Author Topic: 2022 MAY MSC  (Read 5921 times)

Masse24

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2022 MAY MSC
« on: March 06, 2022, 12:09:05 AM »
MAY 2022 MSC
Deadline: MARCH 31 at 11:59 p.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.


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blubayou

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2022, 04:24:19 PM »
A:   Imagine X, KQ, K8xxx, AQxxx facing our AQJxx, Ax, Qxx,  KJT.  3NT appears to be a claimer while even 5 of a minor needs a small bit of luck.  I don't know how to ask pard "Does Q42 diamond support make you happy?"  but I gotta push one time in case he can  take over.
                                                           --- Four Clubs ---        p.s.  CAN a 5-5 minor opener tell me to drop dead by repeating notrump?  And if that must be RKC...are there now 5 key cards or six?  ;D


B:  I get hammered sometimes for being too "pure" on deals like this.  Both 1S  and double are impure thoughts,  and let's not MENTION  the 1NT overcall.   This time,  let's live it up a tad...
                                                            --- One Spade ---

C:  There are plenty of tournament players that play.."1m, (1H), DOUBLE"  shows NOT-SPADES, rather some 8+ collection of mostly minor cards.  But our BWS partner is not of this religion.  And those that ARE are not too happy to have only 6 cards in the minors--especially these six. For sure, I am going to pretend AKJ  is a spade suit and...                                                            ---Double---     not trapping with 9234 in his suit! :D

D:  Single-raise [duhh]  Change this to Bergen 3 !C , if they forgot a 'hint'.
                                                              ---Two Hearts---

E:  Sort of [!!] deja-vue  from a couple recent months, where defending (doubled or not) got votes along with 3H, 4H, & 3NT.   THIS time, I expect the game bids will be off the table.  And if I end up defending, it will be for the big money :P
                                                          --- Double OR 3 !H  ? ---

F:  ABSTAIN!  This hand must start with 2 clubs.  Having failed to do this--and with "abstaining" being banned since 1970-whatever, I must now bid 3 clubs (which at my house is 'showing' not asking.)  but the truth is, I might as well jump to the spade game, and hope that all these plus values are not a figment of somebody's imagination.
   It's a fun month:  So far  here I am calling  AKJ tripleton a spade suit (problem C)  and now on the edge of calling  10 8 3 2  = NOT a spade suit, here ::)


G:  Bad news folks:  BWS  does NOT seem to clarify what it takes to be better than a double-negative :'(   Is it "one king"...is it "two queens"?     The good news is that we can raise 3NT one level whichever it is.  This may loose out when he passes  and spades makes one more than notrump,  but really will give him courage when he has a "large" pile of trash rather than the bare minimum required.?
                                                  ---4Notrump ?---
« Last Edit: March 22, 2022, 02:11:30 AM by blubayou »
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hoki

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2022, 11:40:53 AM »
Agree with A, C, and D and offer the following alternatives on the others:
B = Pass and rely on any opportunity to balance later;
E = agree with double;
F = 2NT will take the hint for a change (the hand is nowhere near strong enough to force to game with 2C initially);
G = 4C to torture partner and probably 6S next time;
H = C2 (but H6 if I felt RHO held only four hearts).

kenberg

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2022, 04:46:28 PM »
Who knows? But forward we go. A few thoughts.  Subject to change.


A: 4 !C
I am the one with undisclosed strength since I would have bid a GF 2 !H with a good deal less. Now, over 4 !C would partner bid 4 !H holding Kx? That would be nice. I am not so sure what I will do if partner bids 4 !D over my 4 !C. After 4 !C - 4 !D I could bid 4NT, I am more or less prepared to play 6 !D, or rather have partner play 6 !D, if he has two keycards. But I would feel better about it if I knew he had !H Kx. 

B: Probably 1 !S.
I guess I need to think about it. If partner has three spades there is a good chance that I can ruff a heart or two in dummy.

C:  I am passing.
For now at least. As with B, I have an option that might lead to playing spades in a 4-3 fir. With B, I can at least hope that partner, with his three spades, will be short in hearts and I can ruff hearts without weakening my four card spade holding. Here I have the three card spade holding and I am definitely not the one with short hearts. I don't like having pard ruff a heart in his hand. So I will wait. What happens next? We will see. 

D: 3 !H seems fine.
I realize it is 4 triple 3 but it's still a good holding. 

E: 3 !H.
I bid 3 !H. An optimistic call.  So sue me!

F: Not sure.
I have to look up a bit about what means what. It says 2NT is invit. Well, sure. But I suppose 3 !C is also invit. And I suppose that one way to decline a 2NT invit is by passing. I have to check on some of this.

G: 6 !S
I have shown a strong hand, although it is stronger then I have shown. I have also bid spades and then hearts. Still pard is willing to play 3NT. It seems pard has some values in the minors and not just because 2NT denied a double negative. I think having some trump available for control could be useful here. 

H: I am giving some thought to the !H 6. I'll get back to you 
That 2NT on my right is basically a club bid. Ambiguous as to length and strength, but if RHO has a five card suit somewhere, I am betting it's clubs (his invite values precludes 2 !C on the first round). Probably he has two four card suits.
Ken

jcreech

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2022, 07:40:22 PM »
My initial thoughts.

Problem A  4 !C I expect partner to be at least 5-5 in the minors with a heart stop/partial stop.  If we have a slam, it is likely to be in one of the minors.  The move past 3NT should be slammish, so the question is which minor.  I've already shown a preference for diamonds, 4 !C should suggest that I do not have a clear choice.

Problem B  Pass  My choices are from the aggressive 1NT, to a poorly shaped double, or pass.  If I bid, I like 1NT best - it shows my stopper, I have cards that are working together along with great spots, and I have three tens.  Nonetheless, I tend to pass these hands and hope I can back in later.

Problem C  1 NT  I don't particularly like how this auction is proceeding.  The hand is wrong for a Moysian in spades (partner, if holding four, will take the tap), I only have two clubs with partner, and partner opened clubs, so the likelihood of a 4-4 or better fit in diamonds is low.  I also don't like the prospect of converting a double at the one-level.  I will try 1NT and hope partner does not raise to game without a little something in the suit (besides, RHO could have stuck in a four-card overcall with very nice honors).

Problem D  2 !H I have four-card support and 10 HCPs, but I also have 3-4-3-3 shape.  I will go low to start based on shape and vulnerability, but will accept game tries.

Problem E  Pass  An unsavory choice between showing my four-card heart suit or my stopper.  My stopper is well-placed for a diamond lead, but not if RHO has an entry to lead through my holding.  The 3-4-3-3 shape says defense, the shape, the jacks and the placement of the !D K all suggest downgrades for the hand, so I go for the third option and go quietly for now.  I don't know if we have a plus position on this hand, but I do fear the 200 that might go against me if I chime in now.

Problem F  2 NT  I will take the hint.  With partner opening diamonds, I have hopes that the !D K is pulling its full weight, and the clubs are a source of tricks.  I do want to check more closely the type of game tries that are available before making a final decision.

Problem G 6 !S  Is there a sensible way to explore a grand?  I am afraid of any bid below slam, as being something that partner can pass.  Jam and pray seems the best avenue.
 
Problem H  !H 6  Quoting Todd:  "Have I said how much I hate lead problems?"
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

kenberg

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2022, 12:53:18 PM »
I have been re-thinking C, maybe I double.

I was worried that if pard plays in spades holding four spades and if the defense starts with three rounds of high hearts then pard has to ruff in the hand that has the long spades.

True enough, but that might not be so bad.

We know W has the short spades. So suppose partner is playing in spades, it starts with three hearts ruffing the third. Partner then leads a small spade to the A and leads another !H. If one of the defenders has four spades it is likely to be W, and he might not be all that happy ruffing. Thats especially true if partner holds the spade T. If W ruffs low he is over-ruffed. If he has the Q he would not like ruffing with it. And then partner (or maybe first) can take a couple of clubs and ruff a club with the J.

Now all this assumes pard has at most two hearts. But if he has three hearts then the opponents do not have a heart fit, in which case the auction might come to a halt at a low level and all will be well.

Anyway, I am now thinking of doubling on C.

And I am coming around to passing on B.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2022, 09:43:38 PM by kenberg »
Ken

peuco

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2022, 04:37:48 PM »
SOLUTIONS FOR:
Frank

PROBLEM A: 4 Notrump
PROBLEM B: Double
PROBLEM C: Double
PROBLEM D: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 4 Spades
PROBLEM G: 6 Spades
PROBLEM H: Heart 6

blubayou

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2022, 01:02:30 AM »
Three of you purists  on the 'lurk or act' hand  problem B:(  And I thought I was at the outer border of those who pass when all BIDS are not right!....Probably  I will join you smart people soon  (or REjoin!) ...
   Now back to C: like your prediction that playin some low number of spades "scrambling" style can work..  But I like to mention in postmortems that "bridge is not Pinochle:  ruffing when out is not required on pain of revoke penalty".......(  ie:  "WHY did you ruff trick 3???---Just sluff some trash card/ then you have everything under control! ??? :( "
« Last Edit: March 24, 2022, 01:12:42 AM by blubayou »
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jcreech

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2022, 11:29:17 PM »
I am not sure that Jock is being fair in his analysis on Problem C

   Now back to C: like your prediction that playin some low number of spades "scrambling" style can work..  But I like to mention in postmortems that "bridge is not Pinochle:  ruffing when out is not required on pain of revoke penalty".......(  ie:  "WHY did you ruff trick 3???---Just sluff some trash card/ then you have everything under control! ??? :( "

First, the hand:  ♠ A K J    9 6 4 2    9 8 6 5   ♣ K 3, then what I had to say about playing spades

Problem C  ...  The hand is wrong for a Moysian in spades (partner, if holding four, will take the tap) ...

and finally, what Ken had to say about playing in spades:
C:  ... Here I have the three card spade holding and I am definitely not the one with short hearts. I don't like having pard ruff a heart in his hand. ...

I will give Jock credit that sometimes a loser-on-loser play can be a winning strategy, but what neither Ken nor I made explicit is why we were hesitant about playing in the Moysian this time. 

RHO has shown a probable five hearts, our hand has four bad hearts (where none are growing up), and we do not know how the remaining four hearts are distributed.  If LHO has zero or one, then he will be pitching losers while our side is sucking up losers, if LHO has two, then he will have the choice of overruffing or pitching a loser, while partner's hand comes down to only three trump.  And if LHO has three or four, we may see a courtesy raise, but if partner is going to pitch while the defense is running hearts, that is four losers off the top in order to retain trump control.  That is a pretty big hole to start off in.  If partner's hand is used to ruff in, then you are counting on a 3-3 break, because otherwise you have already lost control of the trumps.

In other words, whether we ruff or pitch a loser, the hand can become hard to manage very quickly.  Rather than go down that road, we each took a different path.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

blubayou

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2022, 12:40:00 AM »
Yes-- I did not notice that if we just float the 3rd round of H,  we will be facing the forth round too--  and that is NOT nice to contemplate.... :-[
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Masse24

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2022, 01:32:48 AM »
Yes-- I did not notice that if we just float the 3rd round of H,  we will be facing the forth round too--  and that is NOT nice to contemplate.... :-[

Why do on the fourth round what you can delay until the fifth round?  ;)
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jcreech

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2022, 11:05:38 AM »
Yes-- I did not notice that if we just float the 3rd round of H,  we will be facing the forth round too--  and that is NOT nice to contemplate.... :-[

Why do on the fourth round what you can delay until the fifth round?  ;)

Spoken like a procrastinator par excellence! ;)
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

bAbsG

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2022, 08:22:01 PM »
SOLVER: Babs Giesbrecht

Your Solutions for the May 2022 Contest 
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM B: Pass
PROBLEM C: 1 Notrump
PROBLEM D: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 6 Spades
PROBLEM H: Heart 6

blubayou

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2022, 04:44:14 PM »



i was getting comfortable, on problem C, with doubling 1H holding only AKJ in spades.
Yesterday I allowed myself to remember that when it goes "1C, (1H), double, pass; 1S"  opener's 1S rebid is a "misery-bid" showing the worst possible opening when holding 4 trumps,  or more commonly Qxx plus bad hearts and no minor worth bidding/rebidding.
With a reasonable opener plus 4 spades, he will rebid not !S but 2S.
Our MSC partner will bid this way, even if lots of us gloss this point over as we have done for 3 weeks,  so  the neg X is OUT for me,  which sadly leaves only   ---pass---

p.s. My side-bet for a bonus 5 monster points...is that a few panelists will mention this downside to doubling  (on a deal with a TNT number below 16 :-*


SOLUTIONS FOR:Jock McQuade3 Bag EndHobbiton OR 97030U.S.A.
PROBLEM A: 4 Clubs
PROBLEM B: 1 Spade
PROBLEM C: Pass
PROBLEM D: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM E: Double
PROBLEM F: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 4 Spades
PROBLEM H: Heart 10
« Last Edit: March 30, 2022, 11:43:02 AM by blubayou »
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jcreech

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Re: 2022 MAY MSC
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2022, 01:22:09 PM »
PROBLEM G: 4 Spades

Jock, really???  I could see your earlier caution, expressed by bidding 4 NT, but lamely bidding game with that monster opposite a non-double-negative (regardless of how poorly defined that bid is).  I think we will find that the Panel expects at least an ace or king for North's minimum bidding.

I still do not see a way forward that allows both a slam exploration and the ability to stop short, but then that may be why you are giving up on slam altogether.  I wish you well with your 4 !S choice, but I think it will be a big reason why you will not make HR this time.

« Last Edit: March 30, 2022, 01:25:49 PM by jcreech »
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran