January 2012 - 36

It's Your Call

Call
3
3
2NT
3NT
4
5

Votes
7
6
2
2
1
0

Award
100
90
50
50
50
10

Going low or going for the gusto?
The majority of the panel is split
between a "go-low" 3 bid and a hyperaggressive 3 call, with the 3ers
edging out the cuebidders by a single
vote. Various numbers of notrump
and Rigal bring up the rear.
Robinson has a special name for his
3 action: "I like to use my when-everyone-is-in-the-auction-it's-usuallya-partscore-hand rule."
"I'm not burying partner for prebalancing," says Cohen of his choice
to bid 3. "I like him to enter light,
and if I drag him into game, he won't
double for me next time. In effect, I
have a good 10 count. Picture partner
with:
Q J x x x K x x x K Q x x
- an automatic double in my opinion,
and we are already high enough."
Stack is cutting partner some slack,
as well, to a point: "If the opponents
compete to 3, then we will double
and hope for an adequate penalty."
Walker believes "someone's stretching (probably everyone), but not me.
The nonvul game bonus isn't enough
of a temptation to talk me into hanging partner with this collection."
Colchamiro sees that "at least we're
nonvul, so if game is on, it's only 6
IMPs, not 10."
Meyers evaluates game prospects
similarly. "No one vul at IMPs, I am
going low. Partner could have a light
distributional hand."
Boehm says that at the table,
he could ascertain if 2 is semiconstructive, marking partner with
a light, shapely double, "which, on
paper, I suspect."
Turn now to the 3 bidders, whose
partners must have nerves of steel.
"I have too good a hand to not make
a game-forcing bid," says Kennedy.
36 Bridge Bulletin January 2012

"3, hoping partner has K-x or
A-x," says Lawrence. "If he does
not, my sequence will drive us to 5."
Sanborn envisions 3NT or maybe
5. "Over the expected 3, I want
to bid 3NT. This should show some
doubt as to the final strain. If partner
has the weak 4-4-4-1, she might pull
now. It is very likely we can make 5
and not 3NT, but not if my partner has
a doubleton heart."
Meckstroth also hopes that his
partner can bid 3NT over his 3

It's Your Call
Next month's problems
1. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
A 10 5 2 9 8 A J 7  A 8 6 2
West
Pass
2
Pass

North
Pass
Dbl
3

East
1
Pass
3

South
Pass
2NT
?

2. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
10 3 2 A K Q 10 2 Q 10 5 2 8
West

North

East

Pass
Pass
Pass

2
2
3NT

Pass
Pass
Pass

South
1
2
3
?

3. Matchpoints. None vulnerable.
A 8 5 3 7 J 6 5 3 2 A 4 2
West

North

1
Pass
Redbl Pass

East
Pass
Pass

South
Pass
Dbl
?

4. IMPs. East-West vulnerable.
K 9 3 K Q J 8 7 A K J 8 6
West
3

North
Pass

East
Pass

South
?

5. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
A J 8 4 2 K Q 6 5 2 K 10 7
West

North
East
South
1
Dbl
Redbl
3
3
Pass
?
Two-part question: 1. Do you agree
with redouble? 2. What is your call?

cuebid. "That is where I'd like to be.
If he can't and he bids 3, I'll follow
with 4 and he should have a decent
picture of my hand."
The Gordons are headed in the
same direction, but allow for a pass
of 4. "We agree with the pass of 1,
but now we have to come alive. We
will happily pass 3NT, but will convert 3 to 4, which should not be
forcing since we might have only been
trying for 3NT."
With hope in their hearts, the
Sutherlins and the Coopers opt for a
direct 3NT. The Coopers are hopeful
that Q-x-x holds up as a stopper
and that the A is not in RHO's hand.
The Sutherlins hope that partner
has a little help in hearts. "We have
too much to bid 3 and 4 makes it
hard on partner, not to mention that it
takes us past 3NT."
Scorer Walker says, "I'm not sure
if it's BB Standard, but I think most
expert partners would take 2NT as
a scramble. If partner is 4=2=4=3,
he'll rebid 3 and that will be a new
problem."
One panelist (plus Bridge Baron)
does bid 2NT, but not for scrambling
purposes. "I hope partner thinks (a)
this is natural and (b) I can figure out
to block the heart suit when partner
has x-x and we can take nine tricks
in the other suits," says Falk. He gives
partner:
A J 10 x x x K x x x K Q x.
"I'll have to decide whether to play
RHO for A-K or only one, and then
find the Q." Upon closer examination, he backpedals a bit. "Actually,
partner needs more to raise me to
3NT. While on some layouts 5 could
be right, I don't know how to figure
out which ones or how to differentiate them in a constructive, non-forcing manner."
And then there's Rigal out there
bidding 4 solo. "I'm glad you didn't
make me overcall 2, though I admit
it might have worked out just fine today. As it is, showing clubs and extras
looks fine." He then poses an excellent question: "Would 2NT have been
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2012
