Author Topic: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB  (Read 19460 times)

Masse24

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2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« on: November 12, 2019, 08:57:46 PM »
JANUARY 2020 MSC

Deadline: December 10 at 9:00 a.m. (ET)

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

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





PROBLEM A: IMPs
North-South Vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S J63 !H KQT8 !D AQJ76 !C K

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
   —   —    —  1 !S
  ??*


*BWS: after doubling, minimum equal-level conversions do not apply
What call do you make?


PROBLEM B: Matchpoints
Both Sides Vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S 4 !H AKQJ85 !D K62 !C KQ6

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
   —  —PassPass
1 !HPass 1 !SPass
??*

*BWS: 3NT = long, usually strong, suit
What call do you make?


PROBLEM C: IMPs
East-West vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S AQJ4 !H AKQJ96 !D 7 !C T3

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
1 !H1 !SPassPass
??

What call do you make?


PROBLEM D: IMPs
Neither Side Vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S QT76 !H Q9 !D T5 !C AJ962

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
PassPass 1 !HDouble
??

What call do you make?


PROBLEM E: IMPs
East-West Vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S 863 !H AQ7 !D AKQ954 !C K

Which of these plans do you prefer?
(a) open 2 NT

(b) open 1 !D ;
then, after (Pass) - 1 !S - (Pass) - ??
   (b1) 2 !H
   (b2) 2 NT
   (b3) 3 !D
   (b4) 3 NT



PROBLEM F:Matchpoints
Neither vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S A94 !H A97532 !D 7653 !C

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
   — 1 !C1 !D1 !S
??*

*BWS: double = hearts with diamond tolerance
What call do you make?


PROBLEM G: Matchpoints
East-West Vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S AQ2 !H Q932 !D KT654 !C 9

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
  —  —1 !C1 !H
??*

What call do you make?


PROBLEM H: IMPs
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S QT2 !H!D AQJ65 !C AJ632

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
   —  —  —2 !H
Dbl4 !HAll Pass

What is your opening lead?


Good luck everyone!
« Last Edit: January 10, 2020, 11:25:45 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

blubayou

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2019, 05:16:30 AM »
jan, 2020:
A:>>  since  ELC double and correct to diamonds  is  not allowed,   I am 'trapping'  on Jxx in spades  :(                                                  --pass
B:>>  the footnote says it all!    trying to right-side 3NT  with club jump-shift  is fun  if we are shooting?                                           --3NT
C:>>    what can possibly go wrong,  if i rebid .....                                                                                                                                    --3 hearts
D:>>    in life,  i bid 1NT over a double  withouth a thought of anything else --  but i may change my mind in a week or two.....                     --1 notrump
E:>>    never pass up a chance  to reverse into  AQx suit  in the MSC!   an oldie but goodie  for 60 years!                                                    -- 2 hearts
F:>>    ifi t's goulash void-splinter raise of diamonds,  but here, ride the tiger  with a 2 heart advance                                                          -- 2 hearts
G:>>   first guess is go for the throat  at 1 heart,  but when i sober up,  will probably fall from grace                                                             -- pass
H:>>   leading my trump void.  if that is barred,  then my good suit.                                                                                                           -- diamond ace
« Last Edit: November 23, 2019, 02:09:04 PM by blubayou »
often it is better to beg forgiveness, than ask permission

jcreech

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2019, 12:54:36 PM »
Initial thoughts:

Problem A:  2 !D Too many HCPs to pass, not enough HCPs or tricks to try a Western cue type 3NT conversion.  I do have a very nice diamond suit, and though it temporarily gives up on hearts, I may still get another chance to show them.  This feels like a best description.  At this time.  My second choice is 1NT, which shows the points, generally the shape, but I feel the call is doubly flawed with stiff !C K and only a partial !S stop.

Problem B:  3NT I hate taking advice from the note, but it describes this hand.  Solid hearts, strong hand, stoppers in the unbid suits, and right-siding the !D K.  I cannot think of a more appropriate choice.

Problem C:  3 !H  Best description.  A sixth !H, solid suit and extra values.  If I had a minor suit covered, I might try 3NT, but partner has room to cue bid to ask for a stop.

Problem D:  1NT  1 !S may be right, but I have cards to be led into, if partner rebids in diamonds, I am not ashamed of showing doubleton !H support.  My second choice is actually redouble, because this hand is almost too good for a 1NT call.

Problem E:  b4  All choices are reasonable, some more than others.  I like reversing into !H on a theoretical level, but manufactured reverses almost always come back to haunt me in practice.  Rebidding 2NT or 3NT right sides the hand, so I like both; 2NT is better on values, but 3NT is better on playing strength.  3 !D seems to be a slight underbid to me, and opening 2NT seems too much of a distortion to me.

Problem F:  2 !H  I typically hate to crossbid partner, but with six hearts, controls in both of the opponents suits and a great fit for partner, we may have a sub-20 point slam.  Give partner xx Kxx AKxxx xxx, and all we need is 2-2 in both red suits.  Not saying we'd get there, but who knows where the auction ends in a double double-fit auction.  With one of my regular f2f partners, this would be a 3 !H (fit showing jump) for me - eating room and guaranteeing fit.  The note made double tempting, but xxxx is more than just diamond tolerance, and the sixth heart makes me want to show the suit rather than just imply it.

Problem G:  1NT  1NT is a bit heavy, but at the one level, it is a bit too hungry for trap pass.  The vulnerability is right, but the level wrong. 

Problem H:  !D A  I have to lead something.  I would prefer not to setup two tricks for declarer, so the !D lets me see dummy without giving up too much. 
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

kenberg

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2019, 05:35:21 PM »
A: 2 !D
I can imagine this going pretty well. If Lho bids 2 !S and this is passed back to me, I can double. If partner bids the likely 3 !C I can bid 3 !D, after my 2 !D he will not be confused by this.

B: 3NT
I guess that is pretty much what 3NT shows. A long good heart suit and a reasonable hope that I can take 9 tricks. If I wait until I am sure I can take 9 tricks I will be waiting too long.

C: 3 !H
I am always happy to be in agreement with others.

D:  1 !S
But I can go off on my own when needed!. Yes, there are probably for spades on my right but so what, the auction is not over, I have four spades, I have some values. If partner responds 2 !D I now bid 2 !H. Surely with three hearts I would have raised directly so this should be fine.

E: b4, open 1 !D and, over a 1 !S response, bid 3NT.
Again it seems like a good chance for 9 tricks. 

F: X
It's true that I don't need six hearts for this double but I do want to show the diamonds. If I later bid my hearts that should clarify the situation: Good length in hearts but playing in diamonds is fine if partner doesn't like the heart idea.


G: 2 !D
BWS says this commits us to at least the level of 3 !C. That's ok. If partner bids 2 !S I will bid 2NT and pard can sign off in 3 !C or raise to 3NT or sign off in 3 !D, whatever he wants.  I suppose I could think about passing and then passing a re-opening double if there is one.

H: !S 2
Any lead requires a prayer. Maybe partner has the !S J. Could be.


I am not signing the papers yet for any of these choices.
« Last Edit: December 09, 2019, 12:38:11 PM by kenberg »
Ken

Masse24

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2019, 02:33:18 PM »
I like to start with the low-hanging fruit, the easy ones.  ;)

PROBLEM B: 3NT

Like Jim, I hesitate to allow the *BWS blurb to influence me, but isn't this a textbook 3NT?

It scares me that we're all in lockstep on this one.
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kenberg

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2019, 03:21:13 PM »
My earlier comment was:
"B: 3NT
I guess that is pretty much what 3NT shows. A long good heart suit and a reasonable hope that I can take 9 tricks. If I wait until I am sure I can take 9 tricks I will be waiting too long."

I think the issues is that you need to take 9 tricks and it's not hard to imagine a 1 !S response with a hand where you will not be taking 9 tricks. And partner will probably pass.

3 !H is an alternative, it might well be the choice for some people, but is the glass half full or half empty? Part of my thinking is that even if 3NT can be beaten, "can be beaten" and "will be beaten" are different things. In the recent "robot nationals" or whatever that acbl thing is called I was in a 3NT that could have been beaten but the robots were on my side, so to speak.

I think that the editors  mentioning that 3NT would show a long and strongish suit is simply meant to save us the time of checking it out. It is not a recommendation of any sort, it's just realism that some, presumably many, wish to consider this call with this meaning..
« Last Edit: November 28, 2019, 03:26:43 PM by kenberg »
Ken

Masse24

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2019, 03:37:02 PM »
As far as alternatives go on problem B, I see several. 2 !C -- 3 !C -- 3 !H -- 3NT -- 4 !H

All possible. All viable. Possibly all receiving panel votes! Which makes it a good MSC problem.

But if you're not going to rebid 3NT on this hand, knowing the BWS definition, then why define the bid as such? 

“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

GG_Bridge

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2019, 07:20:54 PM »
Hi,
I've submitted my answers to Bridge World for the first time.  I've read the posts about how this works, but not quite sure if others will see my answers if I don't post them in the forum.  I decided to answer all the questions without reading what anyone else had posted as to their answers.

Am I supposed to put my answers up before the contest ends?  I don't mind if others see my answers.

Charlene (GG_Bridge)

wackojack

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2019, 07:43:41 PM »
OK just to show a different view.  I choose for problems A and B: 


*BWS: after doubling, minimum equal-level conversions do not apply
What call do you make?

That is crazy.  So what does it mean when I double, then partner bids clubs and I bid diamonds?  I don’t care, I am going to double regardless.
A. Double

*BWS: 3NT = long, usually strong, suit
What call do you make?
B.   4♥.  In 3N the singleton ♠ is not good.  I could easily lose 4 spades and minor suit ace.  In 4♥ I don’t need partner to have any more than QJ♦,and if partner has both minor suit aces we are in the slam zone.  Again I don't care about BWS.  I think the 3N rebid should be limited to solid minor,  Then there is a 2 trick difference between 3N and a minor suit game.     

Masse24

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2019, 07:53:38 PM »
Hi,
I've submitted my answers to Bridge World for the first time.  I've read the posts about how this works, but not quite sure if others will see my answers if I don't post them in the forum.  I decided to answer all the questions without reading what anyone else had posted as to their answers.

Am I supposed to put my answers up before the contest ends?  I don't mind if others see my answers.

Charlene (GG_Bridge)

Great, Charlene. Welcome to our little IAC MSC forum.  :)

It's up to you how you want to handle this. If you don't mind others seeing your choices, by all means post to this forum. If you want privacy, then message or email your responses to Jim or to me.

To post here you can simply copy and paste the email response you received from The Bridge World. Also, feel free to chime in with your thoughts as to why you chose the way you did. Again, that's up to you.

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

jcreech

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #10 on: November 28, 2019, 08:07:54 PM »
Charlene,

For your answers to be public, post them on this thread before we score everyone's answers (which has to wait for BW publishing the scores).  If you would like your answers/results to remain private, then you can send them to either Todd (Masse24) or myself; if you finish in the top three, we will give you another chance to have your result be public, but will respect your decision to remain private.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

jcreech

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2019, 08:12:01 PM »
As far as alternatives go on problem B, I see several. 2 !C -- 3 !C -- 3 !H -- 3NT -- 4 !H

All possible. All viable. Possibly all receiving panel votes! Which makes it a good MSC problem.

But if you're not going to rebid 3NT on this hand, knowing the BWS definition, then why define the bid as such?

One reason would be to allow the option systemically, although other bids may be used if the bidder thinks it will lead to a better strain or final contract.  With the same tools but sitting opposite different players I might choose different ways to bid the same hand.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

blubayou

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #12 on: November 29, 2019, 03:55:15 PM »
B>>  3NT is MORE correct with an imaginary expert partner  than with some live one.   If it is  doomed by his trash spade holding,  he will know and take measures--he knows what your bid means.  Same for slam hands.      --    3NT

C>>  i suppose this is a game-try holding  but i am a "glass-half-empty"  guy  about that.  I am jumping to avoid the embarrassment of having opps somehow find 3 of a minor,  and leaving that to pard to deal with having a totally wrong message about my hand.     ---3 Hearts

E>>  Where better to bid the "theoretically correct" reverse into AQX  than in bidding contest?   No regrets about further-bidding snafus!   Besides, the panel  has jumped at the chance to do it  since i was eight.    2 Hearts

F>>  I found easily that FIT JUMPS BY ADVANCER are ratified in BWS2017 system notes,  so this becomes a no-brainer ---  3 hearts

   I wonder if the panelists vote to get max scores  or vote their true heart?   I suppose it is  their "job"  to do the latter and leave the handicapping to  us customers,  yes?








a
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GG_Bridge

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2019, 05:18:59 AM »
I'll state my disclaimer upfront .. not familiar with the "Bridge World Standard 2017" conventions, so for this exercise, I just bid as I would normally -- we'll see if I crash and burn .. but certainly hope I will learn from the experience.

PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds -   I would have doubled if not for that note, which I couldn't find a reason for in the "Standard 2017"
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Hearts 
PROBLEM D: 1 Spade - 3 bidding choices .. am I too cautious not to bid NT?  -- showing my spade stop, maybe North can bid diamonds or rebid hearts?
PROBLEM E: (b1)  - I want my partner to bid again.
PROBLEM F: 2 Hearts - I want partner to know I have 5 hearts
PROBLEM G: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Diamond Ace - Feels like the lesser of evils?

bAbsG

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Re: 2020 January - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #14 on: December 04, 2019, 03:38:52 PM »
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Babs Giesbrecht
Qualicum Beach BC
Canada

PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM D: 1 Spade
PROBLEM E: (b1)
PROBLEM F: 2 Spades
PROBLEM G: 2 Notrump
PROBLEM H: Spade 2