Author Topic: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB  (Read 10002 times)

Masse24

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 748
  • Karma: +13/-4
    • View Profile
2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« on: March 18, 2020, 01:37:34 AM »
MAY 2020 MSC

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

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

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


IAC Forum MSC Scores


*     *     *

« Last Edit: March 18, 2020, 01:39:30 AM 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

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 748
  • Karma: +13/-4
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2020, 02:44:09 AM »
Again, I'll get things rolling:

PROBLEM E: Matchpoints
East-West Vulnerable
You, South, hold:
!S A2 !H T85 !D T9642 !C AK2

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST
   — 1 !SPass
1NTPass2 !DPass
  ??

What call do you make?

Actually, I posted this one first because of last month's PROBLEM A. Look familiar? For those of you who didn't like the "artificiality" of responder's 3 !H rebid, here is a hand where that rebid is a potential winner.

Somebody at The Bridge World has a sense of humor! ;D

Not sure where I go with this one. Probably 3 !H. Although 4 !C fits nicely, it blows right past 3NT. I doubt the MSC panel would think that wise when 3NT is still in the offing. With partner probably short in clubs, hopefully this increases the chances that partner has enough in hearts to offer 3NT as a place to play. 3 !H i both aggressive, and still allows partner an opportunity to say where we are going.

« Last Edit: March 18, 2020, 03:11:21 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

wackojack

  • IACAdmins
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 365
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2020, 04:10:35 PM »
I do wish BWS played Gazzilli here. Then it would go 1 !S-1NT-2 !C if partner had 16 and we would be on our way to game when I showed 8+ by bidding 2  !D.   

So partner has at least 5  !S + 4  !D and worth 12 to perhaps 18.  If 15- 17 likely to have a singleton and that could be a  !H or a  !C.  He could also have a 6 card  !S suit with 4  !D if not a min opener.  If singleton  !H, then all points are working.  If singleton  !C, then 3 wasted points.  The fact that the opps have not intervened suggests either, partner has a  !C singleton or partner has a very good hand.  I think we have to go cautiously and assume for now that partner has 5341 shape close to a min opener.  Say partner has:  !S KQJxx,   !H  QJx,  !D Axxx,  !C x, then we would want to be in 3NT.  So you cannot bid 3  !H and expect to get into 3NT.  Nor 3  !D.  In fact everything is horrible. 2NT gives you the best chance if you believe partner has 3 hearts.         

blubayou

  • IACAdmins
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 393
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • lifelong director [1977-2010] and haunter of ACBL
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2020, 12:21:12 PM »
A:>   2 Diamonds.   I hope to pull someone's red suit bid to 3 or 4 clubs---and hope the message get through to partner--  but worst case  i may have to pull 4 of something red to 4 Spades.  wish us luck with that.
B:>   Double.    I am glad this isn't a 2-part question,  as i would like to be at the table when pard responds 3 Spades.
C:>   2 Hearts.  The system notes make no mention of 3 Hearts being a fit--jump vs. opp's single overcall-- and would                           3-count be overdoing things anyway?
D:>   [no guess yet]  Here is a paste from the system notes about this situation from the bws2017 notes:    If anyone cans                    sort that mess out for us  we will be wiser folk next month---
After a one-level new-suit response and opener's two-notrump rebid:(a) responder's three-club rebid is artificial, and opener bids three diamonds unless he has three-card support for responder's major (responder's next bid up to and including three of his original suit is nonforcing; otherwise, responder's next bid is a signoff if that is possible; otherwise, it is a choice of games if that is possible; otherwise, it is a checkback for an eight-card major-suit fit if possible; otherwise, it converts the three-club rebid into..."
    it may have not been clear  that my main fear  about responding 1S  involves surviving pars's jump to 2NT,   buth there are other dragons lurking in this travel.  i WIsH the hand qualified as a 'constructive raise"  but that makes a mockery of the entire concept --  so single-raise No!....that leaves only  the "pretend' raise  via  forcing notrump as choice "C"--sad:(


E:>   3 Hearts--with a secret respect for Wackojacks' analysis all the same.
F:>   3 NT.   Spade barrage WITH some teeth.     By trigger-pulling time,  i may be switching back to  Jacoby 2NT?
G:>   Double.   Wow!  Three ugly choices,  (leaving out "pass")   i choose respo dbl   because IF we live through partner's next  bid,  we can say Mission Accomplished   ie:  bumping them  up a level and bowing out.   (My first wife always said  "stiff queen IS 'tolerance'  for my overcalls, Ronnie"
F:>    a trump    The four,  if it matters.   (If the forcing defense  is the way to go,  I hope I have enough in-cards  to get back on that track.)
« Last Edit: March 29, 2020, 10:45:17 AM by blubayou »
often it is better to beg forgiveness, than ask permission

bAbsG

  • IACAdmins
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 118
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2020, 02:02:09 AM »
Right or wrong.  Teehee

SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
       Qualicum Beach BC
       Canada

Your Solutions for the May 2020 Contest 
-------------------
PROBLEM A: Double
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM D: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 4 Hearts
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Spade Ace

msphola

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 24
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2020, 05:55:14 PM »
May 2020
A. x
B. x
C. 2H
D. 2H
E. 3H
F. 4S
G. 2N
H. AH

jcreech

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 692
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2020, 06:30:15 PM »
Posted by request of ccr3:

SOLVER: Pat McDermott

        N. Chesterfield. Va VA

        U.S.A.

 

Your Solutions for the May 2020 Contest

-------------------

PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds

PROBLEM B: Double

PROBLEM C: 2 Hearts

PROBLEM D: 2 Hearts

PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts

PROBLEM F: 3 Notrump

PROBLEM G: Double

PROBLEM H: Spade Ace
« Last Edit: April 08, 2020, 06:36:44 PM by jcreech »
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

blubayou

  • IACAdmins
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 393
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • lifelong director [1977-2010] and haunter of ACBL
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2020, 10:28:24 PM »
I generated 50 deals on Curls'   deal-generator  about the freakish spade-raise,   and it shows that this hand  is a lousy dummy for HIGH level  spade bidding,  so the BWS gadget  of "3NT=pre-emptive raise with some defense"  is clearly better than jacoby 2NT   suprizingly better.   even full barrage of a four-raise  was better than J-2nt!.     
    As for the 3HCP deal with 3 baby hearts support,   it took me way to long to notice the 4th option  -- "NO BID"   all us folk  that raised hearts to two in  the MSC  are gonna get crushed,  i fear  :(
    rest of my silly guesses  i will live with.:
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Jock McQuade
Gresham{Portland} OR
U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM G: Double
PROBLEM H: Club 4


« Last Edit: April 09, 2020, 03:55:24 AM by blubayou »
often it is better to beg forgiveness, than ask permission

jcreech

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 692
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2020, 11:43:45 PM »
I just could not find the time to do a preliminary set of guesses and a final set, so I will annotate my answers:

SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
Fredericksburg VA
U.S.A.

PROBLEM A: Double  I do not have a way to show both suits, and I have a very strong hand.  I will take my chances that partner has a penalty double.  Plus I do have defense.  If partner jumps in hearts, I still have the boss suit.

PROBLEM B: Double  This time I am more nervous about the double, I have two of three suits, but only a doubleton spade.  I also have the top of a strong NT opener, but no stop.  I wish that 4 !C would be a successful ask for 3NT with a stop, but the director would rule against me on that one.  So I take my chances with double and hope partner has enough spade length to justify playing opposite my doubleton if that is the choice.

PROBLEM C: 2 Hearts  With such a great club fit, I am willing to try the BW option.  The vulnerability makes me nervous, but if doubled, I have clubs if I get too nervous.   I suspect a bad score here.

PROBLEM D: Pass  I am tempted to raise, but it will be easier to compete later than to see partner jump to game now.

PROBLEM E: 4 Clubs  Having limited my hand with my first bid, how can I not show a maximum raise in diamonds.  Not only do I have a club control, I have TWO.  And I have the ace in partner's first bid suit and five pieced in partner's second bid suit.

PROBLEM F: 3 Notrump  I have so many temptations, but the 3NT offering by the BW staff makes the most sense to me.  Although it has the points of a limit raise, and the playing potential of a forcing raise, half of the points are in the spade suit which gives us a total potential of non-spade defensive tricks equal 1 or less.  I still have five points for defense, and this bid will warn partner not to count too much on spade tricks, but that I have a little something to help out if the opponents get too high.

PROBLEM G: Pass  I have values but no fit for partner so far.  The opponents are bidding my second suit, so I will sit back and pass for now.  If partner has better than a lead director, there may be a reopening double, then I will show my clubs.   The two-level is too low and my trump too poor to be thinking of penalizing.

PROBLEM H: Spade Ace  We are only in a partscore, so I don't see why I should not start my solid holding.  Once I see dummy and what cards are played, I will adjust.  Perhaps, we have a bit of a crossruff coming, but I don't want to give away everything at trick one in a partscore.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

blubayou

  • IACAdmins
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 393
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • lifelong director [1977-2010] and haunter of ACBL
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2020, 04:14:42 AM »
Please,  will you several solid THINKERS  in this forum  get some ideas up,  while you are supposedly housebound!?   I have nothing for two weeks to bounce thoughts with except creech's trigger-pull YESTERDAY,  with which i have too many agreements already!   (Jim  i want to turn your lead-problem comment on it's head and  suggest the OPPONENTS  my be the ones that have some cross-ruffing,  not us defenders.   but of course  throwing winning spades at them  may still be in the cards:)   
    sure hope i dont' mess up a nice set by the re-opening cubid with the 'wrong' two suits  on #1!  .
    much more tractable set of deals than the hateful april 2020  set
  (ps:  did we notice our lionesses cranked utup with "2NT"  on misfit problem G,   while  the boss  just sat on his hands,  and moi  "quaisi-raised" pard's overcall with lone queen?)
« Last Edit: April 09, 2020, 04:26:08 AM by blubayou »
often it is better to beg forgiveness, than ask permission

jcreech

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 692
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #10 on: April 09, 2020, 12:08:21 PM »
Jock,

Don't be so hard on contributors - demands on our time can vary, and being largely housebound may not change anything.  It doesn't for me.  I still work full time, and have done so from home 95% of the time for the last five years.  This month, I have been struggling to find the time and also waiting on others to help clarify my thinking on this set.  I couldn't wait any longer, so I got mine out or risked not participating at all.  I was too late one month last year for similar reasons and did not want to repeat.

As for the opponents cross ruffing; that may be true, though I think partner is short in my spades.I am playing the !S A for a look-see.  My next play may be the !H A heading toward a defensive cross ruff, or it might be a trump switch to reduce an offensive cross ruff.  I don't want to gamble everything on either a trump or !H A opening lead.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

kenberg

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1334
  • Karma: +13/-5
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #11 on: April 09, 2020, 05:27:12 PM »
Far short of having decided, I offer some thoughts:

A: X
This hand could provide hours of discussion. Eg.
1 !D - Pass - Pass - X
1 !H - X

Are pard and I on the same wavelength? I think his double shows hearts.

B: X.

Ah yes.
3 !C - Pass - Pass -X
Pass - 4 !S.

I hope he is making this, I'll take the blame if not. If he only bids 3 !S I will be converting to !D.

C: 1 !H.

Yes, this might not go well. Otoh, we might well belong in some number of hearts.

Added: I am liking this pretty well. We surely have an eight card fit in either clubs or hearts.

D: 2 !H.

KISS


E: 3 !H

It's at least conceivable that we can make 3NT if partner has !H xxx. or even !H xx.

F: 3NT

I guess so.

G: X

Partner has one heart (at most). If he has six spades he at least might rebid them.. Lacking six spades, he will have a four card minor. This might be ok.


H: The !C 4.

This seems right. If, say, declarer has four spades and wants to ruff in dummy, partner might not have the cards to overruff. So I guess we should start removing dummy's clubs.


« Last Edit: April 10, 2020, 12:09:51 AM by kenberg »
Ken

yleexotee

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 112
  • Karma: +1/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #12 on: April 09, 2020, 08:21:29 PM »
My method on these is to bid them quickly as though I were at the table.
X
3D
Pass
Pass
3H
3nt
pass
A of H
 

wackojack

  • IACAdmins
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 365
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2020, 10:18:32 PM »
A. 1 !S .
Unless there is a 3♦ bid available which shows spades and clubs I will go with 1♠.  If the bidding does not get too high at my next turn, I will show my clubs.  Double  looks gross to me. 

B. 3  !D
I cannot  double and bid so I will go for 3♦. If partner can manage a bid of 3♠, then I will raise to 4♠.

C. 2  !H
If BWS says that 2♥ is pre-emptive, then I will pre-empt.

D. Pass
 Beginners are taught that you need 6 points to respond to an opening bid.  Then as you get more experienced it reduces to 5 points.  I have 3 points and it may be worth another 2 due to the singleton ♣. I will go for 2♥ unless BWS plays this as constructive.  Yuck yuck it does.

 (c) a single raise is moderately constructive (when responding with a weaker fitting hand, bid one notrump planning to rebid two of the major, a sequence that could also show 6-9 HCP and a doubleton fit)

How I hate BWS letting opps find their likely club fit cheaply.  Maybe 1♠ and then if hopefully partner rebids 2♣ I can now get my 2♥ bid in.  How I hate these risky manoeuvres when 2♥ response looks like the sensible response.  Rant rant   ;  I So I reluctantly will have to go for pass

E. 3  !H
This is a question of interpreting BWS.  I suppose 3♥ must be the bid. 

F. 3NT
*BWS: 3 NT = preemptive triple raise with some defense
OK 3NT.  That is what I have.

G. Pass.
Certainly double looks wrong here.  I give partner the chance to make a take-out double with a suitable hand should it be passed round to partner.

H. 4 !C.
I lead to reduce opps ruffing power


wackojack

  • IACAdmins
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 365
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: 2020 May - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #14 on: April 09, 2020, 10:26:07 PM »
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Jack Goody
Guildford
England

PROBLEM A: 1 Spade
PROBLEM B: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM C: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM D: Pass
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM G: Pass
PROBLEM H: Club 4