March 2005 - 33

It's Your Call

then bid 5 over 5 by either
opponent."
Freeman is the lone passer - but
only temporarily. "I expect West
to bid 4 and I'll bid 4, then
5 over 5. If West bids 3NT, it
should help partner in the play (I
will bid 4 over 3NT)."
Gitelman and the Colchamiros
cast their votes for 3NT. "This is
how I show a strong raise to 4,"
Gitelman explains. "3NT can't be
natural with East showing a solid
suit - sure, poker is getting more
popular but we are still playing
bridge. Other calls have considerable
merit, but this is more fun."
2. IMPs. Both vulnerable.
10 4 3 K Q 8 Q J 9 8 7 4 2 -
West
Pass

North
1
2NT

East
Pass
Pass

South
1
?


Call
3
3NT

Votes
17
1

Award
100
30

Our panel votes overwhelmingly
for a natural, forcing 3. "We
could have a diamond slam if pard
has the right cards," says Montin.
"Worse, we could go down in 3NT
if partner has jack-fourth or worse
in clubs while we are making
5 or 6.
"Partner will not know about my
club shortness but at least I can
show extra diamond length."
Carruthers agrees. "If he bids
3NT, I'll pass; otherwise, I'll head
for 5. Even 6 is not out of the
question if he has no club wastage,
but I'm not counting on it."
Soloway says his 3 bid "is the
easy part. What to do next will be
harder."
Robinson shares his concern. His
3 "is forcing and shows an unbalanced hand. A bigger problem is
what to do if partner bids 3NT."
Kennedy opts for 3. "We may
easily have slam in diamonds, certainly a game somewhere. I see no
reason to rush the auction."
March 2005

Sanborn agrees. "Too many hands
that can produce a slam. I would not
like to make the final decision yet."
Meyers also bids 3. "I'm not
giving up on slam."
Gitelman bids 3. "I assume this
is forcing. If not, I would have to
guess between 5 and 3NT or try
something tricky like 3. I am not
sure what is going to happen next
but I would like to bring partner's
judgment into the game."
Boehm bids 3, advising, "First
set a playable trump suit, since a
diamond slam is possible. Partner
will next bid concentrations if in
doubt about 3NT."
Rigal casts the lone vote for 3NT.
"This is all about methods," he says.
"In the absence of sophisticated
sequences, I'll just bid the game I
expect to be right."
3. IMPs. Both vulnerable.
A 6 4 A K Q 2 - Q 10 8 6 4 3
West
3

North
Pass

East
Pass

South
?



Call
4
4
3NT
Dbl

Votes
13
2
2
1

Award
100
70
60
30

It's tempting to shoot out a glamorous 4 or an intrepid 3NT, but
let's face it - sitting at an actual
bridge table and playing an actual
match, most of us are going to opt
for the pedestrian 4.
Baze presents his case: "I won't
double with no solution to a diamond response and won't bid 3NT
with a single stopper, a void and
no trick sources - so, as usual,
bidding our long suit is best and
simplest."
The Sutherlins agree. "It's okay
to have a maximum hand. Partner
knows about game bonuses. Maybe
we'll get lucky and he'll bid hearts.
Double and 4 are bids for homerun or strikeout batters."
Kennedy also bids 4 but admits "4 would be tempting at
matchpoints."
Meyers says she is "really tempted
to double, but I can't stand a jump
to 5."


Panel's answers to February problems
1
Grant Baze
August Boehm
John Carruthers
Larry Cohen
Janet & Mel Colchamiro
Allan Falk
Richard Freeman
Fred Gitelman
Betty Ann Kennedy
Mike Lawrence
Jeff Meckstroth
Jill Meyers
Randi Montin
Barry Rigal
Steve Robinson
Kerri Sanborn
Paul Soloway
Peggy & John Sutherlin

Dbl
4
4
4
3NT
4
Pass
3NT
Dbl
4
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
4
Dbl
Dbl

2

3

4

5

3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3NT
3
3
3
3

4
4
4
3NT
4
4
4
4
4
4
Dbl
4
4
3NT
4
4
4
4

Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Pass
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Pass
Pass
Dbl
Pass
Dbl
Dbl
Pass
Pass
Pass

4
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
4
Dbl
4
Dbl
Dbl
4
Dbl
Dbl
4

Total
470
480
480
440
430
430
440
400
500
430
410
470
480
390
440
430
480
450
33
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2005
