2022 October MSC

[Masse24]

OCTOBER 2022 MSC
Deadline: AUGUST 31 at 11:59 p.m. (ET)

Submit your OCTOBER 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

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[blubayou]

problem A:  Partner "promises"  a weak-two in hearts;  We hope he does have one.
                                    ---PASS---
   The knee-jerk rebid of 3D  is out for me,   but I will be studying the merits of 2NT, but for now  LOW IS GOOD appeals.


problem B:  Does a cue bid, then correct 4H to 4S  show  a so-so 4-bagger?  Well,  my alternative is to just go to 4S now, so maybe it doesn't matter.  Let's not neglect leaving in the double, though getting more than 300 will be a happy SUPRIZE.            ---Four Spades---
.....question one:  do we have eight spades..?   question two,  "does lefty have 7 clubs?"  If one or both of those answers is "no"  then I am defending (500 if our game is one or 300-1100 if we don't have 4 spades..August 16  I have switched to leaving in the double

problem C: I am ignoring the spade queen and do what is at least thinkable to do with such a 15-pt hand which is......                                        ---pass---       


problem D:   If the panel decides that committing to the 3-level via Michael's cue is too rich, then what WILL they do?  It won't be 2H.  Between  "2C"  and "double" I am betting on "double".  But michael's was MEANT for this shape and this point count, vulnerability be damned?
                                                         ---double---

problem E: "2NT" seems best.  Then if i get another chance to bidd I can show that Q-x in spades and let partner decide if we have game values.  "3H" endplays us unless partner has an actual raise.  Rebidding without jumping is out, for me.  (except wouldnt it be cool if "2C" meant a hand like this??)
                                                         --- 2NT ---
You guys are scaring me into worrying that the panel will think that the cue-bid  DOES show a hand like this,  in which case it will be favored wit a landslide vote
problem F: The ghosts of the masters of bridg's first 25 years must be laffing their ass's off.  Why doesn't this problem with a   opener come up more often?       --- ?? ---

problem G:

problem H: I   know i will be cashing out--  just cannot bear to type it for another week

[peuco]

A. Pass i avoid bidding NT with singleton in p's suit
B. 3NT even if Blu did not consider it
C. 3NT
D. 2S
E. 3H pretty standard
F. 3D I am forced
G. 3D
H. S 10

[hoki]

3♦ - showing extras plus a real diamond suit.

4♠ - hoping that East can't overruff dummy in clubs.

Pass.

Dble - keeps all suits in the game and the level lower.


2♣ - neither 3H nor 2NT would have occurred to me.

3♦.

3♠ - not strong enough for a jump shift which is GF.

♠10 - surely declarer can not make more than four spade tricks.

[veredk]

PROBLEM A: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: Pass
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM H: Spade 10

[msphola]

A. 3D
B. 4S
C. X
D. 2S
E. 2C
F. 3H
G. 4S
H. 10S

[blubayou]

The very moment I grokked the lead problem,  I got the nightmare  that dummy would come down with something like:  X,  9XX, Kxxxxx, Jxx .   With opener holding 28+ balanced--for instance 
                        AKQJx, AKJ, AQx, KJ.
 With our club's favored spade lead, The triple squeeze to mak all 13  is really complicated (unless dummy has TWO spades  in which case it is practically a claimer.)   So,  on a lark,  i voted to grab my ace before getting triple-squeezed out of even this trick.   
  True--there is no evidence dummy has six diamonds,  so we may still get the club ace  or its  equivalent.  But after I sluff 3 times on dummy's 5-carder, there's a fat chance I still have a second trik to my nam,  ...so.. I remain Mister Cashout!                ---Club Ace---

[jcreech]

My initial thoughts.  Sorry it took so long, but it felt like a struggle to get through the recap last month.  I do not have strong feelings about my selections yet.

Problem A:  3   I know that partner has essentially a weak two in hearts.  I do regret not making a jump shift on the previous round, aggressive as that might be.  The choices are pass, because this may be the only way partner's hand will be worth anything, or pushing forward with diamonds, still looking for the elusive fit.  It is matchpoints, so the pass is probably right, but my inclination is still to rebid the diamonds.  I can also see the Hammondites bidding 3NT with the Kx in the fourth suit and 3 with singleton support; neither seems right to me.

Problem B:  4   I am giving serious thought to 3 NT because I am worried about a club overruff.  However, partner has virtually assured me of at least four spades, I think there will be more tricks in spades than NT, and this is matchpoints, so I will bid the spade game.

Problem C:  Pass  The hand and the stopper are not good enough for 3NT in the direct seat.  If I could hang out a sign saying four-card heart-suits need not apply, then I would double, but Kxx is a bit light to double knowing partner will bend over to bid hearts.  Let's pass and hope there will be another opportunity coupled with some clarification.
 
Problem D:  2   With a void in spades, I want to clue partner in about the distribution so intelligent choices can be made in the bidding and defense.  Double is in the back of my mind here, but I do not like doubling with a void and all of my strength in one suit.

Problem E:  1 NT  The only bid that seems clear to me is 3 ; it shows the sixth heart and the extra strength without going overboard.  However, this hand has other strain possibilities.  The Qx might be good for spades.  I have a stop for NT, but 2 NT seems a bit much., and while 1 NT is only slightly heavy it may be the most flexible choice.  Another possiblity is 2 , which may be too much, but if NT is right, it will help rightside the contract; it also keeps the bidding low and gives partner a chance to show a doubleton heart, a sixth spade, or something in diamonds.  Over 1 NT, it will be easy for partner to pass.

Problem F:  3   I am at the top of a minimum and am forced to make a bid.  Pass is my real choice because I don't feel right bidding a red suit (diamonds because I only have four, hearts because it should be a reverse without values or shape).  Raising spades would be a good choice, if I had Hx or xxx, but xx feels wrong, as does NT with no club stop and the cue-bid on a minimum.  That leaves me with the hint, god forbid!

Problem G:  2   I really expect partner to come back with 2 , so I am trying a tactical bid before trotting out a 3 NT.  Meanwhile, maybe I will get a 2 rebid from partner.

Problem H:  A  This will probably not score well, but I would like to cash my certain trick and shift to something neutral so that I can pitch behind the spade bidder.  I am counting on an eventual spade trick, or that something will be placed well in a round suit before I have to worry about being squeezed.  I am not hopeful of setting this, but perhaps Jock will be right that avoiding giving up an overtricks will suffice.

I do not like feeling like very little is settled among my choices this month, but do not be surprised if I do not have 4 or 5 changes before I submit.

[wackojack]

A: Pass
I take partner to have 6 hearts and likley one spade.  This leaves 4 card in the minors.  Most likley 1 +3 .  If partner does have 2 diamonds, then 3 could be a better contract than 2 , but I would not bet on that.  Pass looks the best bet.

B: 4
Partner could have only 3 spades which might make a contract of 4 problematical.  However, in 3NT can I expect my J to be a stop?  A lot depends on how many clubs does the 3 pre-empt have.  The modern tendency is for a 6 card pre-empt not vul to be commonplace.  If the pre-empt is from 6 cards, that increases the liklihood that then partner has a doubleto club.  But it still looks odds-on that partner has only a singleton in which case my J will get swallowed up. 

I am therefore inclined to give my partner close to the "ideal" take-out double.    AKxx,    Kxxx,    Kxxx,    x where 4 looks excellent.  Take away one low spade from partner's hand and make it a diamond, then 4 still looks like a decent contract when spades break 4-1.  So I go for 4

C: Pass

I have 17HCP and I would expect the 3 pre-empt to have on average 8HCP.  Partner will therefor on average have 7 or 8 HCP.  I cannot construct a hand where 3N will make when partner has 7 and fewer than 3 spades.  Even if partner has 5 hearts I cannot construct a hand where  is a decent contract.

D: Double

With those hearts Michaels does not tempt me.  Double

E: 2

Question:  What does the 1 bid show?  BWS says:

"A new-suit bid by an unpassed advancer is natural and nonforcing.  (Then: a cue-bid by intervenor is artificial and neither shows nor denies a primary fit for advancer's suit.) A new-suit jump is invitational. "

I hate that treatment but we have to live with it here.  It  tends to suggest that partner is betting that a spade contract is better than a heart contract. However, I have a strong overcall and so I am taking a slight risk (of partner's bid really being a rescue) and cue bid 2 to get some clarification from partner.   


F:3

I have a very good 14.  What can I expect from partner's 2 bid.  I think 5+ spades, just possible 4 diamonds, just possible 4 hearts and just possible a stop in clubs but of course not all of these.  Crucially partner did not make a take-out double showing at least 4-3 in the majors and did not cue showing a good  diamond raise. I need clarification and think I am strong enough to bid 3 .  In this position it is asking partner to bid 3NT with a club stop.  With no club stop and 4 hearts partner could bid 3 otherwise will have to support diamonds possibly with a 3 card suit. 

Very awkward but better than the distortion of bidding a 4 card minor suit twice. 

G: 3

I need to make a game force and my spades are not even good enough to rebid a non forcing 3 .  I will go for the game forcing 3 .  Partner will certainly bid 3 with 3 of them and bid 3 with a heart suit.  Then I bid 4 or 3NT respectively. 

H: A

Declarer has 11 tricks off the top: 4 +2 + 5  .  If dummy has 6 diamonds then 12 off the top and I have to make 4 discards on the diamonds.  Discarding a spade gives a trick and discarding 2 hearts give 2 extra tricks.  If the declarer is an expert I expect him to make 13 tricks unless I take my A at trick 1.

 

[peuco]

SOLUTIONS FOR:
Frank

PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM C: 3 Notrump
PROBLEM D: 2 Spades
PROBLEM E: 3 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM H: Spade 10

[bAbsG]

SOLUTIONS FOR:
Babs Giesbrecht

PROBLEM A: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM B: 4 Spades
PROBLEM C: Double
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM F: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM H: Club Ace

[kenberg]

I have to skip this month. Probably back next month

[wackojack]

SOLUTIONS FOR:
Jack Goody
Guildford
England

PROBLEM A: Pass
PROBLEM B: 4 Spades
PROBLEM C: Pass
PROBLEM D: Double
PROBLEM E: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM F: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM G: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM H: Club Ace

[Masse24]

SOLUTIONS FOR:
Todd Holes

PROBLEM A: 3 Diamonds
Tempted to bid 2NT, but 3 is the best description.

PROBLEM B: 3 Notrump
I worry about losing the first three tricks in 4 , which I think will be the runaway solver choice.

PROBLEM C: Double.
No strong feelings here.

PROBLEM D: 2 Spades
Really ugly hearts. And they likely have a spade fit. So if we're going to compete to a high level, I need to speak now.

PROBLEM E: 2 Clubs
A mark time bid.

PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
Anything could be right. 2NT? 3 ? 3 ? Anything!

PROBLEM G: 3 Spades
A slight underbid, but I'm permitted to have a max, yes? The other option (for me 3 ), and seriously considered, just feels wrong. The texture of the hand is not up to a game-force for me.

PROBLEM H: Spade 10
Safe. This will be the popular solver choice.
The Ace never appealed to me. I seriously considered the Jack. As usual, I hate lead problems.

[blubayou]

If you're going to 'punt', Jim ya  gotta remove dummy's lone spade--not go completely limp. The squeezes many of us are frightened of are pretty iffy  if  declarer has to take his 4 spade tops before running whatever number of diamonds,  but if he can run say, 6 diamonds while having a spade to lead for later,  poor us will easily experience the power and majesty of a triple squeeze--probably  executed by an opponent that never even imagined such a critter could really exist
Jock McQuade,3 Bag End Hobbiton OR, 97030 U.S.A. 
PROBLEM A: Pass   
PROBLEM B: Pass   
PROBLEM C: Pass   
PROBLEM D: Double   
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump 
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds 
PROBLEM G: 3 Spades     PROBLEM H: Club Ace 
A copy of these solutions will be ......