May 2007 - 32

Director: Dave Smith
Scores: Kay and Randy Joyce

Problems from District 8 Advocate
1. IMPs. N-S vul
J 7 2 Q A Q 9 6 A K J 10 8
West
2
Pass

North
1
Pass
3
Call
4
4
4NT
6
5
4
5NT
4

East
1
Pass
Pass

Votes
12
3
0
1
1
0
1
0

South
2
3
?
Award
100
70
60
60
30
20
20
10

Support when you have support
The majority of the experts thought
that 4 was forcing after bidding
2 and then making a 3 cuebid.
They want to set trumps and try and
involve partner in the decision making.
"4," says Soloway. "I'm looking
for slam, so let's set trump."
Robinson agrees with 4. "You
always show support when you have
support," he says.
"4," echoes Meckstroth. "It's
32

time to support partner's suit."
"4," says Falk. "It's tempting to
bid 4, but it is not 100% clear I
have diamond support, so why torture
partner? Partner has no heart stopper for 3NT, which means he has all
working values for a diamond slam."
Sanborn bids 4 and gives reasons
similar to Falk.
"It's time to define my hand," she
says. "Only I know what the trump
suit is until now. It is very encouraging that partner cannot bid 3NT, since
all cards outside of the heart suit will
be working."
"My 3 call set up a game-force,"
says Rigal. "Although there are some
auctions where four of a minor can be
passed, this is not one. I would have
bid 4 on the previous round to set
diamonds as trump and show short
hearts."
"We like the panel's bid of 4,"
say the Joyces, who scored this
month's problems. "It sets trumps and
defines for partner what your excitement is about."
Six panelists did not bid 4. Two
of them thought it was non-forcing.
"4," says Boehm. "4 is nonforcing since the cuebid forced to
3NT or four of an agreed minor. Now

that partner seems to have nothing
wasted in hearts, slam prospects are
bright."
"4," agrees Walker. "I haven't
shown a diamond fit yet as 3 could
have been just a stopper-search with
minimum game-forcing values. 4
should make it clear, however, that
I have a diamond slam try. With
partner holding no honors in hearts,
it's hard to imagine an opening bid
that doesn't give us a good play for a
minor-suit game or slam.
"If partner can't cuebid the spade
ace, I'll settle for 5. I think a 4
bid here would be passable, and given
partner's unenthusiastic bidding so
far, that's probably the option he'd
take."
Baze bids 4, but gives different
reasons.
"3 did not indicate slam aspirations," says Baze, "nor guarantee a
heart control. Now 4 does both.
Partner may not be sure I have diamonds and will be forced to bid 4
or 5, but when I correct to 5, he
will get the message."
"5NT," say the Colchamiros. "This
means pick a slam (6 or 6).
Partner doesn't seem to have a heart
stopper, so we have a 'fitter.' A good
old-fashioned 6 is our second
choice."
"6," says Freeman. "I would
have bid 4 last time, and now I am
afraid to bid 4NT because partner
may not know which suit I am Key
Carding in."
Other panelists also suggested that
a jump to 4 on the previous round
would have been more descriptive.
You show support and heart shortness
with one bid.
When you make a cuebid in an ambiguous auction, your next bid should
show why you made it. As Falk asks,
why torture partner?
Bridge Bulletin
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2007
