subscription is the monthly MASTER SOLVERS CLUB. The Bridge World's MASTER SOLVERS CLUB is the world's longest-running and most popular bridge feature. New problems in bidding and sometimes play are presented each month. The great thing about the MASTER SOLVERS CLUB is that it does not require a subscription to enter. The contest is free and is open to all.
Each month there are eight new problems that require careful consideration. Usually they are extremely difficult bidding problems and you, the bidder, are asked to find the best, most descriptive bid. The highest scoring bid is very often doubling, cue-bidding, or bidding a three card suit.
Recently, I started a back-and-forth e-mail exchange of MSC ideas with two other IAC members. While I have done well on my own, twice making the "Honor Roll," I find the "discussion" stimulating. By starting this thread, I thought we might expand the "discussion" to others who might also enjoy the difficulty of the problems, but especially the discussion!
The link to the MSC problems is here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
The deadline for replies is the 10th of each month at 9:00 a.m. EST.
Unfortunately, that is in just a few hours, so we will not see much participation due to time constraints. But maybe going forward we could generate a monthly discussion?
P.S. The reason I put this post in the 2/1 folder is that the MSC uses Bridge World Standard, a basic 2/1 system often used as a beginning template of agreements by experts. On most problems, the system used does not necessarily come into play. The problems are generally bidding judgement problems with more than one (sometimes several) viable answer.
P.P.S. I have not yet submitted my July answers, but I intend to do so later tonight. I'll post my thoughts on this month's problems soon.
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My initial thoughts:
A: 3 !D. That !D King should fill out the six-card suit in partner’s hand nicely. If this were IMPs, 3NT would be automatic. But playing MPs, I’ll settle for the invite. I also want to right side NT (should partner continue) for the presumed heart lead. Second choice, 3NT.
B: X. Get the !S in. Possibly important in the part-score battle that may ensue ( !S is the boss suit!). I can support clubs later.
C: 2 !D or X (I haven't decided yet). This is a coin flip in my mind.
D: 2 !C. Another tough one. 2 !H or 2 !S are also appealing.
E: 3NT. This one seemed clear to me, which concerns me. They always throw a wrench in the works with some bizarre preferred bid. 3 !H (shaping out) is a possibility, introducing the idea of playing in a Moysian? What am I missing?
F: 3NT. Not clear on this at all. 4 !S also comes to mind. And Pass was my initial first thought, so that too must be given consideration. Partner is huge with spades and has refused our Leb 2NT. Bidding game here is a strong contender. We’re playing IMPs, and we’re vulnerable. I think I’m going to pick a game bid. But which one?
G: 3 !C. Shows my values, and because I did not double to show four !H, and did not bid 2NT to show a flat 11 with !S stopped, 3 !C should show !D tolerance, yes? 2NT is a bid I strongly considered, but ultimately rejected. Though I have the !S Ace (yes, it’s a stopper), I want more to be in No trump. Importantly, if partner has a !S honor (Q-third?) then I want the lead coming to him, not thru him. If he has the values, possibly long diamonds, and a !S stopper, I’m hoping he will bid 3-no-trump.
H: !S J. Also tempting is the !H T.
Not yet submitted. A couple of choices are still marinating. ;)
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A: 2NT Maybe pessimistic but that's my call.
B. X I have four spades, X says I have four spades.
C. X I think. I want to get my spades in and I do not want to ignore my diamonds, so it seems right.These snap dragons are often shown as 1 !C - 1 !D - 1 !S - X as a way of showing five hearts and diamond tolerance, when the hand lacks the strength for a 2 !H call. But it seems reasonable to take the same approach here. If they go on to 2 !H (or 1NT) then we might belong in !S and we might belong in !D.
D. 2 !S seems clear to me. Partner doubled, I have spades, playing in spades seems likely. Not certain, but surely I should show my spades.
E. 3 !S. I don't have three spades or I would have bid 2 !S over 2 !D. Maybe partner would like to hear about my good two card holding.
F. 4 !S I suppose.
I agree that pass is tempting. And 3NT is also. Perhaps they can take the first six tricks in NT, perhaps they can't. All possible. But I have just a bit, and I think 4 !S is the best shot.
G. 2NT. Second choice is 3NT but that's a bit optimistic.
H. I changed my mind several times on this. I'm leading the !S J. Crazy maybe, but that's my lead.
My thinking, fwiw. Declare is probably planning on running diamonds and has hopes of scoring other tricks. So: He might bid 3NT with only Kx in hearts. If he has only 8 tricks then I don't want to give him the 9th. Of course he also might have KJX in hearts and partner perhaps has two and perhaps if I start with a heart declarer still doesn't have 9. It's a bet either way.
I await the wisdom of the Masters.
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Finally pulled the trigger. My choices:
Your Solutions for the July 2018 Contest
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PROBLEM A: 3 !D
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 2 !D
PROBLEM D: 2 !C
PROBLEM E: 3 !S
PROBLEM F: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 3 !C
PROBLEM H: !S Jack
Answers are posted promptly--same day--within a few hours of the deadline.
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I await their thoughts, particularly about the opening lead. A few more thoughts on the lead.
Anytime dummy shows up with 2+hearts I am unlikely to regret not leading a heart. Say dummy has 2, leaving partner and declarer with a total of 4. If partner has 1 then he will never be able to lead a heart later, while if partner has 2 hearts then declarer has 2, either Kx or KJ so as soon as partner gets in we run the suit.
But of course maybe dummy does have only 1 heart, leaving 5 more with declarer and partner. If so, and ifpartner has 3 then again it was best not to lead the heart. If partner has only 2 then I have to hope that they are Jx.
There is an interesting case when declarer has three hearts to the K. Dummy might have the stiff J. In fact, if we place the heart K with declarer and then stipulate that dummy is to have exactly one of the remaining five hearts then, if we select it randomly, there is a 1 in 5 chance that dummy's stiff is the J.
My first thought was to lead the !H Q. That would take care of the singleton J in dummy, or, for that matter, of Jx in dummy. What harm could it do? But it could do harm. If declarer holds KJx and I lead the Q, he simply ducks. Even if pard has two hearts he will no longer be able to get back to me if I continue hearts. If I had an outside entry, I think the !H Q would be right. But with my actual holding it is unlikely that declarer will ever have to let me in, so there is a real danger to leading the Q.
The two hands where I think I have a strong chance of being wrong are H, the lead problem, and F, the one with the choice of Pass/3NT/4 !S . It seems any of those choices could be right.
That is not to say that I am confident of my other choices, but I am reasonably confident that they are the choices I would make at the table. With H and F, I can imagine doing different things on different days, varying with my mood. A practical consideration with H is that even if they can run the first six tricks they might not do so. Recently, playing with the bots, my robotic partner, idiot or genius depending on the result, bid 3NT holding Qx as a stopper in a suit bid on his left. The bot on lead, holding AKJxxx decided to wait for his bot partner to lead through declarer and so led a side suit. 9 tricks, could have been 10, to declarer. That could very well happen here, at least at the table. Kho might hold AQTxxx, his partner Kx. Will Lho lead a small heart? Anyway, there are many ways for 3NT to come in.
I await the judgment of experts. I don't always agree with the judgment of experts but I like to think that I always listen and appreciate it.
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Yup, Ken.
The !H Q was a definite consideration for me too, and could well be the "hero lead" that scores 100. The !H T was too pedestrian, so will probably not score well. I ended up choosing the !S J. I feel confident that the !S will score highly, whereas the !H Q is a crap shoot.
I went back and forth until the last minute on problems C, D, E, and F. Problem F, I thought, had three viable answers, any of which could be right. A perfect MSC problem!
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Three IAC'ers made the MSC "Honor Roll," so not a bad showing! :)
I completely booted question "A," scoring a 50. Unfortunately, to read the expert commentary, we'll need to wait for the August issue of TBW.
What perplexes me is how my answer on "A," which scored the second most expert votes, finished fifth as far as score.
Questions and answers here--with scores: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mscscoresforlastmonth.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mscscoresforlastmonth.html)
Ken, we all did well on the lead question, scoring 100.
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From the "Official Rules and Procedure"
"Each contest is directed by a member of the Bridge World editorial staff. After the contest deadline, the contest's director assigns scores to answers on each problem, giving a highest score of 100 and lower scores generally in multiples of 10. The director does the scoring according to a personal view of the merits of different possibilities but is guided by the votes and comments of a panel of experts. However, the director must award 100 to an action receiving a majority panel vote, at least 10 to any action receiving at least one panel vote, and some score (even if zero) to every legal action."
So this gives the director a fair bit of latitude.
How could you tell who or how many were on the Honor Roll? I looked at an old issue where the HR went down to 720. My score will be 700, so probably I am not on it. But the rules simply stipulate "For each month's contest, the top-scoring solvers are listed in the Honor Roll, which appears in the issue of The Bridge World following the contest discussion. ", with "top-scoring" left undefined.
Anyway, I am completely happy with my score.
On D, upon reflection I agree that both 2 !C and 2 !H are better than 2 !S. But on C it is less clear to me just why 2 !D is better then X. It's true that AJx is more than just tolerance. And if W declares in some number of NT then I want a diamond lead rather than a spade lead. nonetheless, it could be that we have a double fit in spades and diamonds and if so, it seems like a good idea to discover it. I will be interested in their thinking.
I hope we keep this going, I don't mind being embarrassed a bit. Or a lot!
I am amazed that the !S J got 20 out of 26 of the panel votes. Congrats to us. I thought of it as my own personal eccentricity.
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Ken, the "Honor Roll" is here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mschonorrollforlastmonth.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mschonorrollforlastmonth.html)
I had not read the "Official Rules and Procedures" previously, but did know that the contest director has wide latitude in assigning scores. I had a conversation with Phil Clayton a couple of months ago. We compared bids prior to submitting, and very nearly matched. However, on one problem I suggested a rather . . . "offbeat" solution. He stated that when Kokish is director, some really "messed up" [edited for forum] bids garner points! ;) So I'm aware of the possibility of slanted results.
I do agree that this is fun!
I've not yet looked at August, but intend to do so in a week or two. What I've been doing is writing down my first guess and maybe a second guess, then waiting a week to revisit with fresh eyes. I always change my mind. Always. Of course, this isn't the way it's done at the table (for most of us), so I know it's not realistic. Still, it's a great mental exercise, and we have true World Class thinking to compare against!
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Choosing a bid is partly about judgment, partly about agreements. In the contest they stipulate BWS and they mention it in the problems. So in the contest it pretty much comes down to judgment. But I think people could look over the agreements as well. A person might look at the stipulated agreement for the puzzle hand and say "I don't want to play that bid in that way". Fair enough, but it gets the possibility on the table. Often, in IAC and elsewhere, it does not occur to players that while they play something one way, others play it differently.
A couple of examples:
Hand C: 1 !C - (1 !D) - 1H
Fourth hand has five spades. BWS stipulates in the puzzle that X shows spades plus a diamond tolerance. And, although they do not mention it there, a bid of 1 !S in this auction would show spades and deny a diamond tolerance. Now in the case the spades are five to the T and the diamonds are AJ6 so the majority, 14, of the panelists went with 2 !D, forgetting about spades. I went with the X, as did 7 of the panelists. I accept that 2 !D may well be best. My point, at the moment, is that the problem also highlights a common but not universal agreement about 1 !S denying diamond tolerance, X showing diamond tolerance, both calls showing spades. Someone looking over this quiz could then ask his/her partner "Pard, do you play it that way?" My understandings that snapdragons are for exactly the following situation. When the auction reaches fourth seat, all three players have bid, They have each bid a suit and nobody has jumped a level. So (Pass) -1 !D - (1 !S )- 2 !C would be an example. Fourth had holds the remaining suit. Then: X shows the fourth suit with tolerance for the overcaller's suit. Bidding the 4th suit shows that suit with little or any tolerance for the overcaller's suit. If overcaller repeats his suit, he is on his own. Now AJ6 is much more than "tolerance", no doubt this contributed to the choice of the 2 !D bid in the quiz. Again, my point is that this quiz could bring this possible agreement to the attention of IACers. The initial pass, before the 1 !C opening, does not affect the meaning here.
Consider Hand D: Pass- 1 !C - X - 1 !H -?
BWS says that X, by the partner of the doubler, is for penalty. I can tell you from experience that many are surprised by this view, they often would take X to show four spades. So, again, this is an opportunity to ask partner "How do you play X in that sequence?"
When things go wrong, I think that there is seldom much point in questioning partner's judgment. Much more useful is to see if the partnership is on the same page as to what the bids mean. On D, if one person is playing that double is a penalty double of 1 !H and the other person is playing that it shows four spades, this will not go well no matter how brilliantly each person follows through on his/her own understanding of the X. So those things need straightening out. But judgment? My judgment might well be wrong today, but it will probably be wrong tomorrow also. I will not be getting a brain transplant.
There are almost infinitely many chances for misunderstanding in bridge, and looking through these quizzes would be a chance to straighten some of them out. A pair could agree to play it as BWS does, or they could agree to play it differently.
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Ken,
As to your examples. From the recent MSC:
Hand C: I was torn between the 2 !D bid and the X. My thought process--right or wrong--was this. Up until the last moment, it was truly a coin flip. The decision for me was that my "values" were in !D. If partner is overcalling 1 !D, sans the Ace and Jack, what does he have? A six-card suit? 1 !D certainly has no preemptive value. I think a six-card suit is likely. Also, the !S suit, headed by the ten is anemic (do I want a !S lead?). While the double conveys two pieces of information, it is somewhat misleading. It does not convey the strength (or length for that matter) of my !D holding. !D AJx, as you have noted, is more than "tolerance." I believe a common definition of tolerance to be Hx. The immediate raise makes it easier for partner to compete to the three-level if needed.
Hand D: (1 !C) - X - (1 !H) - ? I am aware that penalty is common, and I would consider it to be the "legacy" treatment of this sequence. Not that my bridge experience contains anything resembling a legacy. This is strictly based on my reading. You mention that many take it to show four !S. I, actually, if given the opportunity to discuss it, prefer to play this as a Responsive Double, showing both unbids. (Yes, I know it is not the standard treatment.) This is the LC Standard treatment, and I played it this way with a steady partner several years ago. It makes sense to me.
As far as questioning partner's judgment, it accomplishes little. Understanding partner's judgment, however, and most importantly partner's style, in a long-term partnership is key to partnership harmony. My tendency is to be rather conservative in my bidding. I am a down-the-middle vanilla bidder. That is not to say I can't pull out the occasional tutti-frutti bid. But I try to make bids that partner will understand. Bids that torture partner are not good for harmony. They're fun, though! A long-term partner of mine was a very aggressive bidder. Very! Matched with my conservative nature, it worked. But I must say playing a grand requiring two finesses and a favorable trump split raised my blood pressure a bit!
Anyway, it will be fun to read the thinking of the panel in a month or so.
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I missed even July! shoot.
I am filling out some answers for the August MSC (july 10th deadline)
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Todd, you will be happy to know that we agree on only 2 answers so far. I went ahead and submitted mine, because I like to answer them without extensive analysis as I would on the table. In other words, I only give myself as much time as I would take at the table. Then I think I might resubmit an additional answer set after I've given it a thought to see how that differs. I find that its instructive to myself to do it that way. I'll post my answers when I get a chance to write out my thinking.
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Todd, you will be happy to know that we agree on only 2 answers so far.
Joe, please let me know on which two answers we match. I must change those answers at once! ;)
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I'm working on it, but i am stuck with the first one.
An observation on problem A:
Tpdd notes "Plus, in this auction, Leaping Michaels should apply"
I wasn't sure so I checked BWS.
I first found, under special situation defenses, Against a natural preempt:
(c) A strength-showing jump in a new suit is natural, except when the jump is to four of a minor, which is forcing and shows that minor and the unbid major.
But this auction did not start with a pereempt.
Later, under "actions in the sandwich position"
When the opponents raise a one-bid to two, there are no special system agreements other than those listed here:
(a) a cue-bid shows majors over a minor, unbid major plus unspecified minor over a major;
So, if I understand correctly, BWS plays (2 !S) - 4 !D as hearts and diamonds but after (1 !S) - Pass - (2 !S) then 2 !S shows hearts and a minor. Presumably jumping to 4 !D is natural.
Of course a pair need not play BWS but one thing this thread can do is to prompt partners to discuss whether they do or do not play Leaping Michaels in this position. I am sure there are arguments for and against, so it's just a matter of choosing. Or, in the case of a BWS quiz, accepting whatever BWS says, as long as it is clear.
Back to problem A.
With the right cards in partner's hand we might make 6 !H, otoh with bad luck we could go down in 4 !H. Moreover, I have no idea how many tricks they can take playing in spades or maybe clubs. It's tempting to go with the old joke: "What do you call a seven card suit?" "Trump".
How about 4 !H : At the table, I often, maybe too often, take the view that it is impossible to discover all that I need to know so I will simply take an action that has a decent chance of being right.
But before doing that, I need to ask myself what I will do next, assuming there is a next.
Lho bids 4 !S, passed back to me. I bid 5 !D? I think I must.
Lho bids 4 !S, partner doubles, passed back to me. I pull? Yes, again I think I must. I hope pard did not mull the X so long that I am forbidden to pull.
Lho doubles, partner passes, Rho pulls the double to 4 !S. I dunno, probably I sit for this.
I could try a risk 3 !H. Risky because chances are good that I will make 4. But with this much shape they will (famous last words) probably contest with 3 !S. Then I bid 4 !D, after which I can let partner make all further choices.
3 !H seems to risky, 5 !H seems to unilateral, 3 !S doesn't do justice to the fact that the hearts are so much better than the diamonds.
So at the table I am pretty sure that I would just bid 4 !H and I am thinking of sticking with that for the contest as well.
Joe: I like to acknowledge what I believe I would have done at the table, but I see this quiz format as a chance to think through whether I really, upon reflection, think my initial instincts are good. In hand A I would be unsure at the table but probably bid 4 !H, and after thinking about it I am still unsure but probably I will still bid 4 !H.
I'll move on to B this afternoon.
This can all be time consuming so it has been years since I have done quizzes like this. But I do think that they are useful, and I especially like having the interchange of thoughts.
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Another possibility for A.
I bid 3 !S. Let's suppose we agree about how partner asks for my minor, say with 3NT. I then bid 4 !H. Presumably I still have a minor, as promised by my 3 !S, so now I am showing a hand with hearts and a minor but an unusual hand where the hearts are much better. Partner can still get us to 5 !D if he hates hearts.
Usually I regret being inventive, but this should be clear enough.
This does bring up the question of how to ask for a minor given that, after 1 !S - Pass - 2 !S the 3 !S shows hearts and a minor. Presumably just about everyone (but not everyone) plays that (1 !S) - 2 !S -(Pass) -2NT asks for the minor, but at the 3 level the situation probably needs discussing.
Added. I am coming around to 3 !S.
On the auction, and my lack of spades, partner might easily hold five spades. If he also holds six clubs, again very possible with my stiff, he would welcome the possibility of bidding 4 !C showing clubs rather than choosing a red suit. But when, istead of long clubs he holds some clubs and some diamonds, then he will bid 3NT. I then make the surprise bid of 4 !H. He looks at his hand ses a stiff heart, and says "Fine pard, you are on your own, I pass" But on some hands he sees a heart void and says "No, we still belong in a minor" So he bids 5 !C. He will have a tolerance for diamonds when he does this since if he had clubs only he would have bid 4 !C over 3NT. So I correct to 5 !D and there we are.
A bit far-retched perhaps, but it seems to fit together.
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Problem B
Todd has an very good point about the spades. Assuming, as certainly we mus, that partner has at most three spades then at least one of the opponents has five.
I think it could be either. Most likely opener, as Todd says. But that X has come to have a number of meanings, I think. Traditionally it has shown an interest in hitting one of the shown suits. Perhaps that is what it is. But sometimes it just shows a good hand. Suppose that Rho has good values, a reasonable but not great five card spades suit, four clubs, and maybe three diamonds and one heart. He realizes the opponents will be competing in hearts. Does he want to play in spades? He doesn't know. So he thinks: If partner has at most two spades then he has at least four clubs. I'll begin with a double, then I will bid 4 !S. He expects partner to choose between spades and clubs. With Kx in spades pard can pass, but on some hands he bids 5 !C. With better and/or longer spades he makes the U/U bid (in BWS 3 !D shows spades, different strokes for different folks) but he can keep both 4 !S and 5 !C in sight this way.
So do we want to bid 5 !H? Not the worst idea I have ever heard. Maybe so. The vul is right. Still, since the vu is right partner may have used that fact to bid 2NT on less than I might need. I trust him for 5-5, and I imagine he is exactly 3=5=5=0. But in 5 !H X we are going to need 8 tricks.
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Here are my answers all together:
A: 3 spades
B: 4 hearts
C: X
D: 4 Clubs
E: 4 Spades
F: 2 Clubs
G: X
H: Heart 4
A: I should have looked at the system notes, but again I'm trying to answer as I would behave on the table. I find this gives me more insight into my assumptions about bidding or principles that might govern my decisions (which I don't always recognize explicitly until I do these kinds of exercises). Anyway, I also had a thought about leaping micheals but thought it shouldn't apply here (Although we all know that 2s is often bid on air, just like a preempt). I went with 3s as most obviously showing hearts, and an unknown minor which I will likely bid next no matter what p says.
B: I see that I bid 4h. I presume the X by East is penalty oriented for one of the suits, but its not hearts. In retrospect, I wish I had thought more about where the spades were and gone to 5h since the ops have 4S for sure, so I don't know that 4h is getting us anywhere, but white v red, my impulse was to go for the big 4h.
C: X Since I can't bid 3H, I believe I have no choice but to bid X, showing one of the majors and I don't know what to do when partner inevitably bids 3spades. I guess I bid 4d then, which you all know I hate so thats a bit of a lie because I would probably bid 5d.
D: 4 Clubs - I don't think this is right. I don't know why 4c is there, I can not recall what my thoughts would be here. If we are playing minor wood (which is my preference) 4c would be last train kind of bid, but 4H seems normal here. I think this is a mistake in what I inputted.
E: 4 Spades - Non vulnerable, i prefer to make them do the math on whether double or 5h is their bid.
F: 2 clubs - and 3S over partners positive 3c bid. :P
G: X showing my 4 spades. Then when pard passes because he doesn't know what to do over their 3h raise of the preempt, I bid my 4D, which he knows I definately am not offering as a place to play.
H: heart 4. This is the standard lead, therefore it must be the wrong lead in a master solvers club question. However, not knowing the questions too well, I am going to resist out thinking myself and go with standard.
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OK, for better or for worse I have chosen.
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades
PROBLEM B: 5 Hearts
PROBLEM C: Double
PROBLEM D: 4 Hearts
PROBLEM E: Pass
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM G: Double
PROBLEM H: Spade 9
Thoughts:
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades
This shows !H and a minor in BWS. I assume 3NT by partner asks for the minor.
If partner bids 3NT I bid 4 !H. I think he will then have a pretty clear picture of my hand.
If partner bids 4 !C, as he well might do if he holds 5=1=1=6 shape, I am still bidding 4 !H but I will not be so happy about it.
PROBLEM B: 5 Hearts
I am assuming that the opponents have a 9 card !S fit.They are going to go on to 4 !S if I bid only 4 !H.
And, with partner holding 10 red cards and 3 spades, we have a ruff coming if we can get it.
Assume, as Todd suggests, that Lho has six clubs and five spades. He will have a problem after I bid 5 !H. Of course if they have adequate control in the red suits they can make 6 !S. Unless we can take the first 2 tricks they may well be able to take 5 spades, 6 clubs and an eventual ruff after pitching red cards from the dummy. But a heart to the A, if it holds, and a club back will beat 6 !S.
I am pretty confident I can survive in 5 !H X, not going for more than 500 and maybe less.
PROBLEM C: Double
For the negative double at the 2 or 3 level I need to have either both majors or a fall-back position if partner bids the wrong major. No problem. If partner bids 3 !S I correct to 4 !D. If partner has a bigger hand and bids 4 !S instead of 3 !S then we should be fine in 5 !D.
PROBLEM D: 4 Hearts
My first thought was "Of course I bid 4 !H, what's the problem?". But there is an alternative bid, 4 !C. I would like this to show a stiff club and hearts. It seems 6 !H is a definite possibility here. But does 4 !C show a stiff club and heart support? Not as far as I know. As to just what to make pf partner's 3 !S, I think it could be many things. It's a forcing bid that does not take us past 3NT and shows at least something in spades.
PROBLEM E: Pass
That 3 !S will force them to 3 NT or 4 !H so it's some sort of big hand that didn't want to bid 4 !H directly. Maybe I'm just timid but I don't see this as a hand where I want to do anything to encourage partner to do much of anything. A bid of 4 !C would, I assume, ask for a club lead against a !H contract. But I don't really know that I want a club lead and, if 4 !C is doubled, then where are we? Nowhere good, I think. And I see no reason to double the 3 !S. Pass is sometimes the best call.
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs
Yes, I suppose that allows the opponents to get in. But I have a good hand and the way to show it is by starting with 2 !C and then bidding some number of spades. Probably 4 !S.
PROBLEM G: Double
X is the most flexible call. If partner has four spades, we probably want to be in spades. My spades aren't great, I know. Still.
PROBLEM H: Spade 9
Any lead, including this one, might give away a trick. But if partner has the T this will be fine, and if dummy has the T this lead is likely to be fine. If declarer holds AKQx with the T on the board then I have given away a trick. So be it.
I found these to be tougher than last month's. I am far from sure that I am right on any of them.
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Looking at PROBLEM A only:
Ken's thinking . . .
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades
This shows !H and a minor in BWS. I assume 3NT by partner asks for the minor.
If partner bids 3NT I bid 4 !H. I think he will then have a pretty clear picture of my hand.
If partner bids 4 !C, as he well might do if he holds 5=1=1=6 shape, I am still bidding 4 !H but I will not be so happy about it.
and Joe's . . .
A: I should have looked at the system notes, but again I'm trying to answer as I would behave on the table. I find this gives me more insight into my assumptions about bidding or principles that might govern my decisions (which I don't always recognize explicitly until I do these kinds of exercises). Anyway, I also had a thought about leaping micheals but thought it shouldn't apply here (Although we all know that 2s is often bid on air, just like a preempt). I went with 3s as most obviously showing hearts, and an unknown minor which I will likely bid next no matter what p says.
was similar to my initial thinking. However, employing a two-suited bid somewhat implies equal (or at least similar) length.
My first guess (though my third choice) was to use a two-suited Leaping Michaels. But per Ken's post about BWS above--it ain't part of the system! I had to look it up (probably a good idea for a bidding quiz reliant on a specific system). I had thought it might be part of BWS. It's Larry Cohen who espouses (or mentions) it. He states, "Note: Even rarer (but popular among many expert pairs) is to use Roman Jump Overcalls [using this interchangeably with Leaping Michaels] after the opponents Bid and Raise a Major. For example, (1 !S) Pass (2 !S) 4 !D = 5-5 or better in diamonds and hearts. In that case, 3 !S would ask for a stopper for 3NT. As usual, this is dangerous stuff unless thoroughly discussed and remembered. Without discussion, the jump overcall would just be preemptive and natural."
I still think I prefer Cohen's method better, but it's good to know "our system" for the purposes of these quizzes!
I may as well quote BWS while I'm at it: "When the opponents raise a one-bid to two, there are no special system agreements other than those listed here:
(a) a cue-bid shows majors over a minor, unbid major plus unspecified minor over a major;
(b) a jump-overcall is preemptive or sacrifice-suggestive."
If I could be certain that 3NT by partner "asks for the minor," as Ken suggests, a 3 !S call (intending a 4 !H followup) would have more appeal. But I have serious doubts that 3NT will be available. I think it quite likely that the level of bidding will reach 4 !S before we can blink. If that happens, the opportunity to show the suit disparity will have been lost. By bidding the !H suit first, then introducing the !D suit (most likely at a very high level) the "primary !H suit" with secondary !D will have been communicated.
Another possibility that occurs to me is to take Fido for a walk by slipping in a quiet 3 !H. But this will probably not win any MSC poll points!
I think for now I stick with my initial 4 !H, holding the !D suit back until I need it.
A fun problem!
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The hands are not simple. And A in particular is not simple. I wandered back and forth a few times on this.
I decided that if after my 3 !S it goes (4 !S) - Pass - (Pass) I will just bite the bullet and bid 5 !H. Not great but a good chance of being right. It seems likely, but not certain, that a 4 !S bid on my left would be on extra length in spades. Fewer spades for partner increases the chances of support for hearts. I don't need all that much.
Another possibility is that 4 !S is bid on my left and partner bids 4NT asking for my minor. If that happens I probably forego the hearts and bid my diamonds.
I will be interested in the votes and thoughts of the panel.
If the meaning of 3 !S were put to a vote I am uncertain of how it would go. Of course BWS is a consensus system so apparently there was once support for it being hearts and a minor. This view might be changing. Maybe the panel will address that.
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Ah yes, the mailman just brought me my July issue of Bridge World so I looked at the comments on the July hands, the first set posted here.
On the lead problem Danny Kleinman claims that this is the third time he has faced this problem. The first time he led the !H Q (one of my initial choices) hoping to smother dummy's stiff J, but declarer, Marshall Miles, held the stiff K and dummy had J third so this did not go well. So the next time, also against MM, he led the A to drop the stiff K. MM had bid 3NT on what he first thought was the stiff K but he quickly found a heart spot in with his diamonds and so again this did not go well. So this time DK is leading the !S J!
A little humor to brighten up things up, but I did have a hand where my robotic partner, channeling Marshal Miles, bid 3NT on a Qx "stopper" after a heart preempt on his/her/its left. His robotic opponent, with AKTxxx decided he should let his partner lead through what he supposed would be the Qxx and so led a side suit.
BW also has a very enthusiastic review of Kit Woolsey's new book The Language of Bridge. I might well buy it.
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Pulled the trigger:
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Hearts
PROBLEM B: 5 Hearts
PROBLEM C: Double
PROBLEM D: 4 Hearts
PROBLEM E: Pass
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Spade 6
Only one was I absolutely certain about, 4 !H on "D," which means it's wrong.
Taking a flyer on G. Blast 3NT, give up on slam or a !S game. An MSC bid.
My lead on "H," which I was initially confident about, now troubles me. I like Ken's !S 9, presumably avoiding a future potential blockage. But every time I've tried that, it backfires. I sorta like the !C T too.
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My lead of the !S 9 was at least partly because it is mps. Also partly because I have the 6 along with the 9 and 8. Dummy will probably show up with something, after all a 7 point hand usually passes and some 8 counts do, but still most of the points will lie on my right. I am inclined to let declarer find his own tricks with me giving him as little help as possible.
This might be right, this might be wrong. Recently I held such a hand, I led the 9, Txx was on the board. Partner took his A and switched suits, it went something like JQKx (his J, my K) in a side suit. Figuring that I should now continue on my suit (they had bid Stayman and declarer was known to have started with at most 3), I lead the !S J. Oops, I needed to continue his suit.
So you never know. The !S lead was fine as far as that went, but there were more choices ahead.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the September 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Diamond 2
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Scores for August?
I got to 560. My heart lead was almost a zero. >:(
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September solutions.
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Joe Albert Garcia
FULLERTON CA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM E: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Spade 6
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the September 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM B: 5 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: Pass | Pass
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: Pass
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Club King
All that passing? Yep. so I did.
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Pulled the trigger. Will add a comment or two later . . . if time.
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM B: 5 Clubs
PROBLEM C: Pass | Pass
PROBLEM D: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM E: Pass
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Heart Ace
A. 3 !C . I didn’t jump-shift, so lack GF values. While 2NT is a close approximation of my values (and was my second choice), I think 3 !C does a better job of conveying my shape. 2 !C also shows the three-suited nature of my hand, but undersells the strength.
B. 5 !C . Lead directing, and also agreeing diamonds? I dunno, this may be a reach. 5 !D will be the majority “solver” answer, I think. It was my initial “duh” answer, too. But the panel sometimes has other ideas.
C. Pass/Pass. Wimpy. This, too, I think will be the majority “solver” answer. I just could not pull the trigger on the Pass/3 !D option (or other options) with -200 too great a risk.
D. 3NT. I don’t channel my inner Bob Hamman often enough. How’s it go? "When 3 No Trump is one of the alternatives, choose it"?
E. Pass. Very difficult choice. 3NT may very well be right, but partner could have a slew of !H and decide to “correct” to 4 !H. This is just an awkward shape to try to enter the fray.
F. 2 !D . My initial thinking went with the seemingly obvious 3 !D . I do have 10 HCP after all. But I downgraded the heck out of this quacky collection. I generally lean conservative, so the panel will likely disagree here and go with the “obvious 3 !D .”
G. 3NT. Extremely difficult. Partner is big, and probably does not have a void since there was no raise. The vulnerability makes Pass tempting. 4 !C was my second choice, but feels like an underbid. Similar to “D” above, with 3NT an alternative, I’ll take a “what the heck” approach.
H. !H A. Declarer probably has a running diamond suit, so this lead employs similar logic to a gambling 3NT lead. I want to get a peek at dummy and get partner’s attitude.
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My guess on "PROBLEM C," and assessment of the panel's opinion of it was spot on. Wimpy! I can guess the reasoning for the immediate 3 !D will be the immediate preemptive value, not allowing the opponents to communicate where their fit may be. Even knowing that, I remain a wimp. The second place vote, redouble, which I like a lot did not even occur to me. Some sort of blind spot I guess.
I thought "PROBLEM G" was the toughest. The close votes reflect the panel's difficulty in choosing too. I almost pulled the trigger on Ken's choice of Pass. It's really a coin flip between a few choices.
I had planned to do a very brief summary of the written MSC for August, but got sidetracked. I will maybe finish it and tack it on to a previous post.
It will be interesting to read the panel's reasoning for the September MSC when the next issue comes out.
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OCTOBER MSC PROBLEMS
https://tinyurl.com/OCTOBER2018MSC (https://tinyurl.com/OCTOBER2018MSC)
!S !H !D !C
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620 for september. What did you all get?
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PROBLEM A: 2 Clubs 80
PROBLEM B: 5 Diamonds 70
PROBLEM C: Pass | Pass 50
PROBLEM D: Pass 70
PROBLEM E: Pass 100
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds 50
PROBLEM G: Pass 90
PROBLEM H: Club King 80
590
But October is just around the corner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udmjmfp98Sw
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Had a good month:
PROBLEM A: 3 Clubs 100
PROBLEM B: 5 Clubs 100
PROBLEM C: Pass | Pass 50
PROBLEM D: 3 Notrump 100
PROBLEM E: Pass 100
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump 100
PROBLEM H: Heart Ace 100
750
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Congrats. Your only non-100 is where you agreed with me on C. Be careful of the company you keep!. But I am not yet convinced 3 !D is wise. Being imps, they probably won't hit it since they don't want to double us into a game contract but still. This seems to be there hand, I'm inclined to let them play it.
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Congrats. Your only non-100 is where you agreed with me on C. Be careful of the company you keep!. But I am not yet convinced 3 !D is wise. Being imps, they probably won't hit it since they don't want to double us into a game contract but still. This seems to be there hand, I'm inclined to let them play it.
Thanks! The scoring, however, was BAM, which I have never played. But it was certainly a strong determining factor in my decision. I was just too afraid of getting hammered. I get the presumed reasoning though. Getting back to my comment upthread, the option that somehow escaped me was redouble. I like that choice best. I don't think it even entered my mind, which is silly. ;) Because it should have. Sigh.
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Clearly I need to read more carefully, indeed it is BAM. I also did not note that the X by E was for TO, but since partner and I both have diamonds and W had a natural NT call I didn't need to look.
My carelessness together with your note that XX did not occur to you supports my general contention that the loss of focus very often where to look when we ask where we went wrong.
I have been thinking more about the merits of 3D. The casual version of LOTT says that since we have at least nine diamonds we can bid to the 3 level, but I have never cared for that version. The original version was more in line with the name. The number of tricks we can make in diamonds, added to the number of tricks that they can take in clubs is often the same as the number of cards we hold in diamonds plus the number of cards they hold in clubs. Of course at them time that E made his double W had not yet selected clubs. However, N doubled 1C and then raised our diamonds after the 1NT. EW are showing strength and so I am not so sure N would bid 2D if he held, say, 4=3=4=2 shape. Maybe we should play N for either a fifth diamond or, more likely, a stiff club. 4=4=4=1 would make 2D seem right. Perhaps a stretch, but not unreasonable. If we give him that shape then we have nine diamonds and they have nine clubs, so LOTT says that if they can make exactly 3C then we can, likely, make exactly 3D.
Now LOTT is not right as often is its enthusiasts claim, but it seems to be about right on the average. And we have no objection when LOTT underestimates the trick total. So if LOTT is right, or if LOTT has underestimate the trick total, we might be fine with 3D. LOTT is based on double dummy play, but of course we will be brilliant.
I think I am stretching, maybe stretching quite a bit, but I have been trying to see why 3D is right over the X and this is what I have come up with.
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ooh, nice scores Todd! AS always, I"m answering the biding problems as if I'm on the table. I give myself no more than a few seconds to answer. Then I like to reconstruct my thinking which helps me to see my biases and methods more clearly. Still, I doubt giving it a full analysis would get me to almost all 100s!
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Of course I would rather score well than score badly but I like this thread for two reasons. First it seems to be getting some participation. Anything that gets participation is good. Second, I see it as an useful stimulus for discussion and learning. I am interested in what the panelists think, but I am also interested in what the participants here think.
I mentioned some (after-)thoughts about C. I'll say a few words about A:
KJ97 / 2 / AKT3 / AK64
1 !D - 1 !H - 1 !S - 1NT - ?
I would expect partner to bid this way holding xx / Axxxx / xxx / Qxx.
He could also, I think, hold Qxx / Axxx / Qx / Qxxx.
With the second hand he would, I assume, raise my 2 !C to 3 !C. Might I regret my weakish 2 !C call? Yes, I suppose so. But might I regret a 3 !C call? Yes, I think I might. 3 !C scores 100, 2 !C scores 80. OK. I may be wrong but I'll be right someday.
October choices will be posted soon, I am holding a seance later this week. Wine will be served.
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October choices will be posted soon, I am holding a seance later this week. Wine will be served.
Noted.
I'll dust off my Magic 8-Ball.
Anyone got a Ouija board?
With all the extra spiritual help, we should be able to come up with some informed WAGs.
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well done to the most honorable Todd 8)
SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the September 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass 0
PROBLEM B: Double 70
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM D: Pass 70
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump 60
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: Pass 90
PROBLEM H: Diamond 2 20
------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 510
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October guesses . . .
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Diamonds 50
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM C: Pass 70
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: 4 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs 90
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM H: Diamond 10 100
710
A: 4 !D -- A bit of a cutesy MSC bid. Partner did not double, so does not have four !S . I would bid 4 !C (this will probably be the majority "solvers" bid) with far less. 5 !C could be right, but is basically a transfer to 5 !D . I think with partner's ask for a stopper he should have solid !D . But how many !H does he have? This 4 !D is passable, but with the right hand partner will go.
B: 2NT -- though 3 !D was close.
C: Pass -- Double was a close second.
D: X -- I flipped a coin between Double and Pass. Very close. 2 !H also was a possible choice.
E: 4 !D -- 4 !D seems right here. It is forcing, yes? The suggestion of 4NT, with hearts wide open, is a red herring. Why not just unambiguously agree trump? But it’s Matchpoints! Should we just bid 3NT and be done with it? I would like 4 !C if it agreed diamonds. But I think it would only muddy the waters.
F: 2 !C -- Is there another choice?
G: 2 !S -- 3NT crossed my mind, but there is no rush. Partner opened in third seat.
H: !D 10 -- !D 10? !S 7 ? Hell, even a 4th from longest may be best.
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oops. I had better do this. I have not read yours yet, and I had better do mine.
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oops. I had better do this. I have not read yours yet, and I had better do mine.
Wise. I highly recommend you do not look at mine this month (except for comedic relief). They are a rare combination of wild-ass guess, stupid, and cutesy-stuck-for-a-bid calls. ;)
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the October 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM C: Double
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Spade 7
I was going to do this tomorrow but then I saw the deadline is 9am. But I am not sure more thought wouold help here.
One thing: On problem G I went looking at the MSC website to see if Drury was on and I could not decide. Partner opens a third hand 1H, I plan to bid Drury with that hand but then there is a 1S on my right. I sometimes play Drury is on as long as 2C is available, sometimes I play it is on over a double but not over an overcall, sometimes I play that Drury is off unless my rho passes. I could not figure out what BWS does. If 2C would be Drury, that's my choice.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the October 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: Pass
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Spade 7
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So I am not the only weirdo bidding 3NT on A! It's one of those "Well, it might work" things.
I would be interested in people's thoughts about G. Pass - Pass - 1H - 1S - ?
Without the spade call I would bid 2C (a heart raise, could be on 2 or 4 trump in BWS, or so I believe) and then, even if partner bid 2H showing a very minimal or light opening, I would raise to 3H. That seems like a fine description. It's likely we can make 4, but I want to allow for partner to be joking bit with the third hand opening.
Bidding 2S, as I did, doesn't allow me this flexibility. Partner must now choose 3H or 4H and, if he chooses 3H I should do what? I far prefer being able to bid 2C and then, if he bids 2H, raising to 3H. But as near as I can see, in BWS, 2C is no longer Drury after the spade overcall.
I again congratulate Todd on starting this thread. I enjoy discussing bridge hands. I particularly enjoy discussing play, but bidding is also interesting and these BWS hands are a fine challenge.
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What the hell. I may as well embarrass myself.
SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
Qualicum Beach BC
Canada
Your Solutions for the October 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 4 Hearts
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: 5 Diamonds
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Diamond 10
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the October 2018 Contest
[I have edited the Sep 9 post to include scores. I was worried about A, it scored better than I feared. I thought H would score better than it did, but I guess I can see why. I still wonder if a Drury 2C was available on G. On to November. Btw, this is still September is it not? Or have I done a Rip Van Winkle? And welcome aboard bAbsG. A little frustration now and then is good for us. ]
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump 70
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM C: Double 80
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump 80
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM H: Spade 7 60
Adds up to 690
One thing, from the earlier post: On problem G I went looking at the MSC website to see if Drury was on and I could not decide. Partner opens a third hand 1H, I plan to bid Drury with that hand but then there is a 1S on my right. I sometimes play Drury is on as long as 2C is available, sometimes I play it is on over a double but not over an overcall, sometimes I play that Drury is off unless my rho passes. I could not figure out what BWS does. If 2C would be Drury, that's my choice.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the October 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump 70
PROBLEM B: Pass 70
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds 60
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump 80
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump 70
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM H: Spade 7 60
610
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These are my entries for the November 2018 contest:
PROBLEM A: Double
PROBLEM B: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM D: (b2)
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Club Ace
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New problems attached.
Deadline is October 10.
Link to MSC Problems here:
[https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html (http://[https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
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I am off in Oregon hoping to be a good grandfather to a newborn but I will try to get to these before the Wednesday deadline.
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I am off in Oregon hoping to be a good grandfather to a newborn but I will try to get to these before the Wednesday deadline.
Grampa stuff more important, Ken! :)
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I usually delay until the last minute, but had a lot of free time this weekend, so pulled the trigger.
SOLVER: Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the November 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM B: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: (a2)
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Spade 5
Trenchant commentary to follow. ;)
:) . . . :) . . . :) . . . :) . . . :)
PROBLEM A: 2 !H --- The values are correct for 1NT, but the void is a gaping hole. Pass could be right, taking a wait and see approach. I think Pass will be the popular solver choice (and it is my second choice). Heart suit is too threadbare to bid--and I absolutely hate it. But it’s the least bad choice.
PROBLEM B: 1 NT --- Pass was my initial gut instinct. Partner would need a perfecto for game to be on. Both 1NT and 1 !S have appeal. My 1NT is a bit of a punt as I think the hand too strong to pass.
PROBLEM C: 1 NT --- Passed hand, so this is red suits. This one seems almost too simple. I have a feeling there will be some (many?) votes for 1 !D – a lead director.
PROBLEM D: (a2) --- Not providing us with a hand is irritating. Second choice, B3.
PROBLEM E: 3 !H --- All calls are flawed. 3 !C is tempting as a “waiting” bid, indicating an inability to bid 2NT or support spades. But 3 !H , while generally implying four pieces, at least conveys some heart support. 3 !C would make that almost impossible. Flawed.
PROBLEM F: 5 !C --- 4NT, an “Unusual” type call, is tempting. It would not be RKC in this auction. A much safer 5 !C —likely the plurality choice--will score well.
PROBLEM G: 4 !C --- Even at MP, 3NT seems wimpy. 2 !C is wide-ranging, partner has some shape, let’s push.
PROBLEM H: !S 5 --- East’s failure to make a !D control bid, instead bidding 4 !H , implies no !D control. West has at least the !D Ace for the subsequent 5 !D . If my partner has the !D King, it is not going away, and the slam will not make. A !C lead will certainly be the popular and safe solver choice. Since the modern honor lead from AK(xxx) is the Ace, the King becomes the standard at the 5-level or higher (asking for count). Here, however, if I lead a !C I choose the !C Ace since I do not wish to advertise the honor placement to declarer.
The bidding indicates !C shortness in dummy, and declarer could also be short in !H . I can smell the ruffs, so I am choosing a trump lead. When I get in with !C to my Ace—I continue with trump. This cuts down on ruffs, hopefully foiling the slam.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the November 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM B: Pass
PROBLEM C: 1 Diamond
PROBLEM D: (b3)
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Diamond 3
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the November 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM B: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM D: (b2)
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: Pass
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Spade 6
I will also supply some thoughts:
PROBLEM A: 2 !H --- It's matchpoints. If 1 !S is passed out we probably score +50 or +100, not enough to beat +110. I think that I would also bid 2 !H at imps but it's more of a close call. It's not impossible that 4 !H is on ice. On a bad day even 2 !H might go down, but I am not that pessimistic. Yes I usually have a six card suit or at least a better 5 for a 2 level overcall but we have to go with what we have.
PROBLEM B: 1 NT --- Right call on strength, and !D T643 is often adequate.
PROBLEM C: 2 NT --- Yes, 1NT is also for the reds, but my thought is to bid 2NT and then shut up. All further choices are partner's.
PROBLEM D: b2 --- My first thought was a2, as Todd did. I changed my mind. I imagine declarer has the Q. So maybe I have Jxx, maybe I have Jx. It is probably more important to tell partner which of these I have than it is to jettison the J from Jxx. Of course I have not discussed this ("this" = what to do when the A is led and the stiff K is on the board) with any partner, so who knows what partner will make of it.
PROBLEM E: 3 !H ---Pretty much the same thinking as Todd.
PROBLEM F: Pass This might be nuts but it seems to me that 4 !S is a likely make and i'll just leave it be.
PROBLEM G: 4 !C --- Again same thinking as Todd. Slam must be a real possibility here.
PROBLEM K: !S 6. Now really my choice is a spade spot, any spot. But, traditionally, we play trump spots as hi-lo from 3 even if we are generally playing standard count. Who am I to break with tradition?
One quick added thought about hand C. There is something to be said for passing. The idea is that the opponents might well be playing in 4S and they might then appreciate the help we have given them in the play by showing our distribution. I'll be interested in seeing whether this is mentioned by the panel. But I am sticking with my 2NT call.
-
SOLVER: Ken Berg
PROBLEM C: 2 NT --- Yes, 1NT is also for the reds, but my thought is to bid 2NT and then shut up. All further choices are partner's.
PROBLEM K: !S 6. Now really my choice is a spade spot, any spot. But, traditionally, we play trump spots as hi-lo from 3 even if we are generally playing standard count. Who am I to break with tradition?
One quick added thought about hand C. There is something to be said for passing. The idea is that the opponents might well be playing in 4S and they might then appreciate the help we have given them in the play by showing our distribution. I'll be interested in seeing whether this is mentioned by the panel. But I am sticking with my 2NT call.
Ken, I too considered Pass as a reasonable alternative on C, using the logic that any 2-suited call would only draw a roadmap for declarer. I think Pass will get some votes, probably with similar reasoning mentioned.
The !S lead? I have no idea what is standard here. I'm curious whether there will be a score difference between the spots.
-
I am hoping that all spade spot leads are given the same score! It seems to me that declarer might have trouble finding 12 tricks and cutting down on ruffs is the main point. As to what is standard, I think that playing trump spots hi-lo to show an ability to ruff is very standard, but that's not what't going on here. Here, I think of it as simply count and that may not be so standard. I remember Mike Lawrence in some book indicating that with three spots he routinely gives the hi-lo and commenting "I suppose that giving this information might someday cost me a trick but it hasn't yet", or something like that. Probably some would say that when the trump count info is irrelevant, then the choice of spots can send some other message. And still another view could be that the spots should be played randomly to minimize the possibility of declarer making any useful conclusion. The bots seem to often think that way.
So I lead the 6 but I do think that the score for leading a spade spot should be independent of which spot it is. We shall soon see.
Oregon was very nice. The new granddaughter slept a lot. The older sister, almost 3, seemed to like that we were giving her a lot of attention while everyone else was oohing and aahing over the new one. Something about restricted choice, I think.
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PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts 70
PROBLEM B: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: (b2) 50
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts 100
PROBLEM F: Pass 50
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs 100
PROBLEM H: Spade 6 70
640
If at first you don't succeed, try try again.
-
Your Solutions for the November 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts 70
PROBLEM B: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump 70
PROBLEM D: (a2) 100
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts 100
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs 100
PROBLEM H: Spade 5 70
710
Better than it could have been; not as good as I had hoped.
I need a huge score for December to average 700 for the year, but it's possible.
I see that Mister Creech had a very good month. :) Well done!
-
SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the November 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts 70
PROBLEM B: Pass 70
PROBLEM C: 1 Diamond 80
PROBLEM D: (b3) 70
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump 80
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump 60
PROBLEM H: Diamond 3 100
-----------------------------------------------
630
well done to the honorables
-
SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
Qualicum Beach BC
Canada
Your Solutions for the November 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass 100
PROBLEM B: Pass 70
PROBLEM C: Pass 60
PROBLEM D: (b3) 70
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts 100
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump 60
PROBLEM H: Spade 5 70
630
Well done guys!
-
I added my results for the November contest. It looks like I got badly dinged for signaling when partner led the A !D and dummy showed up with the stiff K. Otherwise, I feel pretty good about the results.
These are my entries for the November 2018 contest:
PROBLEM A: Double 90
PROBLEM B: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: (b2) 50
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts 100
PROBLEM F: 5 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: 4 Clubs 100
PROBLEM H: Club Ace 90
730
-
Sorry to vent, but maybe you are finding the December set more frustrating than most. Personally, I hate this set. I know that they are bidding problems, but this time half seemed to be out of the ordinary difficult.
This set includes:
1. The ordinary problem where you know what each choice means, and have to select the least lie;
2. The devilish problem where you are not really certain what you choices mean, so it is trying to find the best truth; and
3. Being hamstrung by a system or decision that you had no control over, and now have to find a reasonable solution.
The Problems:
A. 21 HCPs (though I am reducing this mentally a bit for the KQ !D) with a very nice 6 bagger. I am torn between jumping in !s or making a cuebid.
B. My big complaint with this problem is my second call. Why didn’t I bid 2 !s (the impossible !S). I think partner is bidding out shape, but would feel better about how I proceed if I had made it clear that my hand got much bigger with 2 !D. It would be much more suggestive of my 5-card support than the immediate raise.
C. Another 21 HCPs, another great !s suit and another flawed doubleton; this time a KJ in opener’s suit. This time I am torn between a cuebid and 2 !S.
D. This time it is the note that is my complaint. Really, 4NT is specifically a natural bid, but otherwise undefined.
E. At last – an ordinary 2-level balancing action.
F. An ordinary interference with invitational values and no clear choice of action.
G. Followed by an ordinary defensive problem – do you continue or switch, and if you switch, to what?
H. And finally, an ordinary game-level preempt lead problem.
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[F]inding the December set more frustrating than most.
Except for the other 11 months of the year, I agree! ;)
I seem to think the same thing every new set.
-
A first glance musing:
A: 3 !S . Though 3NT has some appeal. The jump to 3 !S, I think, describes the hand. Not quite a game-force, but requests partner to go to game with any excuse. Any!
B: 3NT. 5 !D also possible. I've not decided. A coin flip. I agree with Jim's "Where was my 2 !S bid last round" comment.
C: 2 !S. Similar to problem A, but not. The suit lacks a sixth card, but is solid. I fear the !D KJ is not enough for a NoTrump rebid.
D: Toss-up. 3 !H will, I think, be a popular choice, though it should generally promise five pieces. The suggestion of 4NT is, I believe, a red herring. Yes, it should be natural here and invitational to slam (not RKC), but that undersells the hand. What about 5NT? Should be Pick-A-Slam in this auction. Yes? Hope so. (Added: If partner has a four card major, too, he could also offer that as a place to play over 5NT).
E: Yuck! Pass or double? Some may even try 3 !C. I like Pass best.
F: 2 !C . Every time I think "easy," I score a 50. Sigh.
G: !H 10. Anything could be right. I would also contemplate the !S 4.
H: !H 10. It worked for "G," why not "H"? ;) Second choice, !S 10. [Edit] - Thinking has evolved. The !C A may be the killing lead; try to figure out which way to go from there.
Plenty of time to change my mind.
-
I have just started so maybe this is premature, but a couple of initial thoughts.
On A, I am thinking that if I can run six spade tricks then I should have a good shot at nine tricks in NT, and if I can't run six spade tricks then I am not so sure I want to be in 4 !S either. Assume spades run. If the opening lead is a heart, I have six spades and a heart so of partner has either minor suit A I am home. Or maybe he has Qx in hearts and nothing else. I take the Q at T1 and lead a diamond from the board. 6+1+1+1=9. Or; well there are various "or"s but I am thinking 3NT sounds good.
On B, well, Jx isn't much of a heart suit but it will allow partner to ruff a spade or two unless they start with a trump. If they do start with a trump and then another trump, that should help establish the suit after which partner can hopefully score up a bunch of tricks in hearts and diamonds. Pard knows that I do not have three hearts and if his hand is unsuitable for playing opposite a doubleton he can still put us in 5 !D.
On the other hand, I think 3 !S shows a spade stop and suggests 3NT if I have a !C stop. I do. So maybe 3NT. As I understand it, after 3 !D partner, if he has a club stop but no spade stop, can bid 3NT and hope. If he has a spade stop and no club stop, he can bid 3 !S inviting me to bid 3NT. But I am far from sure everyone agrees that this is how to interpret pard's 3 !S and 3NT in this situation.
And I agree that there is a lot to be said for 2 !S over 2 !D. A little more strength would be nice, but what I have is pretty good.
So I find these tough but what else is new? If we wanted easy there are places to go for easy. I like hearing thoughts as well as choices from others. It's a way to make good use of these problems.
Added thought on B: I am thinking 3NT is the way to go. We all seem to agree that the hand is at least close to a 2 !S call on the second round. With that in mind, then it follows that my actual choice of 3 !D could not be any stronger than it is. If it cannot be any stronger then, unless 3 !D is very narrow, then it could be weaker. Still, partner has elected to go on. This is good news. I have more than he might expect, and he has bid again. So where should we play it? A bid of 3NT shows something in clubs, so I would be showing a decent hand with diamond support and something in clubs. That's what I have.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades
PROBLEM D: 5 Notrump
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM G: Heart 10
PROBLEM H: Club Ace
-
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades - I think this is the value bid and I am a bit concerned with using partner's !D's with KQ tight.
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump - given the auction I have to live with, I will try signing off. I wonder a bit if there might be a safe !D game or even a slam possibility.
PROBLEM C: 2 Diamonds - I don't quite have the shape of Problem A, but do have the strength. I think the cue might be the right continuation, with a !S bid next.
PROBLEM D: 5 Notrump - With 4 NT natural, I feel like 5 NT should be forcing to slam, with an uncertain strain - pick a slam partner.
PROBLEM E: Double - an imperfect takeout, but you have to work with what you have.
PROBLEM F: Double - an imperfect negative double, but I think it shows where I have values and makes it easier to find NT. If partner bids !H 's, I've played in worse Moysian fits.
PROBLEM G: Heart 10 - The A !C would give me a peek, and that was very tempting, but I felt like the broken sequence might have more chances to succeed. I am hoping that if I am wrong, I will get a chance to try !C 's when I get in with the K !D.
PROBLEM H: Club Ace - In the face of a preempt, I like to see the dummy before proceeding.
-
MASTER SOLVERS CLUB SOLUTIONS RECEIVED
Your solutions have been received. This copy is for your records.
SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: 4 Notrump
PROBLEM E: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM G: Heart 10
PROBLEM H: Spade 10
-
SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM D: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM G: Spade 4
PROBLEM H: Heart 10
-
A good month, apparently . . . based on the overall low scores on the monthly honor roll.
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump 100
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump 60
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM D: 5 Notrump 60
PROBLEM E: Double 100
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: Heart 10 80
PROBLEM H: Club Ace 100
___
700
No real surprises, or totally off the wall bids that I did not understand, though I did shrug a bit when I saw the !H 2 choice as the winner on PROBLEM G.
[EDIT] I will add that while I thought this month to be especially difficult, I believe some of the low scores for anything not "100" is simply due to Kleinman being the director. He can be especially brutal.
Overall I enjoyed the monthly test of my solving ability. And of course, hopefully, I learned something along the way. Not only because of how these problems made me think, but also to read the monthly summary for each question from the expert panel in The Bridge World. I, unfortunately, did not begin this year until February, missing the first month.
On to next year!
-
SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Hearts 60
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump 60
PROBLEM C: 3 Notrump 0
PROBLEM D: 4 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump 60
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: Spade 4 0
PROBLEM H: Heart 10 30
-------------------------------------------------
410
another PR
-
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades - 50
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump - 60
PROBLEM C: 2 Diamonds - 40
PROBLEM D: 5 Notrump - 60
PROBLEM E: Double - 100
PROBLEM F: Double - 90
PROBLEM G: Heart 10 - 80
PROBLEM H: Club Ace - 100
580
What a brutal set. Very few had second choices that scored 80 or better. Under the circumstances, I am happy with a 580. All of my selections were within the top three.. In the November contest, selecting the third choice across the board would have been a 560; this month with the same choice you would get a 410.
Congrats to Todd!!! Second in the overall standings is fantastic, particularly on this set. WTG!
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SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
Qualicum Beach BC
Canada
Your Solutions for the December 2018 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades 50
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump 60
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM D: 3 Spades 30
PROBLEM E: Double 100
PROBLEM F: 2 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: Club Ace 60
PROBLEM H: Spade 10 60
560
Well Done Todster!!!!
-
FRESH START FOR EVERYONE!
January 2019 MSC responses are due December 10.
Link to THE BRIDGE WORLD MSC is here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
January problems are also attached for viewing.
Good luck!
-
Just my pre-selection musings:
Problem A. Leaning towards 2 !D . Pass is my second choice.
Problem B. 2 !D -- 3 !H ? I’ll have to think on this one a bit more. !D Suit is too sparse to jump, and 3 !H , while focusing my values fairly well, gives up on the !D suit. If partner passes 2 !D , then we probably do not have game anyway. Though the 2 !D rebid could be 12 HCP, it can also be 17-18. It is "wide-ranging," and is the most flexible.
Problem C. Yikes! A tough one. A probable misfit. But could we still make slam on sheer strength? My initial rebid of 2 !C should limit my hand to 17 or a “bad” 18, which is what I have. But I have not come anywhere near showing my strength. The lack of a source of tricks concerns me, but at IMPs, this is worth a stab at slam. So I’ll try 4 !S to show the shape of my hand, 3=5=1=4 (I denied four !S earlier), narrowly focus my values (basically a quantitative slam try, but shape-showing) to the aforementioned range, and bring partner into the decision. If partner subsequently bids 4NT, it should be, in my opinion, regressive and not RKCB.
Problem D. Although 3 !S will likely be the majority choice, the quality of the suit is questionable. I sorta like 3 !D as a possibility. It’s a card short, and I’ll never catch up on the !S suit if partner has help, so it’s a gamble.
Problem E. 3 !C seems best. This will be very popular, I think. Second choice, an exploratory 2 !H ?
Problem F. 1 !S. Second choice, 1NT. I contemplated double, intending to rebid, but just because I have 17 is not an “auto double and correct” for me.
Problem G. I would bid 4 !H without the !C Ace. Not sure which direction I will go here. 4 !S would be interesting, as well as a double intending a later !H bid. But I am leaning toward a simple 4NT. I usually hate the red herrings the MSC throws out, but it seems it may work on me this time.
Problem H. Partner has nothing. A “safe” lead (probably !D T) will be popular. But I’m seriously contemplating the !S Ace. They Wooded, so there should not be a void. Can partner have the stiff !S ? [Added]: I also contemplated an extremely brave !H K, attempting to hit partner's !H Q. But I'm not that brave.
Must pull the trigger this weekend, so will look once more before submitting my guesses.
-
These are my preliminary thoughts (with what I am leaning toward at the start of each). Like Todd, I am still mulling over my final answer, and will submit by Sunday night). This is the first time I have used the specific agreements mentioned by BW, and I hate thinking that I like the suggestions - so I will be trying hard to find something I like better for problems A and G.
Problem A: 2 !D The bid is non-forcing, it provides a reasonable lead director, I have 9 HCPs, and with Jx in !S I can tolerate a return to partner’s suit.
Problem B: 3 !H Part of my problem is that I anticipate partner rebid to show a weak hand with long !C s. That means that a jump shift into !D is likely an overbid. Similarly, 3 !H feels like an underbid until considering the anticipation.
Problem C: 4 !S Having bid over 3NT, I consider this to be a slam try still looking for the best strain. This completes my pattern with an inference of extras.
Problem D: 2 !H I have working cards in both of partner’s suits, the ace of my suit, and a stiff !H. I may not have the HCPs, but I do have the playing points. Partner’s bid over 4SF may clarify everything or continue to muddy the water. also caters to the 4-5 opening to avoid a reverse without enough value. Partner may give me a belated raise, though I think partner is much more likely to have a stiff !S on this auction (and given my hand) than three. Perhaps pard will clarify which minor is longer.
Problem E: Pass I assume that 2 !C is non-forcing because partner is a passed hand and Problem A. Partner should not introduce a new suit under these circumstances without five. Although the suit or hand was not good enough to overcall directly, it should play reasonably opposite my hand.
Problem F: 1NT Choice between 1NT, double and 1 !S. 1 NT tends to show more of my hand than the other bids – it shows my values and !C stopper, where 1 !S undervalues the hand and make it hard to recover and dbl may end up overvaluing my hand, particularly if I bid my !S over the anticipated !H call from partner.
Problem G: 4 NT With partner bidding !D and RHO pre-empting in my stiff, I think partner has a real suit and asking for keycards will answer a lot of questions that can be answered. I already know that we have a combined holding of 30+ HCPs, and the vulnerability suggests that most of partner’s HCP’s will not be in !S. Let’s go with the known fit, and not worry about the !H s.
Problem H: 10 !D I often like leading aces against slams – read that it was a winning proposition most of the time. This time, it is at best a 50% shot that the trick will not be ruffed, and could easily set up a couple of pitches for declarer at the same time.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: 4 Spades
PROBLEM D: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM E: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM F: 1 Spade
PROBLEM G: 4 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Spade Ace
Trigger pulled. Wait for the news. Maybe good ;D, maybe not! :'(
-
Also pulled trigger: No change from where I last was at, so let the chips fall where they may.
SOLVER: James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the January 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM C: 4 Spades
PROBLEM D: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM E: Pass
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 4 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Diamond 10
-
SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the January 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: 2 Spades
PROBLEM C: Pass
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM G: Double
PROBLEM H: Spade Ace
-
Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM C: Pass
PROBLEM D: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM E: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM G: Double
PROBLEM H: Heart King
We shall see. On everything except the lead problem I think of my answers as conservative. With the lead, I fret about just what I am going to pitch on the run of a bunch of diamonds. It's nice that I have the spade J to keep declarer from establishing the suit, but if I pitch spades then...? I agree that pard is not going to have much and that argues against the heart K, but I did it anyway.
-
Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass 80
PROBLEM B: 3 Hearts 70
PROBLEM C: Pass 50
PROBLEM D: 2 Diamonds 10
PROBLEM E: 3 Clubs 100
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump 50
PROBLEM G: Double 90
PROBLEM H: Heart King 30
That totals 480 or thereabouts. And I can't even say I have changed my mind. Oh well.
-
SOLVER: James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the January 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM B: 3 Hearts 70
PROBLEM C: 4 Spades 100
PROBLEM D: 2 Hearts 60
PROBLEM E: Pass 40
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump 60
PROBLEM G: 4 Notrump 50
PROBLEM H: Diamond 10 70
550 - Wow, my choices were brutalized all over the place. Problem E was my biggest disappointment. I really do not see my hand improving enough to bid 3 !C when partner did not overcall directly. Compete to that level, yes, but not directly. Like Ken, I really haven't changed my mind (except maybe the !S A in the lead problem).
Congratultions to Todd. His 740 was the third highest score on the honor roll (tied 5-7 in terms of placing). Well done!
-
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM B: 2 Diamonds 80
PROBLEM C: 4 Spades 100
PROBLEM D: 3 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM E: 3 Clubs 100
PROBLEM F: 1 Spade 100
PROBLEM G: 4 Notrump 60
PROBLEM H: Spade Ace 100
740
Good month.
Like Ken, I am not always swayed by the expert picks as shown in the Scores for the Month page. I need to be convinced by the commentary provided in The Bridge World. One "best" answer, for PROBLEM G, barely occurred to me--5 !H . I'm curious what the thinking was on that one.
-
Although I maybe do not go gentle, I do like hearing how the choices were arrived at. I like this thread a lot. I seem to be on a bad run, but there will be a brighter day tomorrow. Or at least there will be another day tomorrow.
g'night all.
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I thought about the 5 !H call, but decided that it was telling only part of the right story. I thought the bid was looking for tolerance for !H, asking for a !S control and assuming partner had !D controls. At the table, with something like xx Qx AKxxxx Kxx, I would be happy to pass with a good minimum and two !S losers, when it would be virtually a laydown slam in either red suit. With something like xx xx AKJxxx KJx, I still have chances to set up the !H suit, but would need the !H queen onside no worse than 4-1 to be successful in 6 !H.
I was thinking that one reason might be the form of scoring. At matchpoints, !H s would be preferable to !D s. If partner responds 5 !D, you cannot correct to 5 !H over 4 NT because that would be a queen ask.
Alas, that is not the issue. The scoring is IMPs, so getting the level right is far more important; which did figure into my thinking at the time. 4 NT was still not perfect, but I thought better than 5 !H (particularly since I thought partner was likely to have either 1 or 2 keycards).
- If partner has none, we are too high (but so would 5 !H);
- with 1 or 3, if you feel lucky, you can try asking for the fitting king, if not, then pass and live with the choice; or
- with two, it becomes an easy raise to 6.
-
The "asking for a !S control" possibility crossed my mind, but that thinking did not seem appropriate. Obviously it's a killer !H suit, but 5 !H practically screams, "this is our suit." The magazine arrives soon, I'll be opening to PROBLEM G at once.
One answer, that I initially dismissed, now intrigues me. One single solitary panel solver chose 5NT. This should be Pick-A-Slam, which I knew at the time. But I dismissed it because I did not think it through completely. It must be the red suits. Since a 4 !C call is forcing, with great !C you just bid them below game to elicit more information from partner. You can later trot out 5NT if you want to force a minor suit slam. But introducing the !H suit at the 4 level is not forcing. Adding those pieces together leaves you with the inescapable conclusion that 5NT is for the reds. I love this choice.
[Added]: I'll make a wild guess the 5NT came from Zia.
Is it too late to change my answer?
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the January 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass 80
PROBLEM B: 2 Spades 60
PROBLEM C: Pass 50
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades 70
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump 80
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump 50
PROBLEM G: Double 90
PROBLEM H: Spade Ace 100
---------------
580
-
SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
Qualicum Beach BC
Canada
Your Solutions for the January 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass 80
PROBLEM B: 3 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM C: Pass 50
PROBLEM D: 3 Spades 80
PROBLEM E: 2 Hearts 60
PROBLEM F: 1 Spade 100
PROBLEM G: 4 Hearts 40
PROBLEM H: Spade Ace 100
610
Todster - you ROCK!!!!
Next month I think I will just tell them "what Todd says" :P :P
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My Bridge World arrived today. I guessed correctly, Zia was the lone 5NT bidder on PROBLEM G. He did not, however, expound much on his reasoning. I would love to pick his brain on that one.
Some of the 5 !H bidders:
- Kehela: "value bid, not a focus on spade control."
- Bartusek: "A general invitation saying nothing about spades."
- Cohen: "I'll hope this is a general invitation as opposed to asking for spade control."
But David Berkowitz, the director for January, disagrees stating, "Five hearts must show a spade control." He later opines that the "ambiguity of the five-heart bid is a reason not to choose it."
Lots of opinions on this one, so nothing remotely resembling a consensus.
[Added] I e-mailed Zia. :) Yes, I'm weird. :o Here is his response:
"Hi Todd
You are obviously a great thinker! (as you agree with my bidding)
5 !H sounds like hearts or nothing.
My point was that a partner with xxx x AKJxx kxxx would pass 5 !H (btw I think it’s a value bid not a !S ask).
And !D must be put in the picture
For 5 NT:
Yes I think it is likely asking for red choice as with clubs I would have just bid them with a 5 NT a later option.
I admit I just might have 6 bad !C and 3 good !D X akx kqj axxxxx to bid 5NT where If he bids 6 !C over 5NT I could pass.
But if he did try 6 !C . . . when i bid 6 !D over 6 !C he will know I have 3 ok !D and 6 great !H with some big hand.
The bottom line - Ouch !!! If partner has Axx void Akxxxx xxxx and Passes 5 !H .
I also admit that 5 !H does not commit to slam. But I leave that to others to worry about.
Zia Mahmood"
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February 2019 MSC responses are due January 10.
Link to THE BRIDGE WORLD MSC is here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
February problems are also attached for viewing.
Good luck!
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February guesses.
PROBLEM A: Pass. Partner is doubling at the three level. He has some moderate values. We only need down two to better our (possible but not a sure thing) game contract. I am hoping for a heart ruff, plus some Aces, and whatever partner can contribute. I like Pass. [Edit] This one concerns me. It almost seems too easy. The expected defensive windfall somewhat hinges on a !H ruff, which is not a sure thing. It requires partner to hold the !H K. But there is no guarantee of this. I'm seriously contemplating a 4 !C rebid.
PROBLEM B: 4 !D. Although 4 !D is forcing (trump already agreed) doesn’t 4 !C also show slam interest with a control? 3 !S, I fear, would only show some bizarre shape. 3 !H, non-forcing and showing a delayed three card fit. The 4 !D call has the added benefit that it nudges right up against 4 !H (allowing, almost demanding partner to show the !H K) which is a card I want to find out about. A perfecto in partner’s hand, !H K and two keys, gets us to slam.
PROBLEM C: 1NT. The “curse of Scotland” and the "Beer Card” together equals a stopper, yes? I would not consider Pass. 2 !H is my second choice, but the suit is not quite good enough.
PROBLEM D: Double. Isn’t this a WTP takeout double? Minimum, yes. What am I missing?
PROBLEM E: 1 !D. Will need to think on this. The 1 !D overcall lacks the expected length. 1NT is right on values and will be a popular solver choice, but this hand lacks the stopper associated with a 1NT overcall. I could go either way.
PROBLEM F: 2NT. Flat. Ugly. My !C KTx, however, is well placed. I would respond 2 !D without the !C K. This is my one chance to show my (admittedly minimum) values with 2NT. The 2 !D response is a very close second.
PROBLEM G: 3 !H. Mildly similar to problem D last month, where several voters went low with 2M (I expect a few 2 !H bids this month). But that was MP—which was a consideration in their bids. This is IMPs. The scoring method changes things. Although the heart suit is awful, and is a misstatement of the suit strength, it’s the best “bad” rebid.
PROBLEM H: !D Q. Pretty much anything except a heart. The !C King into a stiff seems pointless. A trump, attempting to cut down on ruffs, could be right. But the !D Q is safe and has the benefit of cutting down transportation. Maybe. I’m not sure.
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My current thoughts on the February problems:
Problem A: Pass I have bullets and better values for my overcall than I might have. They are red, and that also feeds into my decision. AsTodd said, they only have to go down two to make a profit, and if they are not going down two, we probably don’t have the game.
Problem B: 4 NT I wish I could use Kickback, but I did not see that as an option in the system notes and, even so, with partner bidding !H s, the call may be ambiguous. I cannot believe that partner will have zero, so the number of keys that are shown will be distinct and I will be able to make a sensible decision. Still not certain about I should keep 4 !D or 4 !C in the running.
Problem C: Pass I tend to bail from misfit hands early. I have a stiff in partner’s suit and 4 small in the opponent’s suit. 1 NT is certainly a possibility, but other than helping to limit the number of tricks available to the opponents to run, I do not think 97xx is much of a stopper.
Problem D: Dbl I am with Todd of this – I have 11 HCPs, I am 4-4-3 in the unbids, and it is my turn to bid – where is the problem and what am I missing here?
Problem E: 1 NT My real tendency is to pass hands like this and come in later when !S have been shown. In my early years of bridge, I had a partner who would balance on a yarborough with a five-card suit because that was expected in the partnership. I still do that quite a bit, but this is a different situation. I am reminded of some top pro saying, who needs a stopper anyway. I am far more willing to make the NT call over 1 !C than any other suit. If I double, I am certain to hear !S.
Problem F: 2 !D I want cue bid so much on this hand it hurts. However, the fact that is a bare limit raise, with 3-3-4-3 shape and the only pluses being that the K !C is behind the overcall and a 10 all suggest caution. If partner makes any sort of move, I will bid game, but I would prefer to start with a plus position.
Problem G: 3 !H I consider this to be the middle ground. My hand has gotten progressively better with Kx in both of partner’s suits. If we were red, I would bid 2 !C, partly to see what my partner rebids. At the same time, my spots are so dismal, that almost want to only bid 2 !H.
Problem H: 10 !S I see a short suit ask that seemed to, at least not dim the prospects of slam. The shown suit was !C, so I would like to reduce the ability of declarer to ruff mine.
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February guesses below:
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM B: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 1 Diamond
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM H: Diamond Queen
Fingers crossed.
Problem "A" was . . . a problem. One of those problems that just doesn't pass the smell test (every month has one). My gut instinct was to pass for penalties, and I think it will be the runaway choice for solvers. But working out the possible hand shapes made it a very, very close call. This could be a hero 4 !C call or a complete bust.
Problem "H" was a coin flip. A trump may well be best.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: 4 Notrump
PROBLEM C: Pass
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM H: Spade 10
These are my guesses. Most did not change from my preliminary thoughts. Problem B was my biggest hurdle. There were so many bids that I thought about (starting with 3 !H), but what it came down to is that I cannot believe that partner does not have at least one key card for the jump support, so this bid will answer my question about how many without getting too high.
I thought it interesting that Todd and I switched positions on Problem E; I viewed that as being my next biggest hurdle.
Good luck to all who participate.
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SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
Qualicum Beach BC
Canada
Your Solutions for the February 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs 40
PROBLEM B: 4 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Hearts 80
PROBLEM D: 1 Heart 50
PROBLEM E: 1 Diamond 100
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 3 Hearts 40
PROBLEM H: Spade 8 60
580
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Oh my, today is the 10th and it's ten to nine. I could claim I have been busy, there is some truth in that, but not that busy. Anyway I'll try to get to this even if it's too late to send it in to BWS. Or maybe I'll just do next month's and forget this month's. That sounds better.
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Nothing so bizarre that it did not occur to me.
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs 50
PROBLEM B: 4 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: 1 Diamond 100
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump 70
PROBLEM G: 3 Hearts 40
PROBLEM H: Diamond Queen 100
Total 660
Mildly peeved I changed my answer on "A".
I understand 2 !D on "F" but still prefer 2NT for the reasons stated upthread.
I contemplated the GF 2 !C on "G" (a mild overbid) thinking that the room it saved (to sort out strain) relative to the 3 !H choice offset the fact it was an overbid. But I dismissed it. I'm guessing that will be the logic behind it. I'll add that, if the GF 2 !C scores 100, then why does the meek 2 !H score better than 3 !H ? ???
On to next month.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass 100
PROBLEM B: 4 Notrump 90
PROBLEM C: Pass 50
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: 1 Notrump 70
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump 70
PROBLEM G: 3 Hearts 40
PROBLEM H: Spade 10 60
Total 580
I think the only complete surprise to me was Problem G, Its not that I didn't think of 4SF, it's just that I didn't think this hand justified forcing to game. A sixth !H, Kx in both of partner's suits are pluses, but it only has 11 HCPs, the !H suit is hardly robust, and fitting cards do not constitute a fit. I still feel that this hand is highly invitational. In fact, I find it insulting to see that the more aggressive 3 !H is scored lower than the two underbids of 2 !H and 1 NT, when the top score goes to an even more aggressive artificial game force. I expected more of link between the valuation of the hand and the scores assigned. But i guess if you are looking for logic in scoring answers on bridge questions, you should not look to the MSC directors.
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The February deadline for entries is coming up this Sunday, so I thought I would run out my preliminary thoughts. I know we will hear from Todd, but I hope that we will hear from some of the others as well this time. I always enjoy and find thought provoking how others are thinking through these sorts of problems.
Now for my thoughts:
Problem A: I have really been stuck on this decision. This hand has so much slam potential, but practically demands a preempt. The hearts are key. If partner has the right . A grand is possible on as little as Axxxx A xxxx Axx and a slam on as little as Axxxx x xxxx Axx. The question becomes – how to find out if partner has the necessary tickets. I do not have a good descriptive bid available. If a fit showing jump shift were available, I might have tried that. So I am stuck with least-lie types of bids. I am tempted to try a forcing NT to see what partner rebids. I am tempted to bid 4 !S and give up on what might be and settle for what is. I am thinking about looking to see if exclusion blackwood is available, because I would at least find out about keycards outside of the club suit.
Problem B: Dbl, intending to pull !C to !D to suggest two places to play and something extra.
Problem C: I have four defensive tricks and they are red and we are not. This may be a bit low for matchpoints, but pass.
Problem D: This is one of those hands that gets both better and worse the more you find out. My best cards keep getting better, but Jxx is a poor stopper at best, and Qxxxxx is a poor suit to introduce in an invitational sequence. I feel I have too few hearts to make an invitational raise there, too poor of spades to make an invitational NT bid, too poor of a diamond suit to bid an invitational 3 !D, but too good of a hand not to make an invitational move. Which is the least lie? Right now, I am leaning toward 3 !D.
Problem E: This sequence is invitational. I have two !S, when I am permitted to bid 1NT with a singleton and I have a mximum in prime values. The question is more how do I accept, rather than will I accept. Due to the puppet, I don’t know if I have denied three spades at this point or not, or if 3 !S is throwing the invitation back to partner or accepts the invite. I have too many questions that require system research.
Problem F: It sounds like partner has a 1-3-(5-4) minimum. I would like to bid 2NT, but fear that partner will bid on with the wrong hand, so I am inclined to pass.
Problem G: At this point, I almost wish that I had opened 1NT with the singleton ace. This is not a good hand for a moysian fit – the spade ruffs would come in the long hand. I am also not in a good position to describe my strength and the diamond suit is too short and weak to think about jump raising myself. The spades are too weak for NT without help or to convert the double. I think the best course of action is to throw things back to partner to describe their hand better. I am leaning toward 2 !S – I have something good over here, tell me more about your hand.
Problem H: Neither suit bid by the opponents feels right. Clubs may turn into immediate pitches for declarer, while hearts may make it easy for declarer. A spade could be right, I do not think I am looking at a ruff sluff on the go situation, and if we have a trick, it could go away quickly. Diamonds could also be right, but it may also turn into something that gives the contract away. I am definitely thinking toward a pointed-suit jack, just not sure which way to go yet.
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Initial thoughts for March. Have not yet pulled the trigger:
PROBLEM A: 4 !C . Lots of possibilities here. I would love to find out about heart shortness with partner, in which case a J2NT would work. But that could get us into huge trouble as it misdescribes my strength. 4 !S has merit as the practical choice, giving up on slam however. Of the possible splinters, 4 !C is best, due to the singleton. I think a splinter is the value bid and also descriptive, so I will choose 4 !C .
P.S. I have sneaking admiration for 2 !H . If a fit is found, we’re off to the races.
PROBLEM B: Double. Pass is also a possibility. 3NT is a bit rich.
PROBLEM C: 2 !S . Pass is my (distant) 2nd choice.
PROBLEM D: 2NT. Value bid. I see this as the runaway winner.
PROBLEM E: 2NT. This is really taking the low road at IMPs, but it’s nothing but Aces and Kings. 3NT is a very close second.
PROBLEM F: 2NT. Low road. Again. Partner has some sort of 1=3=5=4 or 0=3=6=4 and about 16 HCP. The opps know this, and a spade will be led. My second choice would be 3 !D .
PROBLEM G: 2 !H . Fibbing about my heart length is more than made up for with my extra values. I also like 2 !S as a general forcing bid—DSIP—and may change my mind on this one. Admittedly, the 2 !S bid is out there, so I will probably not go that direction.
PROBLEM H: !D J. The !S J is also possible. A coin flip. I just can't figure the hand shapes here with any accuracy. I may flip that coin. [Edit] I ended up going with the !S Jack, thinking that it is possible for West to be void in !D . If so, I don't want to finesse partner's honor. The !S lead, while safe, gives nothing away.
Sneaking this in at work. Will peak at Jim's thoughts later. A few really tough ones, as usual.
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I'm working on it. A couple of thoughts.
On A, it highly likely that whatever I do the next thing that happens is that I hear is 5 !C or 5 !D or 4NT on my left. Another problem is that whatever I do, partner will simply not picture me for the hand that I have. It would be great if we had an agreement that 1M-5m showed a hand with great M support and 0/1 in m but of course nobody has such an agreement. It seems to me that with a hand such as this I am forced into some masterminding.I think I am going with 4 !D. Partner will never realize what I have, but we might end up right anyway.
About problem E. As I understand this Puppet convention, the 2 !c bid is an absolute demand that opener bid 2 !D. Here is why: Had responder bid 2 !D instead of 2 !C, that would be an artificial game force. So, if he wants to get out in 2 !D, he bids 2 !C and then passes the forced 2 !D bid. So my 2 !d does not deny three spades, my 2 !D was just doing what I was told to do. With that in mind, I think the following agreement could be useful. Over the 2 !S, a raise to 3 !S should be "Yes, I accept, but maybe we belong in spades, maybe we belong in NT, you choose".
H: I am going with the !D J. Or at least I think so. If partner had values in clubs I suppose he would just pass 6 !C and hope they play it there. Even if it were mps, the priority with slams is to beat it. We don't double and see them run. And while there possible could be a !S trick, i think partner has some diamond cards, and more likely that they will cash. I suppose this could be one of those hands where what I really have to do is lead the !D 4, but I'm not doing that.
I will think more later. Thinking is good, or at least I think it is.
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Problem F: It sounds like partner has a 1-3-(5-4) minimum. I would like to bid 2NT, but fear that partner will bid on with the wrong hand, so I am inclined to pass.
Umm . . . I don't think "minimum" is right. This auction shows extras--unbalanced--in the 1NT opening range. I'm guessing 16 or so. The choices (in my opinion) are 2NT and 3 !D .
Trying to go over the rest of my answers tonight, but too tired to commit.
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For F I think I go with 2NT. Just for myself, I would never (hardly ever?) open 1 !D and rebid 2 !C when holding five clubs and four diamonds. I suppose maybe if the diamonds were five small and the clubs were strong but probably not even then. Goren recommended 1 !D with such hands, and I used to do it, but I have not liked the results. Now suppose I am 2=3=4=4 with xx in !S. After 1 !D - 1 !H do I bid 2 !C? I try not to. With a decent three card holding in hearts I raise hearts. So I think opener is 1=3=5=4. And how strong? Well, he could have passed. So decent values I think. Game seems not out of the question. I guess 2NT. Possibly this tells partner to bid 3NT if E holds the ace of !S but to pass if W holds it. We need a convention for that! Bidding 3 !D instead of 2NT should be safe for +110, bidding 2NT is aggressive. So are you feeling lucky? Well, do you, punk?
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Trigger pulled. I pretty much stayed with my initial thoughts, but flipped the coin on the lead problem (combined with some hand shape deductions).
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM H: Spade Jack
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I submitted my entry, and already have regrets. On A, I decided that the splinter was the better choice. If partner is not turned off, then there can be a cooperating cue bid in either red suit - either would be good. On C, I decided that pass was too aggressive, and that I should be a better partner. On E, I thought that 3 !S was the least of the lies. Anyway, the die has been cast - now to await the verdict.
SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades
PROBLEM D: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM E: 3 Spades
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Diamond Jack
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I like your 2 !S on "G," Jim. I definitely took the low road with 2 !H . Glad to see someone else try a nebulous forcing bid. The last two times I tried something like that I got burned, so I wimped out.
Now we await the verdict. ;)
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our solutions have been received. This copy is for your records.
SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the March 2019 Contest
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PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 1 Spade
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Diamond Jack
We shall see. I gave some thought to each of them, I am confident of none of them.
I continue to really enjoy this thread.
I had been thinking of 4 !D for A, but I got to thinking that I would like to hear who if anyone bids 4 !D. If the opponents do, my hand is better. If partner does, then my void is not of much use. So 4 !C. There is really no way to show partner what I have, so I might have to take some responsibility for figuring how high to go.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the March 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Spade Jack
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Some thoughts. Hand A is a freak. I do not often have 6=6=0=1 shape, and when I do the auction does not usually go 1 !S by partner, pass on my right. So, while I found it an entertaining question, I don't think the hand will be coming up today or tomorrow.
Hand G, otoh, is representative of a frequent problem. I have a 4=3=5=1 shape, hardly rare, I have a decent but not great hand, I open 1 !D, there is a 1 !S overcall on my left, and partner makes a negative double. Hardly unusual at all.
So I am thinking of A as interesting and provocative, but at the end of the day maybe not all that important, but hand G is very much worthy of thought.
2 !H ? It wouldn't be the first time that I have bid a strong 3 card holding in response to a negative double but I don't like to do it. Moreover, I have a 16 count and a !S stopper, neither of which would be shown by 2 !H. And I am not bidding 3 !H on a three card holding, no matter how strong the three card holding. My thinking with 2 !S: The !S overcall was at the one level, often that's no great suit. It's not impossible that partner has some sort of spade values as well and, if so, NT might play a lot better from his side. But would he bid 2NT over my 2 !S with, say, Qx? I could hope. But usually I will not hear 2NT in response to my 2 !S. But I will hear something. Maybe 3 !C? Fairly likely, I think. Now what? Well, I have to do something. Would now bidding 3 !D say something such as "Well, I have a decent hand but I still don't know whether this should be played in !D or !H or NT"?
Some contest hands are simply "What do you do? How do you evaluate this hand?" Others, such as G, are "What are you going to do, and what do you envision happening next?". With G I see the hand as maybe belonging in game, maybe in a part score, and maybe in NT, maybe in !H, maybe in !D. How to sort this out is a real puzzle.
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Brutal Set! :o :-[ ???
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PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs 80
PROBLEM B: Double 100
PROBLEM C: 1 Spade 60
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump 80
PROBLEM E: 3 Notrump 50
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades 60
PROBLEM H: Diamond Jack 60
That seems to add up to not much, 590 I guess.
So they really went with 3 !H on G. That was my first thought but then I decided, no, I am not making a jump response on three cards, I'm just not.
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PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs 80
PROBLEM B: Double 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump 80
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump 90
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM G: 2 Hearts 60
PROBLEM H: Spade Jack 50
660
Wow, what a set!
Unsurprisingly, there were a bazillion possible responses on PROBLEM A, which makes for a good MSC problem. With nine different panel votes, there were obviously many opinions on how to best proceed. I’m surprised at the top choice of 4 !S , which would have been about my fourth choice. I wait to be convinced by what I read in The Bridge World.
On PROBLEM E, 3 !H would never occur to me. Can’t wait to see the thinking on this one!
Another one, sigh. PROBLEM G. 3 !H ? Really? It crossed my mind for a fleeting half-second (short trip), but as Ken mentioned above . . . NO! Just NO! [ADDED]: I just noticed that my choice of 2 !H , had it garnered one more panel vote, would have scored 100. But instead of the second highest score, the judge knocked it down to a measly third place and a score of 60. A judge's whim, apparently. Now in addition to bidding problems, we are tasked with figuring out what side of the bed the judge woke up on! ;)
The lead . . . PROBLEM H: I thought this was an incredibly difficult lead decision. The trump was a possibility, but I ended up going for a “safe” lead. I realize it’s usually not best against a slam, but the bidding was such that I could not gather much meaningful information. I punted on third down.
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One thing that occurred to me on G: If I am to consider 3 !H, how about instead using a 2 !S bid followed by 3 !H? I did not open with 2 !C and all partner has done is to make a negative double of 1 !S. If I had four hearts and a good hand could it really be so good that I think a jump to 4 !H understates my values? So maybe 2 !S followed by 3 !H could be something like the hand that I hold. Strong, good three card holding, but still thinking that maybe this could be played in something other than hearts.
But then I suppose no, it doesn't mean that. I suppose 2 !S followed by 3 !H means four hearts, the !S A or void, and game forcing, leaving room for slam exploration. Except then what would bidding 3 !S over the X mean? That must be hearts and spade control, no? A stiff, I suppose.
If ever I were to jump to 3 !H on a three card holding I suppose this would be the hand for it but but but. "Never? Well, hardly ever." Gilbert and Sullivan play bridge.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs 80
PROBLEM B: Double 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades 100
PROBLEM D: 3 Diamonds 50
PROBLEM E: 3 Spades 70
PROBLEM F: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades 60
PROBLEM H: Diamond Jack 60
Total: 620
I didn't even think about a trump lead on H - not on my radar - maybe I am just jaded because in matches recently, I have seen solid 5-baggers thwarted in a trump contract by six small in an opponent's hand. I did not even want to possibly pickle my partner when trump is being introduced at the 6-level.
I hated most of my calls, but I hated worse the alternatives. I guess it is still good to be above 600, just disappointing not to be higher. On to next month's drawing and quartering.
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Another observation on PROBLEM A. While I missed the top scoring answer of 4 !S , choosing the !C splinter instead, why is it that the J2NT response receives a 90 and the splinters received only 80? Yes 2NT had 4 panel votes, but the splinters combined received 6 (three each).
The fickle judge strikes again! ;)
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I have always assumed that the scoring is perhaps influenced by but not totally dependent on the panel votes. So I looked this up and I quote:
" The director does the scoring according to a personal view of the merits of different possibilities but is guided by the votes and comments of a panel of experts. However, the director must award 100 to an action receiving a majority panel vote, at least 10 to any action receiving at least one panel vote, and some score (even if zero) to every legal action."
For March there were 28 panelists. There were three where 15 panelists all picked the same action, the above rules make that an automatic 100 score. For all of the rest, the director gets to use his/her judgment.
I'm pretty much ok with that and anyway even if I am not it's the way that it is.
I think the two splinter choices are definitely different. My first thought was 4 !D but then if partner bids 4 !H I know nothing about his clubs, while if I bid 4 !C then I can make some inferences about partner's diamonds based on whether he does or does not bid 4 !D. My hand is almost impossible to accurately describe, so I think that judging how high to compete will largely fall to me so 4 !C seems better than 4 !D.
As to 2NT, I really don't understand that at all. I suppose I might then learn if partner has a stiff !H, but I would be pretty surprised to find my LHO passing over 2NT. These highly shapely hands usually get pretty high pretty fast. If Lho bids 3m I have no idea if 3 !H by partner still shows a stiff, and nothing that I subsequently do will undo the (imo) mis-characterization of my hand by the 2NT call. I will be very interested to see how the 2NT bidders are thinking of this.
On the lead problem can I understand the trump lead? Well, I guess I can. It was not on my radar, not at all. I suppose we can imagine declarer needing to ruff diamonds in the dummy. I suppose. Still!!
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Yeah, I thought the “rules” were such that a plurality of the votes scored an automatic 100. I did not realize it required a majority. Based on the caliber of the panel, I can’t imagine a director overruling the choice receiving more votes than any other. I wonder if it has ever happened? But it matters not because, as you say, Ken, “it’s the way that it is.”
As far as the splinters being “definitely different,” I agree. Mostly. That is why I chose one over the other. But they also have something in common. They show a specific range, and they are “telling” bids. At least that’s how I play splinters. I realize this is not universal, but it’s common. This commonality is why I think the splinters should outscore the lone 2NT. But "it’s the way that it is."
The difference in my opinion is as follows: The !C splinter is superior to the !D splinter because, a) it contains a stiff, rather than a void, (theoretically making it easier for partner to assess the value of Axx), and b) because of the potential continuations. Ken, I agree with your statement, “if I bid 4 !C then I can make some inferences about partner's diamonds based on whether he does or does not bid 4 !D. My hand is almost impossible to accurately describe, so I think that judging how high to compete will largely fall to me so 4 !C seems better than 4 !D.” Over 4 !C , if partner skips the !D suit—great news—and bids 4 !H instead, I am happy to continue, probably with 5 !D . If instead partner shows me a !D control, I’ll skip 4 !H and just bid 4 !S. This was my thought process initially and why I chose 4 !C .
The “mischaracterization” you mentioned, Ken, is exactly the reason I steered clear of the J2NT response. Even though it is initially an “asking” bid, if partner thinks I have even a bare minimum non-splinter hand, I may never be able to get partner to put on the brakes. It's just too risky in the hope that partner shows me !H shortness.
Finally, I am still flummoxed by the number of calls receiving a score of 80; there were six. 4 !D | 4 !C | 2 !H | 5 !S | 2 !S | 6 !S . WOW! From a hyper-aggressive (and also preemptive) 6 !S , to a walking-the-dog 2 !S . And everything in between.
Although I have not been reading The Bridge World for a long time, I can't recall a problem with such varied responses. I'm curious whether the director will write something like, "Weird hand, impossible to predict which response is best" to justify the range of high-scoring responses.
Definitely one of the best MSC hands I've seen. ;D
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My Bridge World came today so naturally I turned to the responses to Problem A. Before I get to some amusement I note that Kit Woolsey bid 4 !C and supplied an argument that matches Todd's almost verbatim.
The responses and the reasons were all over the map.
The first they gave was 2 !C (no, not a typo). The panelist noted that this maneuver had worked against his team in the Reisinger final and suggested that the editors, if they wanted further explanation of the logic, talk to the guy that actually did it at the table!
Another panelist suggest 5 !S and then commented "I might bid different things on different days to keep the opponents guessing" He must play a great deal of bridge if he expects to see this hand or its close relative often enough to be varying his response on different days.
There was also support for 2 !S. "Watching and listening while I walk Fido, so I can figure out where to take him next".
A prevailing attitude was that describing this hand adequately was not on the agenda, rather we would do what seemed best to learn as much as possible about other hands and then place the contract. Or else we would just place it. Exclusion Key Card was mentioned several times. I don't play Exclusion with anyone, my failing no doubt, but in highly competitive auctions such as I expect this one to be it seems to me that a partnership has to have had very thorough discussions about when it is on and when it is off else there will be trouble.
I can be lazy. I have subscribed to Bridge World for quite a while but I don't read it all that often. I also have more than a few mathematics books around that maybe I will read someday but don't hold your breath. And I have some books on economics written for people who keep thinking surely it must be an interesting subject. Back to bridge, this thread has me at least cracking the covers.
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I note that Kit Woolsey bid 4 !C and supplied an argument that matches Todd's almost verbatim.
Aha! I had a feeling Kit Woolsey was stealing my ideas! Now there's proof. ::) Sigh . . .
Have not received my The Bridge World yet. Slow mail here.
I'm like you, Ken. Lazy. I pay for it, but do not read it all. Still, I do enjoy some of the articles, and the MSC--especially the commentary--is its best feature.
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I too like Kit (though he moved out of the area before I moved in). I have played Barbu with Sally Woolsey many years ago - I think I was the designated loser for the game. That is the one card game I would love to see available online.
I had a partner who gave me about 10 years worth of BW (from the 60's and 70's) I devoured them, but was disappointed with the content when I subscribed. Something about the articles - more technical, less fun. So I stopped subscribing.
Since we are admitting failings, I too am lazy. Nonetheless, at work, I try to work smarter, not harder. If I can put additional effort into something on the front end that will make it easier for me later - I will overcome my natural tendency for that short burst.
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My Bridge World arrived.
Nothing about Problem “A” has been clarified. Like Ken stated, the responses—and reasons—were all over the map. I understand all the choices.
😊 😊 😊 😊 How often does an MSC answer make you smile? Zia’s did. His response? 2 !D . His logic? “To get a lead vs. 7 !C .” Note 1 to self: Expand your thinking! 😊
I scored okay on Problems B thru F, so won’t overthink my choices other than to better understand the winning vote-getter. But Problem G is another one that thoroughly confuses me. Still. To remind:
!S A762 !H KJ4 !D A7532 !C A
Auction:
1 !D – (1 !S ) – X – (P)
??
A few shortened panel answers:
Rubens: “Three hearts. Everything about the hand says hearts.”
Wirgren: “I’ve played in too many successful four-three fits to consider anything else.”
Meckstroth: “Three hearts shows extra without forcing. Best of the bad choices.”
When I stared at it—over and over and over—I dismissed 3 !H out of hand. Note 2 to self: See note 1!
Finally, the lead Problem H. The trump lead was my fourth choice. I could not come up with any construction resembling certainty (which I usually want for a trump lead), so chose safety. Some of the constructions posited in the panel choices were fearful of ruffs.
Meckstroth and Woolsey: “Heart six. I expect partner to have dummy’s long clubs under control. Dummy must be short in either spades or diamonds, so we need to try to stop ruffs.” I am mildly encouraged that even these two were unsure who had what shortness.
Willenken: “Heart six. With East showing a big hand, how can dummy have enough to jump to slam without a spade void? A possibility:
West East
!S— !S Axxx
!H xx !H AKQJxxx
!D Axx !D Kx
!C QT9xxxxx !C—
Kokish, the director, opines: “Not a bad construction.”
Gerstman (who also chose the heart six) thought “dummy might be 3=3=1=6,” which was more in line with my guess at dummy’s shape. My construction was 3=2=1=7 or similar. Again . . . incomplete thinking; the possibility of dummy being short in spades did not occur to me. Note 3 to self: See note 1. Again.
Now if I can only remember some of these dance moves on the dance floor . . . ;)
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APRIL MSC
February is almost over . . . time to be thinking The Bridge World MSC.
Link here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
Answers due March 10. Good luck!
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First stab . . .
PROBLEM A: 3 !S. Beginners will choose 3 !S. Today, I'm a beginner. The hand is very flat. 2NT with a possible overtrick scores better at MP and will be a popular, safe, choice. In no trump my round-suit honors (especially that !C K) are protected. But . . . the !C suit is also potentially a big problem. If they lead it, I need to run eight tricks off the top. I think the obvious MP choice of 2NT needs closer examination. I really may flip a coin here. It's close.
PROBLEM B: !C 2. I’m not sure what continuing with a diamond accomplishes, other than, I suppose, allowing partner to indicate suit preference. Doing so, though will set up a future discard for declarer. The !C 2 seems safe since partner is almost a lock to have club values. But a low trump, cutting down on possible ruffs, is also attractive. I’ll need to think on this some more.
PROBLEM C: 1NT. A tussle between the preemptive value of the descriptive 3 !C and the allure of the higher scoring No Trump. I have two aces, which are worth a bit extra. And although the system indicates that 1NT = 6-10, I prefer to respond 1NT with the upper end of that range, reserving the preempt for very poor hands.
PROBLEM D: Double. The !H suit is not robust enough to introduce at the 3-level. The fact that I have only two !C (no fit there) is also a consideration, steering me away from the !H suit. A double, certainly showing !H (possibly only four), will convey my values.
PROBLEM E: Double. My first impulse was a sketchy 2NT, but the !D stop is tenuous. Pass does not feel right with these values. So a double, while often considered anathema with this shape, seems the most flexible choice.
PROBLEM F: Double. Again, flexible. Yes it shows four !H , so sue me.
PROBLEM G: Pass. Partner’s double at the three-level should be a game-force. If played in !S , they will break poorly. And while four !S is implied, it is not 100% guaranteed. 3NT with a double stop looks attractive and was my initial thought.
PROBLEM H: !S 6. Partner has very little. Not leading a !H , as I do not wish to give away a freebie. I see at most a seven-card !S fit for the opps. So partner has a minimum of four. This is timid, but gives nothing away.
I'm back-and-forth on at least six of them, so I'll need to have a "re-look" later in the week. :)
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My preliminary thoughts:
PROBLEM A: 4 !S. Let’s look at the assets and considerations. It looks like I was starting to either make a heavy 3-card limit raise or a bad 3-card forcing raise. I still have 3-card support. My hand has improved with partner’s !D bid. Nonetheless, I would like to protect the !C K, and the hand is flat with a nine-trick game sometimes easier to make than a 10-trick game. I feel as though I have two choices – 3NT or 4 !S. I think it is possible to overthink a hand, and this one may be one of those. My plan was to raise partner, so I will do so, If I was planning on a limit raise, my hand has gotten better; if my play was to show a bad forcing raise, its still bad, but just not quite as bad as when I started.
PROBLEM B: !H 3. I don’t know why we are defending a one-level contract, but the traditional action is to lead trump early and often. I failed to do that at trick one, but I will not fail at trick two.
PROBLEM C: 2 !C. I am torn between a light inverted raise to 2 !C and 1NT. Those aces are speaking volumes to me, and I would prefer to right-side this hand. I am also toying with a short-suit bid, either 2 !H to show where I have something, or 2 !D to stave off a diamond opening lead. The more I think about it, 2 !C is the least lie – five clubs, almost 10 HCPs and a chance to right side this contract.
PROBLEM D: Double. I’m not real happy with my options. 3 !H is a stretch. Pass is a possibility, hoping for a reopening double and then be able to show my five hearts with some security that I am not cross bidding partner. Also if partner reopens by rebidding clubs, I can try 3 !S for a partial stop for 3NT. Who knows?
PROBLEM E: Double. Partner will try to bid a major before anything else, so this is less of a gamble than it looks. I hate that I only have a doubleton club, but you need to bid something. Qxx is just not enough for 2NT, particularly being at the bottom of the range.
PROBLEM F: Pass. Awaiting further developments. I don’t have the right shape to try for a Moysian fit, and that is what double would be offering in both red suits. Clubs and possibly NT are the best options unless partner really has a lot of shape.
PROBLEM G: 3 !S. 3NT is also a thought, but the vulnerability screams bid to me. It takes down 4 to recover a vulnerable game and the !H Q is on the wrong side of the heart bidder. If partner passes this bid, then I will regret not passing the double.
PROBLEM H: !S 6. Just don’t want to give away contract on opening lead. I don’t have anything in the suit, declarer did not seem interested in what partner has in the suit, so my partner my have something that does not get hurt by my leading the suit.
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I have been thinking about problem B. I think I switch to the !S K at T2.
It seems right that declarer has at least four hearts for his 1 H call, and it also seems right that partner has at least two hearts to leave the double in. There are six unseen hearts, so this means that partner has exactly two and declarer has exactly four. But then declare cannot reasonably have four spades as well, or he would have simply passed the XX. And I would expect partner to not leave the double in if he had five spades. It's maybe a bit of guessing, but it seems right.
Partner has to have some values, !S QJxx seems reasonable, and it's consistent with the !D 7 at T1. But of course he needs more than that. Again, he has left the X in with two hearts. !H Ax seems reasonable. So what happens when I play the !S K to the A on the board. I have still only placed 7 points in pard's hand, it is not asking too much to give him the !C K. If so, declarer is stuck. Say he plays a small !H. Up with the A and cash two spades. Pard now has a completer count on the hand. He knows from the lead at T1 that I have AK tight in !D, he has seen me show out in spades, he will certainly assume from the double that I have four hearts, so he knows I was dealt 2=4=2=5. This means that he knows how many !D declarer has. If declarer started with two diamonds (so pard has 5!) then leading a fourth spade would let declarer pitch his last !D. In that case, pard will lead a !D to my K and I will return a !C. In the more likely case that declarer started with three diamonds then he started with 3=4=3=3 and no pitch does him any good. So he gives me my ruff, I cash my !D, and I return a !C.
It is of course dangerous to start placing cards just where I want them to be but partner did XX and he dis leave the X in at the 1 level. It seems fair to place him with some good cards.
I might give this some more thought, but I am liking the !S K at T2,
I also am liking 3 !S on Problem A, but I went on quickly to B so maybe I need to think more. I figure if pard has a flattish sort of hand he is not prevented from accepting the game invitation with 3NT, and this sill leaves him the more likely options of Pass or 4 !S.
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Rethinking PROBLEM H.
East has 18-19. But West may have made a leap of faith to 6NT with just 14. It's possible (barely) that partner has as much as a Queen. If it's in !H then a low !H could set up my King while I still have a possible entry with the !D Q .
A safe !S will be the runaway solver's choice. But I'm seriously considering a low !H .
Disclaimer: This is all pre-caffeine. Intelligent content is not guaranteed or implied.
Re-rethinking. Probably not, though. A low !H is just too dangerous.
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Still struggling with PROBLEM A.
Knowing the system helps. Partner does not have complete trash, otherwise he passes.
See BWS2017:
- “(a) a one-notrump response is semiforcing (limited to at most game-invitational strength; opener may pass with 5-3-3-2 or 4=5=2=2 and a hand deemed no stronger than 12 high-card points).”
So knowing that might steer me toward a “reevaluation,” and a jump to game. But even with the possible “double-fit,” because I fear the rounds suits, especially !C , I’ll go with a very ugly 3-card limit raise rather than either 2NT or 3NT. I’m picturing partner with a stiff !C . A good partner would have AQ doubleton, mine will have a stiff deuce. OH OH!
If partner has more, he’ll bid more.
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That's a very good point about the 1NT being semi-forcing. I knew BWS did that but since I usually just play it as forcing the implication had not occurred to me. Even with a minimal hand I expect I would bid 2 !D with a 5=2=4=2 shape.
Let's see. Give declarer the AKxxx in spades and Axxx in diamonds and a stiff. Even with 3-2 splits we potentially lose a spade, a diamond and two aces. But maybe we can set up something in the side suits in time. Say we have the stiff !H J. Assuming that they take it then we can pitch two diamonds on the KQ of !H. But then we still have to come up with ten tricks. Or if E holds the !H A maybe any stiff heart in the N hand will do. If E ducks the lead of the !H, which he well might do and might well be the right play, you no longer lose to the !H A but then again you still need to find ten tricks.
I think people open AKxxx / x / Axxx / xxx. At least I do. And I rebid 2 !D if partner bids 1NT, forcing, semi-forcing or just a 6-10 hand. If course it might depend on what the x's are. It would increase the chances if the spades are AKTxx.
I guess I am saying that the semi-forcing aspect of 1NT does indeed tempt a 4 !S bid, maybe it's right, I can well imagine it going down. If I bid 3 !S, partner will bid 4 with a 14 count but probably pass with a 13 count, and 4 !S might be a heave favorite to make.
The above seems very inconclusive! Carpe Diem! Or something.
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Going with my initial thoughts on PROBLEM A.
3 !S for me. Close call. The fact it's MP is the deciding factor for me.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades
PROBLEM B: Spade King
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: Double
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Club 7
I can't remember such a difficult set, which does not bode well for a high score. Both "B" and "H" were excruciating.
My final thoughts on "H" were maybe a bit of a stretch.
Partner has very little.
Not leading a heart, as I do not wish to give away a freebie.
Heart 3 is just too speculative.
Opener did not support spades, so has three at most. Responder did not explore for a 5-3 fit, so has four at most. This means partner has at least four spades. I see at most a 7 card spade fit for the opps. What could partner have? Maybe a Jack? Spade Jack? By leading a spade, do I magically identify the location of the Jack for declarer? By not leading a !S , declarer will need to guess the location. My !C Jack, however, would fall under declarer’s AKQ anyway, so I am willing to sacrifice him for the good of the team!
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My submission:
SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Spades
PROBLEM B: Heart 3
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: Pass
PROBLEM G: 3 Spades
PROBLEM H: Spade 6
Just a few additional comments:
On B, I don't see that I am losing a trump trick unless I lead the suit twice - and I doubt I will have that opportunity.
On C, I hate bidding the NT with nothing to be led into, but want a sixth club for 3 !C, because otherwise, I think it meets the BW criteria, and I am backing away from 2 !C as not quite having enough. I'd love to bid 1 !D, but am afraid of partner biding a major instead of NT, then I am back where I started, and have a big lie to boot.
On H, Todd may be right, but I think leading through dummy's strength is a better choice than away from Jxx. Todd may get lucky with his lead, but I think I will win at the table more often with mine.
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On H, Todd may be right, but I think leading through dummy's strength is a better choice than away from Jxx. Todd may get lucky with his lead, but I think I will win at the table more often with mine.
Yup. This was my thinking, too. The !S 6 (my initial lead) will undoubtedly be the majority choice among solvers (I will guess 70%). It'll likely score an 80 or more. My choice of the !C was a bit of an experiment. I smell a 100 . . . or a 40. Previously, my experiments have not gone well. I had a feeling of dread as soon as I submitted last night. Too late now! ::)
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And I seriously considered leading the !S K on B, but finally decided it was too flamboyant. I think I will wait until they lead small toward the AJ to fly.
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If you want flamboyant, I have a suggestion. !D Q on H. You are going to have serious discarding problems on the run of the !S and maybe pard has the !D J. He won't have much more.
But I am probably not that crazy. I imagine the !S.
Submitting soon!
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades
PROBLEM B: Spade King
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: Pass
PROBLEM G: 3 Spades
PROBLEM H: Spade 6
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If you want flamboyant, I have a suggestion. !D Q on H.
Define flamboyant. :o
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Flamboyant is defined as leading the Q from QTx. :)
An alternative definition is that flamboyant is any action that will impress people as truly brilliant on the rare occasion when it actually works, and utterly stupid on the more likely result that it falls flat.
But perhaps the lead of the Q is not totally nits. RHO opened 1 !C and rebid 2NT, so he probably does not have all that many diamonds. Still, I led a spade. With partner's who appreciate a little madness for a while, maybe I would try the Q.
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msc@bridgeworld.com via vps167.pairvps.com
7:42 AM (2 minutes ago)
to me
==============================================
* * * * * THE BRIDGE WORLD * * * * *
MASTER SOLVERS CLUB SOLUTIONS RECEIVED
Your solutions have been received. This copy is for your records.
SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the April 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: Diamond Ace
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: Pass
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Spade 6
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ROFLMAO Ken, I could not have defined flamboyant any better. Glad I was off at a sectional team game, which allowed you plenty of time to respond in my stead. Thank you both for the definition and the laugh.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the April 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump 50
PROBLEM B: Diamond Ace 70
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: Pass 70
PROBLEM F: 1 Notrump 60
PROBLEM G: 3 Notrump 100
PROBLEM H: Spade 6 100
..........................................................................................
650
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the April 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades 100
PROBLEM B: Spade King 60
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: Double 100
PROBLEM F: Pass 80
PROBLEM G: 3 Spades 80
PROBLEM H: Spade 6 100
That adds to 720. I'm happy, but I still like the spade K lead on B.
Stubborn.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 3 Spades 100
PROBLEM B: Spade King 60
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: Double 100
PROBLEM E: Double 100
PROBLEM F: Double 100
PROBLEM G: Pass 70
PROBLEM H: Club 7 70
700
The lowest “honor roll” score was 740. A very high-scoring month!
Wouldn’t you know, the three that gave me the most trouble (B and G and H), were the ones where I scored poorly. I really agonize over the “what card do you play next” problems. Oh well.
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I see that someone with a karmic (if that's a word) connection to me actually led the !D Q on the last problem. I will be interested in hearing the logic. I don't think that it is quite as crazy as it might appear, but it's pretty crazy. I gave it a bit of thought but pulled back from the edge.
time to make some hot chocolate and then play in the Dare.
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I see that someone with a karmic (if that's a word) connection to me actually led the !D Q on the last problem. I will be interested in hearing the logic. I don't think that it is quite as crazy as it might appear, but it's pretty crazy. I gave it a bit of thought but pulled back from the edge.
time to make some hot chocolate and then play in the Dare.
Zia :o
P.S. Nice score, Ken. You too, Jim. I figure anything 700 or above is very good. And considering how difficult I found some of these problems this month, I'm satisfied. My goal is to average 700 for the year. Have some ground to make up. ;)
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My submission:
SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Gen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Spades - 50
PROBLEM B: Heart 3 - 100
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump - 100
PROBLEM D: Double - 100
PROBLEM E: Double - 100
PROBLEM F: Pass - 80
PROBLEM G: 3 Spades - 80
PROBLEM H: Spade 6 - 100
Total - 710
I feel good about this result, though I expected better from problem A. Bridge is a bidders game, unless they are expecting a lousy opener, I think underbidding this hand once is plenty, particularly when it improved.
Now off the soapbox - well done Todd, Ken and DrAculea.
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On B the moderator, Kit Woolsey, describes the lead of the !S K as ghastly. Bobby Wolff leads the !S K. Who you gonna call?
And no H, Danny Kleinman, channeling me no doubt, :) , led the !D Q. Woolsey figures that if a !D is led it should be the T. Maybe so.
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Received my Bridge World yesterday. No surprises. Still, it's good to read the analysis of the panel.
On PROBLEM B, as Jim stated earlier . . . lead the !H , the "traditional" action. Duh! Sometimes I overthink. :-\
Same with the !S lead on PROBLEM H, which was my first thought. It was only after much mental anguish that I overthunk it and switched my choice. I do like the comments about the !S 4, as opposed to the !S 6. As Kit adds, it isn't likely to make a difference, but the occasional falsecard, especially in a situation such as this will rarely cost a trick and may gain. Similarly, Zia (who also led a !C like me) chose the !C 8 rather than the 7, for similar reasons. Kit even added that "a club lead is safer than a lead in any other suit," which was my thinking too. So I wasn't completely off base.
I'm still not convinced on PROBLEM G. I'll need to read deeper.
Tough set, as they all are. ;)
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MAY MSC
SPRING IS HERE! time to be thinking The Bridge World MSC.
Link here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html (https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
Answers due APRIL 10. Good luck!
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Ah yes, the deadline looms. So what do I think? Beats me. Preliminary thoughts.
A. X
The older I get the less inclined I am toward balancing but even I think I have to do something.
I double.
Maybe we play in a 4-3 !H fit? Hopefully not a 3-3 !H fit! with the !S suit on my left pard will be able to ruff w/o fear of an overruff. A ruff or two, the top !Ds, a bit of other stuff here and there, should be able to bring in 8 tricks. And if they start with a !H I can survive. Probably.
So I double and then shut up.
B. 2 !C.
Yes, I see the five card !H suit.
Partner is a passed hand, it is unlikely we can either bid or make 4 !H.
I have a stiff !S. Most likely the opps will outbid us in !S and, when they have done so, I want a !C lead.
There is another interesting feature: If I bid 2 !H then fourth hand can easily clarify his holding. With five !S, and some values, he bids them, With four !S, and some values, he doubles. If I overcall 2 !C then both !H and !S are as yet unmentioned and if, say, Lho has four !S and two !H, he will find this hand a little tough to describe. He will want to X but he will worry that his pard might get overly enthusiastic about !H. Say it goes P-P-1D-2C-X-3C-? Assuming that the X by Lho did not promise both majors, then Rho, if holding !S but not !H, might have a problem here. And if they do play the X as showing both majors then, given my five card !H suit, it is unlikely that Lho would be able to make that X. So it would have gone P-P-1D-2C-P-3C-?. However they play the X after I overcall 2 !C, the overcall might give then some problems.
Btw, I think Steve Robinson suggests that the X, after 1 !D is overcalled by 2 !C, should be either support for both majors or else, if only one major is supported, then doubler has a !D fit and a willingness to play at the level required for a correction when pard selects the major the doubler does not have.
More later, the coffee pot is calling for me.
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Initial guesses:
PROBLEM A: 2 !D. Pedestrian, yes. I hate the suit quality. This seems like the time for a “what would a beginner do?” choice. Double is certainly an option, as well as a slightly risky 1NT (Qx is a sorta-stopper, yes?). Double, though, could land us in a funny “fit” at the 2-level. Sometimes I overthink these problems.
PROBLEM B: 2NT. Opposite a passed partner this puts max pressure on the opponents, but the vulnerability is a concern. The opps almost certainly have a !S fit. This jams them, if only a bit. I do not like 1 !H, which may draw a !H lead from partner (I doubt 1 !H will garner may votes). Since game is unlikely, it’s probably best to “show what I have,” which is 2 !C -- a “bid where you live” call. I think 2 !C will be the plurality choice of the “solvers.” I'm highly skeptical of my choice here.
PROBLEM C: 3 !D. At Matchpoints, I really want to keep the possibility of 3NT alive, but that banks on running !C. Also, since partner has ostensibly denied having three !S, a subsequent 3 !S rebid by partner should show two, and it would presumably promise Qx or better. So a !S game is not yet ruled out. My close second choice was a forcing 4 !C .
PROBLEM D: 2 !S. My conservative nature tells me that 2 !S is too rich with such a threadbare suit as well as the dubious value of my !D honors. But if I don’t mention them now, I’ll never convince partner I have five. I agonized over my second choice—double—still showing the spades but hiding the length.
PROBLEM E: Pass. This is bold. Alternatively, 2NT then 3NT.
PROBLEM F: 2 !D. Treating this as a game-force is, I think, correct. I choose to bid my longer suit first, but 2 !H may be right.
PROBLEM G: 6 !C. A general try for grand. At face value it surely can’t elicit a first-round control from partner—we have all the aces! 5NT was my alternative, which in this auction should be Josephine. It still may be best, but it is very unilateral, asking only about partner’s !S honors. I think it’s a trap to lure us into making the cool “because I know what it means” choice. 😊 Also, partner’s 5 !S may not be what we hope it to be, the opp’s 5 !C preempt put partner under a lot of pressure. Preempts work.
PROBLEM H: !C 9. Not sexy. Partner bid ‘em. I supported. Show him I don’t have an honor. My second choice is the !D King.
Slow to review this month. Must pull the trigger in the next few hours. I'll probably go with what I have above, unless I get a sudden channeling of genius, which is highly unlikely.
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Btw, I think Steve Robinson suggests that the X, after 1 !D is overcalled by 2 !C, should be either support for both majors or else, if only one major is supported, then doubler has a !D fit and a willingness to play at the level required for a correction when pard selects the major the doubler does not have.
I agree. And I think this is fairly standard. Bergen teaches this. Lawrence, too. I can't imagine an advanced player ever thinking that this double: 1 !D - (2 !C) - X shows both majors. That would be far too restrictive. It seems to be often confused with 1 !C - (1 !D) - X which does promise both majors.
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PROBLEM A: Double
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades
PROBLEM E: (a)
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 6 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Spade 9
I don't have time to discuss my answers this time, so here they are. Good luck to all who enter.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the May 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM B: 1 Heart
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM E: (b3)
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 6 Spades
PROBLEM H: Diamond King
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My first stab at doing something like this. Will a Brit's view be wildly different?
A 2♦
I’ll go for the obvious 2♦. Good lead director if opps continue to 2♠ and partner cannot raise..
B 2NT
2♣ for lead direction? No I think has to be 2NT, the lower ranking unbid suits.
C 4♠.
I have 6 of them and better than a min opener. For me the 3♣ bid would be showing 3 card support for ♠. I appreciate that may not be the case here. However, it would be inconceivable for partner to have only a singleton.
D 2♠
A forcing 2♠. What else?
E 2NT
I cannot pass this since it looks to me that 2♠x will make easily. So bid 2NT (lebensohl) and pass partner’s 3♣ response hoping for the best. I don’t really like anything.
F 2♦.
Game force. The ♥ suit is not good enough to bid 2♥.
G 6♣.
Surely shows a void and try for the grand.
H 9♣.
If in doubt lead partner’s suit.
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I stuck with my first choices mentioned above. Too sleepy to think on it more.
SOLVER: Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the May 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades
PROBLEM E: (a)
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 6 Clubs
PROBLEM H: Club 9
Too late to change now, but I wish I had just chosen the practical 6 !S on "G," or even 5NT. Anything other than 6 !S must show control of the club suit and be a try for grand. Oh well.
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For some reason I did not even think of 2NT for B. That seems very reasonable.
I still have a few moments to think.
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Whew. I was thinking the deadline was 10 but it's 9. But I made it.
SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the May 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Double
PROBLEM B: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM C: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades
PROBLEM E: (b3)
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 6 Spades
PROBLEM H: Club 9
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My first stab at doing something like this. Will a Brit's view be wildly different?
C 4♠.
I have 6 of them and better than a min opener. For me the 3♣ bid would be showing 3 card support for ♠. I appreciate that may not be the case here. However, it would be inconceivable for partner to have only a singleton.
On this one, yes, wildly different. As I understand 3 !C, it shows a hand, if 2 !C were not game-forcing, I would bid 2 !C and then a passable 3 !C. Otherwise put, it says "I am pretty sure that !C should be trump". Another way of putting is that the 3 !C invites a pass if unless opener has extra strength or extra shape. So the 3 !c bidder will definitely not have three !S.
My thinking, with 4 !C, is that partner, if he should have two !S, could now bid 4 !S. He knows that I know he does not have three, so a bid of 4 !S will presumably be on two. If he has one, or none, we will try to make 5 !C. There should be a decent shot for it.
I think my understanding of 3 !C is the BWS meaning. At any rate, 3 !C is definitely passable so he does not have three !S. It's not a fit showing jump shift.
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the May 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Double 60
PROBLEM B: 2 Clubs 100
PROBLEM C: 4 Clubs 90
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades 70
PROBLEM E: (b3) 10
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 6 Spades 80
PROBLEM H: Club 9 100
610
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SOLVER: Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the May 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds 80
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump 80
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades 70
PROBLEM E: (a) 60
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 6 Clubs 90
PROBLEM H: Club 9 100
680
Tough set. I'm not hating my of my choices, so it's an acceptable score.
Always nice to read the panel comments, though. I expect the opinions on PROBLEM G to be all over the place. ;)
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PROBLEM A: Double 60
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump 80
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades 70
PROBLEM E: (a) 60
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 6 Clubs 90
PROBLEM H: Spade 9 70
Total 630
I was stunned by the balancing NT on Problem A for the top score. Doubleton Q and 12 HCPs when opps are already showing five cards in one hand.
I was also surprised that for Problem E, that bidding leb followed by 3NT was a 40 point better choice than converting the double to penalty. But what I failed to consider is that I was passing them into a potential game. Wish I had taken more time on this decision.
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A question about problem E: My first thought was "Really, he wants to play 3NT?" But then I realized that maybe I had not thought this through. At least one way of playing Leb over the X of a wekk 2 goes like this: If in response to the X I bid a direct 3NT it says "Leave me alone, I want to play 3NT". The slow approach, forst 2NT and then 3T, says "Maybe I want to play 3NT, maybe I don't. If you have something is spades I do, if you don't then I don't" So, for example, maybe I can handle playing 3NT of pard has Qx. Lacking help in !S, pard pulls 3NT, hopefully to the 5 card suit that he has at least some chance of holding of he has no help in !S. Maybe that's the logic. Certainly it seems to me that if pard has a stiff !S spot, and very possibly if he has a stiff minor honor, the opponents are about to run six spades against 3NT.
Leb over weak 2 means, as we often see, different things to different people. They must be playing something like what I describe. My thinking was that if I Lebbed and then bid 3 !H at least I am likely (not sure but likely) to be in a 4-3 fit. If I Leb and pass 3 !C I might be in a 3-3 fit.
I am still not sure that I like this sequence but I am betting the explanation is something like the above. It did not occur to me.
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Leb over weak 2 means, as we often see, different things to different people. They must be playing something like what I describe.
My choice on PROBLEM E was to pass, so I picked second best. But I was very close to pulling the trigger on (b4) which would be this:
(2 !S) - X - (P) - 2NT
( P ) - 3 !C - (P) - 3NT
But I (almost) chose it with a completely different understanding of what that sequence would mean. I interpret that sequence to mean game-values, !S stop, no 4-card !H suit. Yes the T842 is a bit on the skinny side of what we would define as a stop, hence my choice to convert the double. But it was close.
I must say I've never heard of the version of Leb you describe, but I am hardly an expert. Like with any gadget that has more than one way to play it, you must have that conversation with partner.
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Sorry Ken, I haven't heard of the variant of lebensohl that you describe. Basically, the two variants are slow shows/fast denies or its reverse. Both bids, regardless of variant, tends to deny four hearts.
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SOLVER: Wladislaus Dragwlya
Castrum Sex
Romania
Your Solutions for the May 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM B: 1 Heart 70
PROBLEM C: 3 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM D: 2 Notrump 50
PROBLEM E: (b3) 10
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds 100
PROBLEM G: 6 Spades 80
PROBLEM H: Diamond King 80
590
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I took a little time for browsing with my morning coffee. I started with Steve Robinson's Washington Standard (2nd Ed.). He has a discussion of Leb over weak2s, at least as he sees it.
Weak 2 of anything - X - Pass _?
Page 259: "If advancer jumps directly to 3NT he wants to play 3NT, normally ending the auction." He then goes on to discuss 2NT followed by 3NT. He describes this as a hand with a "doubtful stopper" such as Jxxx. Partner with a stiff spot card should pull, otherwise leave it in, including with xx. That would work well on the hand in question. Advancer is looking at four !S and infers that there are six on his left. If his partner has as little as xx he should be ok since presumably one of the missing honors is stiff on his right. Otoh, if partner has a stiff spot in !S then presumably there is Hx on advancer's right, and they are about to run six spades tricks.
I don't know how widespread this view is but I don't think of Steve as eccentric, or at least no more eccentric than the rest of us (and thus not eccentric I guess). Eccentric or not, it makes some sense.
When we play Leb after 1NT-(2 something, natural) -? the stuation is very different. Opener could have anything from AQX to xx in overcaller's suit. In theory that's also true after weak2-X-Pass but the percentages change substantially. If weak2-X-Pass-3NT denies a stopper then I would bet that at least 90% of the time, probably more often, the doubler will say "Well, I don't have one either". Surely a more frequent situation is that the doubler has xx or Qx or stiff Q or some such, and if fourth hand thinks that is enough but a stiff spot is not enough, then the method Steve describes will work for them.
So I am saying that yes, Leb is still used to work out the stopper situation, but Steve's way is apt to come up in a useful way more often than just bidding 3NT to deny a stopper.
Now how about BWS? They say:
"A direct, natural three-notrump advance strongly suggests that strain (bidding two notrump first is more tentative about notrump)." They do not elaborate on what "more tentative" means but it sounds, to me, like they might be suggesting something such as Steve's approach. If they meant "bidding two notrump first denies a stopper" they would presumably phrase it that way. "more tentative" suggests that advancer is saying "maybe this plays in 3NT, maybe not, I need some sort of help". Steve offers a prescription for what sort of help would be enough to give it a try.
For me, the basic part is that the stopper problem over weak2-X s apt to be very different from the stopper problem over 1NT-interference.
Whatever the case, once again the MSC hands lead to some thinking about just what means what. Had it occurred to me that bidding 3NT by going through 2NT would ask partner to sit with xx and pull with x I might have tried it, although sitting with, say a stiff Q might not go so well if the 2 !S call was on AJ9xxx. Well, nothing's perfect.
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Thanks, Ken.
It helps to know the system. I had not confirmed the BWS version before my choice, which is dangerous.
Andersen's book has been on my list to buy since not long after I began to play, around a decade ago. My only sources for Leb thus far have been a hodgepodge of websites. I really should take the time to read it, unless you or Jim have a better suggestion for a thorough understanding. I do know Oliver has a pretty good lesson series from time to time, but I've never been able to fully match my availability with that series.
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Let's see what we can find that is written down. On specifically the (2something)-X-Leb-3 !C-3NT it appears that BWS "more tentative about notrump" and Robinson's explicit pull with x, sit with xx, are more or less on the same page. Without a doubt, there are other approaches.
As to lessons: I think many are first rate.. Some of the Dare hands are quite a challenge. That said, care is needed in following the guidance about bidding. Different people like different approaches. This suggests caution.
Here is an example: A recent Dare hand had the stipulated auction 1 !S - 2 !C - 2 !D - 2 !S - 3 !S - 4 !S. In the discussion afterward, I was a volunteer and the auction went 1 !S - 2 !C - 2 !D - 4 !S. I explained that imo this showed exactly three !H, a decent !C suit, enough values for game, and nothing extra. Bidding 2 !S over 2 !D does not even unequivocally show 3 cards, I might want the NT to be played from partner's side, but at any rate it says that I have more things that I want to describe about my hand. I didn't . I had a 3=4=2=4 shape with a 13 count (about 13 I forget exactly) and most of my values in !S and !C. If partner wants to go on, that's up to him, but I have said my piece. So we have the two auctions so far listed, but then on a different lesson a different guide was saying that to first bid 2 !C and then show three card !H support unequivocally shows a five card !C suit. Well, not for me, and apparently not for Arik either. Different strokes.
It's just a fact of life that different players, including very advanced ones, have differing ideas about agreements. If one approach was clearly better than all of the others, everyone would use it. That's not the way it is.
Anyway I like to see things written out. Not everything, that would take more pages than I could read, but I think written is good.
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After 1N overcall and 2M-dbl I declare that I play Lebensohl. Then I want to see how partner plays it. FADS (fast denies stop) or FASS (fast shows stop). If he says either I will accept that. I can see that as Ken says maybe you should treat the intervention over 1N and response to a double over a weak 2 as different. However to keep it simple I am happy with a consistent approach. Yesterday I noticed that my partner in a Spur teams match declared Rubensohl on his profile and I agreed to play it. I think I know the general principle in that I think of it as "transfer lebensohl" I don't doubt that I would be stumped in certain situations but these things don't come up in 10 boards.
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I aree with simplicity for Spur, and for much else. With the MSC, it;s an opportunity to explore some less simple matters, or at least to see them arise I got 10 out of 100 on E, and when I ssaw that 2NT followed by 3NT was the 100 point score I was seriously surprised. So I started thinking about it. and then looking some stuff up . I will be intersted in what the panel says but BWS says that 2NT followed by 3NT is tentative. How tentative is tentative? Partner and Rho only hold three spades between them and I would say it is at least a bit more likely for Rho to hold 2 and partner 1 rather than the other way around. A priori, either of them is equally likely to be dealt two, but on some borderline hands my partner would decline to make the X holding 2.That is, he might look at his Qx of !S and say "If the Q were the !H Q instead of the !S Q then I would have a four card !H suit and I would double. But with a 3 card !H suit and a doubleton !S I'll pass". Anyway, with me and Lho holding 10 !S between us I expect pard to have a singleton fairly often.
I'll be interested in what the panel has to say, but if the panel takes "tentative" to mean sit with xx pull with x then I can see that this might work out.
I don't actually play this system with anyone. So yes, simple is good. But I was curious as to just how they came to think of 2NT then 3NT as a good choice, and I now think I ave some feeling for what "tentative" means. Maybe.
Playing Spur? Sure, I just agree to whatever and hope it doesn't actually come up. For MSC there is time to discuss what means what.
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Problem E has now become my clear favorite of this set. After 2 !S - X - Pass bidding 2NT then 3NT on Txxx gets top scoring. I now agree. My Bridge World came yesterday. The comments were fascinating [I comment within brackets on the comments]:
Zia: "This is the ugliest problem I have ever seen." [Zia chose a direct 3NT.]
Danny Kleinman: "Take me to Mr. Lebensohl so that I can strangle him with my bare hands." [I gather DK wished he could bid 2NT to play. The moderator notes that there is no Mr. Lebensohl, I expect DK was aware of that!]
Kit Woolsey: "(b5) [That's 2NT followed by 3 !S] This should show a partial stopper and ask partner if he has some help in spades." [The moderator notes that in BWS going through Leb and then bidding 3 !S "shows a stopper plus the other major".]
Mark Feldman: "(b5)[The top scoring Leb route to 3NT] BWS defines two notrump then three no trump, in comparison to an immediate three notrump, as 'more tentative about notrump'. Anything else seems worse."
I'll add to this later, I have to head out for a while. The moderator says "The panelists have done a good job of putting lipstick on this pig"
Ok, back. A couple of thoughts. It's good, obviously, to know what the agreements are. This came up in the Kit Woolsey choice above. And I was not thinking straight about it either.
The moderator, commenting on the slow NT sequence, says "Partner should never sit with a void, nor with a low singleton and extra shape." Again, that's following the BWS idea that the slow NT shows a more tentative feeling about three notrump. If partner has two spots then 3 no trump is likely to be fine, or at least they are unlikely to be able to run the first six spade tricks.
I can't say that this version of leb over weak2-X comes up all that often but I think that I like it.
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JUNE MSC
Time to be thinking The Bridge World MSC.
Link here: https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html
(https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html)
Answers due MAY 10. Good luck!
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So far I have ot made it past Problem A. Is it really crazy to pass? There is a fair chance that partner's long suit is hearts and if he leads them we take the first 9 tricks for +300. If he leads something else there is still a reasonable hope that partner will get in before declarer takes 7 tricks and maybe before he takes 6 tricks. It's not likely that we can make 5 !C.
I could bid 3 !C, which surely I can make, for +110 if I am allowed to play it, but I am far from sure I can set 3 of whatever they might compete to. And 4 !C might make but also it might not.
So it's weird, but I am thinking of passing. No, I am not bidding 3NT. Yes I see 9 tricks, and i suppose Lho might lead a !H if I jump to 3NT, just as partner might lead a !H if I pass 1NT. But I am not doing this.
I need to look at some others.
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Not weird at all. In fact, I will need to be convinced to do something other than Pass. Yes, it's a crap shoot hoping to "get in" before they collect their tricks.
Maybe taking the sure 110 playing 3 clubs is better than the prayer involved with a pass.
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Preliminary thoughts:
Problem A: Without help from partner, it looks like it is down 300. If I double, they will run somewhere, and the only chance to get to 600 is to bid game myself. I fear that I will go minus when I already had a sure plus. I will settle for what the bridge gods have given me.
Problem B: I have a semi-balanced 18, and either 2N or 3 !D could be right. I tend to prefer showing my suits, so I think (c) may be the best choice. Plus why are they so certain that partner will bid hearts. Why not clubs or a diamond raise? It seems like a very narrow range for planning.
Problem C: 17 HCPs and two suits. Double seems to be the most flexible. If partner likes diamonds, I can always show my double stop in hearts and try NT. Not real happy if partner bids lebensohl.
Problem D: My first thought was why didn’t I open 4 !S initially. My second thought is why don’t I bid 4S now? I can see that a perfecto could result in a makeable slam, but then Hamman used to say, if you need to find me with a specific card, I won’t have it. I need about 4 of 6 specific cards, so I will go with my second thought.
Problem E: I have too many points and primes to pass partner’s overcall, but no fit in spades. I think my best action is to bid 1NT and await developments.
Problem F: I am inclined to take some action, but I don’t like my options. I really don’t want to bid the 4 level in clubs, I don’t want to double without spades (and then feel like I have to pull to clubs). I guess I am likely to take the wimpy way out and pass, and hope that partner will borrow some of my points to bid.
Problem G: So many possibilities – from pass, with a possibility of a pass out due to all the spades, to opening 2 !D to push the level, to opening one in either !S or !D based on the rule of 20. Haven’t decided which way to go yet.
Problem H: Well a !H is out, but what is in? A club doesn’t sound right, even if partner has a stack, how will it help if I solve the suit for them. That leaves the unbids, and I am not willing to chose yet.
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First stab. Will probably just submit these unless a good night's sleep opens my eyes to something I've missed.
PROBLEM A: Pass. Making this a race! Do they have six pointy suit tricks before a round suit is played? The upside of Pass is just too great, in my opinion, to consider the other possibility, 3 !C . Am I missing something? Presumably so, since these problems are supposed to have multiple possible answers. I see two.
PROBLEM B: A1 (2NT/3D/3H). A heavy 2NT? Maybe somewhat. 3 !D jump-shift? A bit flattish for that, though possible. If I move a club to the hearts, I jump. After 2NT, I simply accept the transfer, so . . . 3 !H .
PROBLEM C: 2 !S. Having a max is permitted. My second choice is 2NT, a close call. Double does not interest me.
PROBLEM D: 4 !S. If I were 6-4, I would introduce the diamond suit. But 7-4 I’ll treat as one-suited. No diamond slam today. The next question to answer is how high? My initial thought was 3 !S (which I would bid with six), but the suit quality is just too good to risk missing game. Several years ago, I would more closely toe-the-line with regard to HCP, but I’ve evolved my thinking to look at trick taking potential. Like here.
I'll add that I worry about this one.
PROBLEM E: 1NT. No brainer? Unanimous? 😊 LOL.
PROBLEM F: 4 !C . Unimaginative. The LTC convinces me. And the hearts are still in play.
PROBLEM G: 1 !D . Although I strongly considered 2 !D (they teach us, as beginners, not to preempt with a 4-card major, but keep silent about a 5-carder!) 😊 If we preempt first, then in competition show the spades, partner should get a fair idea of our hand. Except as ugly as it is, the hand has 27 ZARs!
A side note: If opened at the one-level, I believe Steve Robinson (I read this years ago in his Dist. 6 articles) would skip the !D suit and open 1 !S. I get that logic if you have the reds, but with one suit being spades, I just do not get not opening 1 !D . You can show the spades over any response. Twice if given the opportunity.
I seem to recall a previous MSC problem where a hand like this was opened with a weak two that was overcalled. The bidding came round to opener without an advance, and the winning rebid was to introduce the major. Wish I could remember how long ago. Reading it again might have affected my choice to open 1 !D.
PROBLEM H: !H J. Safe. Gives nothing away. Let declarer break (and guess) the !S suit. Second choice, 4th best spade, which I think will be the plurality choice.
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Submitted. No changes from above.
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: (a1)
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades
PROBLEM D: 4 Spades
PROBLEM E: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM F: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 1 Diamond
PROBLEM H: Heart Jack
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Maybe this time. I'll get lucky.
Your solutions have been received. This copy is for your records.
SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the June 2019 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: (a3)
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM D: 3 Spades
PROBLEM E: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM F: Double
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Diamond King
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Mine changed quite a bit. Some were choices that I tried to talk myself out of, others were never firmed up until I had to make an actual choice, and some were actually strong choices from the get go.
SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Glen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: (a1)
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM D: 4 Spades
PROBLEM E: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM F: Double
PROBLEM G: 1 Diamond
PROBLEM H: Heart Jack
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Problem A
I have tried to give probabilities for the success of each choice based on what the cards the opps are likely to hold and also what the opps would do. Here are my thoughts:
We know that East does not have a 5 card major suit and very likely does not have 4-4 in the majors either since East would Stayman with 4441 and quite likely 4432 no matter what strength since a 4-4 fit is odds on and this is match points. East’s most likely distributions are therefore 3451 or 3442 and West 4432 giving partner 4441. Strength wise there are 10HCP to share between partner and East and so 5 each is most likely.
You bid 3♣.
East with 3451distribution would likely double with 5+HCP if so EW would almost certainly get a positive score. With equal or fewer than 5HCP EW are unlikely to double. Probable scores: 50% -140 (opps double), 50% +110.
You pass
Everything hinges on what partner leads. Given that a club lead, in order not to give away a trick, looks very low probability, then there is a 33% chance of finding the killing ♥ lead. A pointy suit lead looks like giving the opps 7 or 8 tricks. Possible scores: 33% +300; 67% -100 or -200.
You bid 3NT
If west has ♠AK or ♦AK then he will lead it. If partner does not have the A in the other suit, then we score anything between -100 and -400. (Exception is when partner has Q over AK and QJ in the other suit). What is the likelihood of having ♠AK or ♦AK? I would reckon about 50%. Given that chance, what are the odds of partner having the A of the other suit or the magic Q and QJ stop? 30% perhaps?
The other 50% of the time when west does not have ♠AK or ♦AK, what is the chance of a ♥ lead? Picking 1 out of 3 suits it would be 33%. The remaining 67% chance of leading ♥ or ♠ there is still a chance of making if partner has an ace. I would rate this chance to be about 20%. Chance of making with this 50% = 0.33 + 0.67*0.2 = 0.46.
Overall chance of making 3N = (0.46+0.3)/2 = 38%
Reward /Risk ratio
Pass is low risk low reward
3♣ is low risk moderate reward
3N is moderate to high risk and high reward.
If we go for the best chance of a positive score the 3♣ looks best.
Probability 3♣ Pass 3NT
Positive score 50% 33% 38%
Conclusion
Choices are fairly close but based on this rough analysis I will go for 3♣
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Glen Allen VA
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass 100
PROBLEM B: (a1) 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: 4 Spades 100
PROBLEM E: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM F: Double 60
PROBLEM G: 1 Diamond 40
PROBLEM H: Heart Jack 40
Total 640
Had a good run, then fell apart at the end. I almost went with the Robinsonian 1 !S on G, but I still prefer my choices on F and H. I'd love to see some simulations on those two to see why the panel's choices might be better.
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SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes
Glen Ellyn IL
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: Pass 100
PROBLEM B: (a1) 100
PROBLEM C: 2 Spades 60
PROBLEM D: 4 Spades 100
PROBLEM E: 1 Notrump 100
PROBLEM F: 4 Clubs 100
PROBLEM G: 1 Diamond 40
PROBLEM H: Heart Jack 40
640
Brutal set. Kicks the crap out of my average. Oh well.
On PROBLEM G, where I chose to open 1 !D , the only explanation I can think of for the other one-level bid getting the most panel votes--as well as the two-level preempt of 2 !D--is that 1 !S has some preemptive value. So presumably the best of both worlds? The Bridge World discussion to follow interests me. 3 !D is beyond my comprehension.
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SOLVER: Ken Berg
Eldersburg MD
U.S.A.
Your Solutions for the June 2019 Contest
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PROBLEM A: Pass 100
PROBLEM B: (a3) 50
PROBLEM C: 2 Notrump 100
PROBLEM D: 3 Spades 70
PROBLEM E: 2 Hearts 50
PROBLEM F: Double 60
PROBLEM G: Pass 60
PROBLEM H: Diamond King 70
560
Thank you for participating in the Master Solvers Club.