October 2011 - 34

5ࡖ

3ࡗ
le
ub
o
D

4NT

1ࡕ

1. IMPs. Both vulnerable.
Q 10 4 2 A Q 7 5 3 10 5 3 6
West
2

North
1
3

Call
3
3NT
Pass

East
1
Pass

Votes
12
3
3

South
Dbl
?
Award
100
40
30

One bid at a time
As this month's scorer, Allan Falk,
notes: "A solid majority makes the
'easy' call of 3." It would be an
easier call with better hearts, but in
reality, North should have some heart
tolerance - or at least an alternate
plan - when he makes the three-level
reverse.
That's how Meyers is interpreting
North's bid. "Partner must be offering up hearts as a place to play with
diamond support."
Meckstroth, too: "Partner is short in
spades, so I think he may have three
hearts and we may be cold for 4."
Robinson plans for most of the contingencies with his 3 call. "If partner
has three hearts, we belong in hearts.
If partner has fewer than three hearts,
he'll bid 3 and I'll bid 3NT. He could
also have a good 5-6 hand, and I'll
raise 4 to 5."
34 Bridge Bulletin October 2011

2ࡔ

PAS
S

It's Your Call
Director: Sue Munday

✦ Scorer: Allan Falk

Problem 1 from the District 8 Advocate. Problems
2-5 from Polish Bridge magazine.

Sanborn is taking it one bid at a
time. "3. This shows a hand not
good enough to bid 2 at my first
turn. Let's just go from there. If partner has a good hand, she can bid 3,
and I'll have a happy 3NT bid."
A less sanguine Boehm bids 3
as well. "I'm hoping for a heart fit or
possibly 3NT if partner can bid 3.
We may be headed for trouble, but
passing 3 has no guarantees."
Walker calls it "close between 3
and 3. With partner having at most
one spade, there's a good chance he
holds three hearts. He has room to
ask for a spade stopper if he doesn't."
While there is some internal disagreement as to whether 3 is forcing, it's the bid Rigal, Stack, Lawrence
and the Sutherlins all choose, planning to bid 3NT if/when partner bids
3.
The Gordons and Cohen go directly to 3NT without stopping by 3.
"North is showing extras, and I might
as well go for the vulnerable game
bonus at IMPs for the same money on
the three level," says Cohen.
"Partner has a good and shapely
hand here," say the Gordons. "He is
most likely 5-6 or maybe 4-6 in the
minors, so hearts is an unlikely strain
for us. We have values and one and a
half stoppers. If partner pulls, we are

happy to play in 5 or 6."
"Pass seems just a panic reaction or
an attempt to find a new partner midsession," quips Falk. "As it could be
right once a month or so and it did get
three votes, it gets a minimum score."
Colchamiro passes hoping for a
plus. "With a singleton in partner's
suit, 3NT seems a long way away."
The Coopers pass, saying 3NT is
unlikely to make. "My points aren't
working unless partner has three
hearts and we are too high to investigate that."
The Joyces pass, simply stating
"Anything you do is fraught with
danger."
2. Matchpoints. East-West vulnerable.
K Q 6 5 4 Q 9 A 7 K J 9 5
West

North

Pass
3

2
Pass

Call
Dbl
3
Pass

East
Pass
Pass
Pass

Votes
10
5
3

South
1
Pass
?
Award
100
50
30

The "under double"
The panel produces only a plurality for what Falk calls the "under
double." Because South has already

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2011