December 2010 - 34

5ࡖ

3ࡗ
ble
u
Do

4NT

1ࡕ

1. IMPs. None vulnerable.
K Q J 7 5 3 10 7 A 3 A 9 8
West

North
1
2NT (1) 3
(1) Minors.
Call
Dbl
5
5NT
6
6
6
5
6
6NT

East
Pass
5

Votes
6
3
3
2
2
1
0
1
0

South
1
?
Award
100
70
50
50
50
50
30
20
0

A wide array of bids
After West shows both minors, East
ups the ante to 5 - now what? The
panel chooses seven different calls.
Double was the most popular.
"Double," says Walker. "At this vul‑
nerability, I'm taking the sure thing
which could be plus 500."
Meckstroth agrees. "It could easily
be right to bid more, but I'm going to
take the sure plus."
"We're not thrilled with any of our
options," say the Joyces. "The five
level should belong to the oppo‑
nents."
"Weird hand," says Colchamiro. "If
34 Bridge Bulletin December 2010

2ࡔ

PAS
S

It's Your Call
Director: Dave Smith

✦ Scores: Karen Walker

All problems from Polish Bridge magazine.

we only have game, our plus 300 or
plus 500 against 5 doubled should
compensate."
"With none vulnerable, we will do
well if we can set them three tricks, a
likely result," says Lawrence. "North
could have bid 4, so his 3 bid may
be on the competitive side. This fa‑
vors double."
"I double and hope we don't have
a slam," says Boehm. "What is the
range of 3? This type of problem,
difficult enough, becomes a total
crapshoot. Could partner have cuebid
3 to show a stronger hand with long
hearts? Assuming that 3 is limited,
perhaps he holds:
A 2 A K J 6 3 2 7 5 Q 6 3,
and slam is a poor bet."
Boehm makes the point that if part‑
ner had a strong hand, he had cuebids
of 3 or 3 available. North's fail‑
ure to make either means slam is iffy.
Others agree and bid 5.
"Partner should have extra length
and values because of the 3 bid, so
5 should make," says Kennedy.
"Wow, this is a tough one!" exclaim
the Gordons. "We may be able to beat
them only a trick or two when we can
make slam. But we could go down at
the five level on ruffs and bad breaks.
We think 5 is a middle course, but
we're not proud of it. We could see

5NT - pick a slam - as an alterna‑
tive."
Three players agree with the
Gordons' alternative.
"5NT - pick a slam, partner" says
Falk. "North could rebid 3 on a va‑
riety of hands where spades could be
the superior trump suit, such as:
A 6 2 A K 8 6 3 2 K 7 4 5.
We might make a grand slam, but
that's too tough. If we find any small
slam that makes, I'll be satisfied."
"5NT," says Meyers, "and hope
we're not overboard. I have yet to
show partner I have a game‑forcing
hand. Bidding 5NT should bring
spades into the picture."
Cohen agrees with 5NT. "Good
problem," he says. "Given partner's
free 3 bid, we should have a slam.
I could try for seven by bidding 6,
but would partner know I have the
A? So, rather than try for seven, I
think it is practical to settle for six.
This 5NT - pick a slam - has to be
better than bidding 6 because if
partner chooses spades, how can it
be wrong? Scorer: Please don't give a
higher score to 6 than 5NT."
The scorer gives them equal marks.
Two players bid 6.
"6," says Sanborn. "This is a hard
problem. I would think that we have a
spade fit which might play better, but
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