February 2013 - 35

It's Your Call

ing you with a worse problem. Finally,
3ࡕ might work if you get lucky and
find support. But if it is just three-card
support or worse, it will be hard on
you. Passing rates to be best. Mind
you, all is not lost. It may get around
to partner, and if he bids 3ࡖ, you will
still have a problem, but it will be a
more pleasant problem."
2. Matchpoints. None vulnerable.
ࡕ9 8 ࡖA 9 ࡗQ 8 6 2 ࡔK J 9 6 3
West

North

Pass
Pass
Pass

1ࡕ
2ࡔ
3ࡖ

Call
5ࡔ
3ࡕ
4ࡗ
3NT
4ࡔ
4ࡖ

East
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

Votes
9
6
3
2
0
0

South
Pass
1NT
3ࡔ
?
Award
100
80
50
50
50
20

Pattern patter
Partner has shown a 5=3=0=5 or a
5=3=1=4 pattern, or something like
that, and a solid to maximum opening. Now, what do you do with that
information?
"5ࡔ," says Robinson. "Because
partner is short in diamonds, I don't
think we belong in 3NT. Opposite
ࡕA Q x x x ࡖK x x ࡗx ࡔA Q x x,
5ࡔ is a very good contract."
Boehm bids 5ࡔ. "Diamonds are too
weak for notrump facing shortness.
4ࡖ is apt to be interpreted as 'to play,'
backing into a 5-3 fit."
Walker, too, is worried about the
diamond situation in notrump. "Even
if ࡗQ 8 6 2 stands up as a stopper, we
might need two diamond stoppers to
make 3NT."
The Joyces go along with 5ࡔ, even
though "this might be a slight overbid."
Cohen offers this analysis. "Without
much wasted in diamonds, beautiful trump support and a side ace, I
have a wonderful hand for partner.

We could easily have a slam opposite perfect cards, but maybe we are
already ahead of the game if we play
5ࡔ making six (beating the pairs in
3NT). This is not a weak fast-arrival
jump; our side wasn't yet committed
to game. Partner is inviting game and
I am accepting."
The Gordons say they could have
had a lot less for 3ࡔ, even discounting the ࡗQ. "It's not right to bid 3ࡕ
on a low doubleton. 3ࡕ should show
honor-doubleton."
Sanborn sees her options as 3NT,
3ࡕ or 4ࡕ, 4ࡔ or 5ࡔ, or 4ࡖ. "I think
that partner is pointing out short
diamonds, so this may not be a good
hand for play in 3NT. My cards should
be working enough for a black-suit
game, but jumping to 4ࡕ probably
shows a spade honor instead of ࡗQ.
4ࡔ is inadequate. 5ࡔ should be right.
4ࡖ could be misconstrued as a fivecard suit and a place to play. I have a
hard time constructing hands where
4ࡕ is a better contract than 5ࡔ, so
why offer it up with 3ࡕ?"
Kennedy tells why: "I'll let partner
know I have a doubleton spade. 4ࡔ
would be an underbid. Partner seems

to be short in diamonds, so 3NT is out
of the picture."
The Sutherlins, too: "It's time to let
partner know we have two spades.
There are many 17-point hands that
partner can hold where 4ࡕ will make
and score better than 5ࡔ."
Meyers temporizes with 3ࡕ as well.
"Partner does not guarantee a fourth
club. If I knew partner had two diamonds, I would bid 3NT. I am hoping
that with ࡗJ x, partner will."
Colchamiro bids 4ࡗ to ask partner
to choose between 4ࡕ and 5ࡔ. "Do I
have to say that 4ࡗ can't be natural?
If partner punts back with 4ࡖ, I'll
give him 4ࡕ. With as little as:
ࡕA K J x x ࡖK x x ࡗx ࡔA x x x,
we should be okay."
Weinstein and Falk use 4ࡗ to investigate slam.
"4ࡗ is the only way to make a slam
try, and my hand got very good," says
Weinstein. "4ࡖ would be an offer to
play, and there are plenty of hands
where slam is excellent. This hand is
worth more than 5ࡔ."
"4ࡗ - time for a 'Bluhmer,'" says
Falk. "Named for the late Lou
➤

Panel's answers
August Boehm
Larry Cohen
Mel Colchamiro
The Coopers
Allan Falk
The Gordons
Geoff Hampson
The Joyces
Betty Ann Kennedy
Mike Lawrence
Jeff Meckstroth
Jill Meyers
Barry Rigal
Steve Robinson
Kerri Sanborn
Don Stack
The Sutherlins
Karen Walker
Steve Weinstein
Bridge Baron

1
4ࡔ
Dbl
4ࡔ
4ࡔ
4ࡔ
Dbl
Dbl
4ࡔ
4ࡔ
Pass
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
4ࡔ
4ࡔ
Dbl
4ࡔ
4ࡔ
Dbl
4ࡔ

2
5ࡔ
5ࡔ
4ࡗ
5ࡔ
4ࡗ
5ࡔ
3NT
5ࡔ
3ࡕ
3ࡕ
5ࡔ
3ࡕ
3ࡕ
5ࡔ
5ࡔ
3ࡕ
3ࡕ
5ࡔ
4ࡗ
3NT

3
Dbl
Dbl
3ࡔ
Dbl
3ࡔ
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
3ࡔ
3ࡔ
3ࡔ
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
5ࡔ

4
2NT
2NT
2NT
2ࡖ
Pass
2NT
2NT
2NT
2NT
Pass
2NT
2NT
2NT
2NT
2NT
2ࡖ
2NT
2NT
2NT
2ࡖ

5
4NT
4NT
4NT
Dbl
4NT
4NT
Pass
4NT
4NT
Pass
Dbl
Pass
4NT
Pass
Pass
4NT
4NT
Pass
4NT
Pass

Total
500
480
420
420
370
480
420
500
480
370
440
450
460
460
460
390
480
490
430
340

February 2013 Bridge Bulletin

35
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2013
