September 2009 - 49

INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS

Claim with
Colchamiro
construction costs
-part 4
What does the panel think?
Partner opens 1. I tempted the
panel to raise to 2 with what I
thought were the weakest values for
a single-raise hand. Let's see if I got
any takers.
1. Would you raise 1 to 2? You hold:
9 8 5 K 8 3 6 4 3 K 7 6 2.
Answer:
1NT 6 votes
2
4 votes
What can you learn from the votes?
I suspect that the three low spades
reduced the vote for 2. Let's see if
beefing up the trump suit would affect the votes.
2. Would you raise 1 to 2? You hold:
K 7 3 9 8 4 6 4 3 K 7 6 3.
Answer:
1NT 5 votes
2
5 votes
Analysis: The vote didn't change
much. Holding better trumps swayed
only one panelist. Those who didn't
change their minds, despite the better
trumps, must have hated the 4-3-3-3
distribution.
I strengthened the next two hands
by changing one of the kings to an
ace. I gave one poor trumps and one
medium-quality trumps.
3. Would you raise to 2? You hold:
8 6 5 A 7 4 7 6 5 K 8 7 6.
Answer:
2
7 votes
1NT 3 votes
4. Would you raise to 2? You hold:
A 7 4 8 7 4 7 6 5 K 8 7 6.
September 2009

Answer:
2
7 votes
1NT 3 votes
I think we've found the tipping
point. The panel's consensus is that
despite 4-3-3-3 distribution, a hand
with an ace and a king is too strong
to conceal support from partner.
The conclusion: The 2009 version
of a constructive raise is a "good" 7
to 10 high-card points.
Let's now see what the panel did
with a "bad" 7 HCPs.
5. This time, you hold:
8 7 3 A 7 4 Q 7 4 J 5 4 2.
Answer:
1NT 6 votes
2
4 votes
What can you learn from the vote?
Negative aspects of a hand that should
cause you to take a conservative
stance are:
❖ three low trumps
❖ 4-3-3-3 distribution
❖ too many queens and jacks
6. You hold:
Q 7 4 7 4 A 8 7 3 8 7 4 3.
Answer:
2
8 votes
1NT 2 votes
What can you learn from the vote?
The trump queen is a card that will
definitely help partner. The doubleton
heart is considered a significant plus
and you should view this hand as a
"good" 7 points and show your support right away. Alternately, it shows
that the panel really dislikes 4-3-3-3
hands.
Strong suggestion: When raising partner, subtract one point for

Mel Colchamiro
www.melbridge.com

4-3-3-3 distribution.
I polled the panel to find out what
is the top limit of a simple/constructive raise? What would you bid after
partner's 1 opening bid?
7. You hold:
8 6 3 A 4 3 8 7 4 2 A Q 3.
Answer:
2
6 votes
1NT 3 votes
abstain 1 vote
The experts who bid 1NT intended
to rebid 3.
8. You hold:
A 6 5 7 6 4 8 7 4 2 A Q 3.
Answer:
1NT 5 votes
2
4 votes
abstain 1 vote
What you can learn from the vote:
When considering a limit raise, think
twice with 10 HCP and 4-3-3-3 distribution. Think twice with 10 HCP
and three low trumps.
r
My first book, How You Can Play
Like An Expert (Without Having
To Be One), has great winning tips,
Zia, Catherine Zeta‑Jones and much
more! It's available at my web site:
www.melbridge.com (lots of free
stuff, too) or e‑mail me at mcolch@
optonline.net.
49
http://www.melbridge.com http://www.melbridge.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2009
