Author Topic: Master Solvers Club, posts up to June 2019  (Read 76662 times)

bAbsG

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #90 on: December 11, 2018, 09:47:47 PM »
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

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #91 on: December 18, 2018, 12:40:18 AM »
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)
!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"


 
 
« Last Edit: December 20, 2018, 02:17:32 PM by Masse24 »
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #92 on: December 24, 2018, 01:49:17 AM »
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

February problems are also attached for viewing.

Good luck!
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #93 on: December 24, 2018, 01:58:52 AM »
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.
« Last Edit: January 08, 2019, 04:11:31 PM by Masse24 »
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

jcreech

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #94 on: December 24, 2018, 07:16:56 PM »
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. 
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #95 on: January 09, 2019, 04:03:35 PM »
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.


« Last Edit: January 09, 2019, 04:11:22 PM by Masse24 »
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

jcreech

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #96 on: January 09, 2019, 05:56:47 PM »
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.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

bAbsG

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #97 on: January 09, 2019, 09:11:11 PM »
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
« Last Edit: January 10, 2019, 11:22:50 PM by bAbsG »

kenberg

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #98 on: January 10, 2019, 01:54:48 PM »
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.
Ken

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #99 on: January 10, 2019, 06:45:02 PM »
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.

« Last Edit: January 10, 2019, 06:50:04 PM by Masse24 »
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

jcreech

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #100 on: January 10, 2019, 08:32:41 PM »
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.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

jcreech

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #101 on: February 06, 2019, 12:47:18 PM »
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.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #102 on: February 07, 2019, 04:55:41 PM »
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.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2019, 05:05:48 PM by Masse24 »
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

kenberg

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #103 on: February 07, 2019, 08:34:35 PM »
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.
Ken

Masse24

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Re: Master Solvers Club
« Reply #104 on: February 09, 2019, 04:03:51 AM »
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.
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln