March 2016 - 43

will retreat to 5♦."
"Nasty!" Boehm exclaims. "Perhaps
partner can bid 3NT. If he jumps to
4♥, I'm tempted to pass. After 3♠, I'll
correct to 4♦, but the level is unclear.
The most unwelcome response is pass,
because of my diamond fit."
Robinson doubles: "If partner can
bid 3NT, that would be great. Otherwise we'll play in 5♦."
Meckstroth doubles, but notes, "This
is a good hand for transfers. I could bid
3♠ to show diamonds."
Colchamiro doubles, too, "hoping
against hope to hear 3NT. If partner
gives me 3♥ or 3♠, it's 5♦ from me.
The other choice is 4♣, giving up on
3NT."
The 4♣ cuebidders:
Korbel: "Very difficult problem. In
my book, the options are 4♣ or double.
Double aims for the brass ring of
partner bidding 3NT, whereas 4♣ will
allow for better exploration for game,
slam or even partscore. I don't think
4♣ forces beyond 4♦."
Lee agrees, saying that doubling
to try to get to 3NT feels like a pipe
dream.
Weinstein gives up on the "magic"
3NT. "4♣ gives us a chance to get to
6♦. Because we have both 3♦ and
4♦ available with invitational hands,
I think 4♣ should be game-forcing in
diamonds."
Poor Barry. "Aargh! I've never seen
a problem like this before, though it
can't be totally uncommon. This is not
nearly as good a hand as it looks. What
to do? Cuebid and blame partner: tried
and tested, works for me."
The Sutherlins opt for the simplicity
of 4♦. "Let's invite game in diamonds.
We're a little heavy to just invite, but a
cuebid of 4♣ may cause confusion if
partner then thinks his 4♦ bid would
be forcing."
Hampson's previously dim outlook
got dimmer. "3♦. I am going low and
trying for a plus facing 12-14 with no
club stopper."

5. IMPs. E-W vulnerable.
♠- ♥- ♦A K Q J 9 7 6 ♣J 9 8 6 4 3
West

North

Call
5♦
2NT
2♦
4NT
4♦

East
1♠

Votes
7
5
2
2
0

South
?
Award
100
90
70
70
40

Freak show finale
While a number of panelists choose
unusual-notrump calls to show the two
lower-ranking suits at once, an equal
number just go ahead and pick their
favorite minor and bid lots of them.
Lawrence is one. "5♦. Not 2NT or
4NT. If partner bids clubs, it isn't clear
that clubs is our best suit. I may well
bid clubs later, which will give partner
an accurate description of my minors."
Weinstein, too. "I'm void-void in
the majors. Good time to preempt. I'm
not willing to give the opponents two
cuebids in order to bring clubs into the
picture."
Sanborn leaps to 5♦. "I do have a
preference! I might not be done yet,
though."
Lee: "5♦. On hands like this, making
them guess is about as good a strategy as any. If they bid out and partner
doesn't double, I'm going to come back
in."
Cohen jacks up the auction for the
same reason. "2NT followed by 5♦ is
possible, but gives the opponents more
chance to get together."
5♦ by Colchamiro. "If partner has
three clubs and zero diamonds, I still
want to play in diamonds."
Boehm says the fun is just beginning.
"2NT. I make some attempt to gauge
partner's club holding before facing a
decision later."
Robinson starts low with 2NT for the
same reason, "to get the most information about what partner has in clubs."
Meckstroth, simple: "2NT for the
minors."
Ditto Hampson: "I start by showing
my two suits and will then judge how

high to compete."
Meyers, too. "2NT and then I am
going to bid again. I will certainly not
stop short of 5♦, or 5♣ if we have a
club fit."
Rigal starts low with 2♦. "If this gets
passed out, I won't just eat my hat, I'll
eat the editors, too. (I meant to put an
apostrophe after editors but I think
on reflection, I will actually eat the
editors, not just their hats.)"
Falk bids 4NT. "It's close between
this or expressing my strong preference for diamonds immediately and
keeping the opponents from exchanging information below the five level.
Holding zero major-suit cards, I think
4NT is a reasonable compromise. I'm
going to correct 5♣ to 5♦, but will
pass 6♣."
So does Stack. "Preemption and a
likely-to-make minor-suit contract -
what could be better? 4NT is an easy
bid to make, but what will we do on the
next round after partner or the opponents bid and partner passes? If LHO
bids and partner passes, then we might
push on with 5NT. A wise man one said
you must 'bid the freaks like they are
freaks,' and this hand certainly qualifies."
◾
The online top scores for
January appear on pg. 81

Top Scores - October 2015

The list of online IYC Top Scores for October
inadvertently omitted these individuals:
David Pearlman, Southlake TX
Barack Peled, Reisterstown MD
Harry Pollitt, Beaufort NC
John Schwartz, Macungie PA
Ashok Shingavi, Houston TX
Herbert Shulman, Colts Neck NJ
Sheldon Spier, Chemainus BC
Mark Stasiewski, Meriden CT

470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470

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March 2016 Bridge Bulletin

43
http://www.acbl.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2016
