2022 April MSC

[blubayou]

AMEN, Jim-- to the "constructive"  possibilities  of the current hand , to fulfill the "promise"  of the strange BWS footnote 

[Masse24]

Blu, you went with Pass 2 years ago, as did I. It scored a respectable 80. Most of the IAC chose pass as well. Only Jim, Dave, and Pat bid 3 .

The numbers were:
3 = 13
Pass = 9
and 4 miscellaneous "other" bids.

I now feel immensely better about my 3 this month.

My comment last time explained how pass was opposite of what I would do at the table: "This “feels” wrong. Often, I feel a though the system notes added to these problems are trying to talk me into an action. Here, it feels as though they want to talk me out of a “normal” preempt. Do I ignore the note and risk partner going on? Or does the preemptive value of 3 outweigh the risk?"

So I did something not likely to happen again in my lifetime. I overthunk it. 

Not this time. 

[blubayou]

Great;  I have hard copies  of most of the most recent 18 months in a (pasteboard!) folder .  this one  did not make it into that folder,  so i had to relearn my windows'  "document search"  to  retrieve the  YOU-HOLD page:(
but the summary.doc didn't make the cut,  so thanks  for this 13 to 9 to random 4  info.

[bAbsG]

SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht
Your Solutions for the April 2022 Contest 
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM C: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM D: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: 4 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Heart 3

[veredk]

My selections are:

A - 4D 
B - 2NT 
C - 1S
D - 4C
E - 3S
F - 3D
G - 2S
H - 10D

[kenberg]

Here are my "early" choices. Something like 30 hours to go.

A: 3NT: I suppose so. If partner has the AK of spades, the A of hearts and the AQ of clubs I guess 6S is a decent contract played from his side of the table. He can win the opening lead, cash the trump AK, and start the diamonds. It's asking a lot butat says "mild' so maybe so.

B: I like 2NT

C: 1S

D: 3NT

E:  X

F: 3D

G: Pass

H: DT


Comments later.

[blubayou]

A beautiful set,  Ken!  NOT fair to sneak in that LEAVE-IN  of the support double, though, without giving us some of your poetry on this subject.     STAY STRONG, though!  Last month Todd was the only one to even sniff at the 4S double-jump cue bid as exclusion RKC  [which scored 100 with an overwhelming 3-24  plurality \] ....and i see  a little upthread  that he alone of all of us appears to have considered the leave-in.
        A good omen.  I predict a lock on the honor roll for ya.


SOLUTIONS FOR: Jock McQuade 3 Bag End , Hobbiton OR 97030.
PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: 2 Notrump 
PROBLEM C: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades       PROBLEM H: Diamond 10

[kenberg]

A beautiful set,  Ken!  NOT fair to sneak in that LEAVE-IN  of the support double, though, without giving us some of your poetry on this subject.     STAY STRONG, though!  Last month Todd was the only one to even sniff at the 4S double-jump cue bid as exclusion RKC  [which scored 100 with an overwhelming 3-24  plurality \] ....and i see  a little upthread  that he alone of all of us appears to have considered the leave-in.
        A good omen.  I predict a lock on the honor roll for ya.

It was a mistake!

I went through them a bit quickly!

Tomorrow I review.


I had done the first couple,, where I have at least a few words, earlier. Today I figured I had better get going on the rest.

Usually I am at least a little more careful but time is growing short so I figured I would put down a few thoughts.

Today I played in the acbl practice tournament and in the Forum tourney, all with robots. There were 12+10=22 hands and I passed out 3 of them. Scores so far in percent are 100, 56, 25. I just got into passing mode.

No, I am not passing that X!



56.1

[Masse24]

PROBLEM C: 1 . We have the values for game, so the kneejerk 3NT seems reasonable. But I would like to know more about who has what. Though non-forcing, this “temporizing” bid is the only way to get the information I need to make a more informed decision.

Really confused here as to what is best.
Though 1 is not forcing, it only promises four-plus in my opinion. The forcing way to show spades (by cue-bidding first) would, I think, show five-plus. Also, since I have 17 HCP, and opener has around 13 minimum, partner has 7-10ish. A minimum overcall. If I cuebid, will partner with a minimum overcall do anything other than rebid his hearts? So I have a fair idea of what partner would do in that bidding sequence. However, the non-forcing 1 permits partner to support with even four small, or . . . bid 2 with some length and an honor there. My K increases that possibility.

So while 2 may be the system bid, the risky 1 leaves partner the room to show  something in a black suit.

[jcreech]

Pulled the trigger.

SOLUTIONS FOR:
James Creech
5107 Sewells Pointe Dr.
FREDERICKSBURG VA 22407
U.S.A.

PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds  I reconsidered after Jock's challenge.  Two years ago, I was worried about what I would do if partner showed the strong balanced hand.  This time, I almost relish the thought despite only holding 3 HCPs.  If partner converts, it may not be a sure thing, but I still like our chances.
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades
PROBLEM H: Club 7  Although I am concerned about the suit blocking, I am more concerned that partner will not think of the 9 as a low lead from honors.  I can see partner ducking the king if I lead the 9, thinking I led top of nothing.

Todd, only the change on F for the spreadsheet.

[kenberg]

A: 3NT: I suppose so. If partner has the AK of spades, the A of hearts and the AQ of clubs I guess 6S is a decent contract played from his side of the table. He can win the opening lead, cash the trump AK, and start the diamonds. It's asking a lot but it says "mild slam try' so maybe so.

B: I like 2NT. I just like it.

C: 1S 
If the opponents have an 8 card fit we probably have an 8 card fit, and if the opponents have a 9 card fit we surely have an 8 card fit. The same arithmetic applies when we fit with an opponent. S (that's me or rather that's I) have a massive fit, at least a 10 card fit, with W (Lho). So N and E have a fit. Probably two fits, probably in and .
Passing might not be totally crazy.
I am thinking 1 , maybe that suit is distributed reasonably evenly.
I am not looking for game, I am looking for a contract that is not awful.

D: 3NT
It's not crazy, maybe not even overly optimistic, to think we have 9 tricks off the top. Pard could have Qxx in clubs and Qx in hearts.
Can they take the first five tricks in . Maybe, maybe not.
I am not thinking 3N is something to bet my house on, but I don't think it is totally nuts either.


E:  X

Partner might pass and if so then 3 X might be the winning contract. Of course partner might also bid 4 . Then I bid 4 . Yeah, we are a bit high in 4 but it might be fine.


F: 3D

It's true that this is a pretty weak hand as far as hcps are concerned. But I am not that worried about partner bidding 3NT over my 3 . I will be leaving it in. If partner has AKxx, not unlikely for a 3NT rebid, I see six tricks. And even if his holding is only Axxx we are in pretty good shape if he has the values for 3NT. If opponents can set up their five card suit on the opening lead, so be it. Often they can't of they don't.



G: 2
OK, I did not mean to pass. This looks like a good hand for pessimism. I have been optimistic on earlier hands, not here. There is no good reason to think we have an 8 card fit anywhere. Partner would open 1 on a 3=3=4=3 hand and a 12 count or at least he would on a 13 count. With that 2 overall I suppose it is more likely pard is 3=3=5=2. But that doesn't mean I want to be in 5 .
Someday I will learn how to use the online hand evaluator but my offline evaluation is that this is a crappy hand. It's flat and it's aceless.
If we miss game I accept responsibility. But I probably bid the same 2 next time.


H: I said DT,  but now I think maybe a small

This one I am still struggling with. My thinking was: This is matchpoints, we aren't beating this, why hand them a trick with a lead. But I am re-thinking this. Maybe the aggressive lead is right. Lho has 6+  , but pard can easily have Jxxx.

I have a few hours to go before I must choose

[jcreech]

H: I said DT,  but now I think maybe a small

This makes me think of the old coffee-housing practice.  I want to lead the 9, drop it on the floor, and as picking it up, say small club to the table.  Everything is clear - a suit for partner to lead back, the 7 preserved to avoid blocking the suit if partner has five, and if there is a problem with the opponents, CAS will let me off because I married someone who is only third generation Italian or that I heard about how to do this when I was young (in the bridge world, young is relative - I think before 40 qualifies as young.

Sorry, Ken, the 7 may be the smallest club, but it still feels pretty big.

[kenberg]

Here is one of my favorite small/large stories. It was long ago, I was something of a novice duplicate player. I made a hand that could have been defeated. My LHO led an A (from AKxxx), my Rho followed with the 3, my Lho switched to a different suit. After the hand, my Rho, who had held the Q32, said "You didn't see the 2 anywhere, did you dear?"

[yleexotee]

I had 10 minutes before class and jumped on this at the last minute.

PROBLEM A: 3 Notrump - taking the hint, though I wanted 4s at first.
PROBLEM B: 3 Hearts - giving the 5 card major
PROBLEM C: 1 Spade - hate this, but I don't want to overshoot it with 2D, which can be misunderstood
PROBLEM D: Double - 3nt was considered
PROBLEM E: Pass - against my nature to pass, but 3s is too much
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds - taking the hint
PROBLEM G: 2 Spades - MP convinced me not to bid 2D
PROBLEM H: Club 7 - standard which  means this is a 50 for score .

[kenberg]

WILD GUESSES FOR:
Ken Berg
Sykesville Maryland

 
-------------------
PROBLEM A:  3 Notrump

PROBLEM B:  2 Notrump

PROBLEM C:  1 Spade

PROBLEM D:  3 Notrump

PROBLEM E:   Double

PROBLEM F:   3 Diamonds

PROBLEM G:  2 Diamonds

PROBLEM H:   Club 7