July 2018 - 43

Kriegel starts with 2♥. "It's hard to
know how much potential this hand
has, so I'll bid my long suit and see
where it goes."
Yue bids the game in spades. "4♠.
There is no reason to believe that
partner will pass with the ♠K Q and
three aces (only case that slam is possible). If he key-cards followed by 5NT,
I will just bid 7, counting 13 tricks. 4♠
is makeable opposite most first-seat
openings, and even when it doesn't
make, it is still a winning call with this
vulnerability. I think 2♥ stretches the
hand too much."
Zhu thinks he's bidding game in
hearts when he bids 4♥, but in Bridge
Bulletin Standard world, he's actually
making a splinter bid. "Jump shifts are
strong, otherwise my choice would be
3♥. It's a guess how useful my hearts
will be and how well placed my values
are, but if I catch partner with a couple
of hearts, game will frequently have
play. My hearts will not be of any use if
we play spades."

to show two-card support - which you
would then raise to 4♥. If partner has
something like:
♠A J x x x ♥x ♦x x x ♣K J 10 x,
then they would bid 3NT. But switch
the hand to
♠A J 10 x x ♥x x ♦J x x x ♣x x,

and 4♥ is the optimal contract."
Grossack bids 3♦. "I show my
strength now that my stiff king is
working nicely. If partner has a doubleton heart, hopefully he will feel comfortable bidding it. With club strength,
partner can offer 3NT."
Zhu says he expects to make game after partner's 1♠. "3♦ shows my power
and keeps all the strains alive: 4♥, 5♦,
3NT and 4♠."
Yue, 3♦. "I wish it was legal to make
a takeout double of 1♠."
3♦ by Xu: "Though we have shortness in partner's suit, it is a king, and
the chance of it being important is now
higher. The nice diamond suit and the
extra length in hearts decided it."
3♦ by Duffie. "I show my second
4. IMPs. Both vulnerable.
suit and my extras. Maybe 2♣ will
♠K ♥A J 10 6 4 3 ♦A K Q 10 ♣9 4 score better in the contest, but making
nebulous bids like that makes me a bit
West North
East
South
uncomfortable."
1♣
1♥
Rosenberg doesn't mind the ambiguPass
1♠
Pass
?
ity. "2♣. This one is pretty easy. I'm really too strong to do anything else, and
Call
Votes
Award
more importantly, I can't describe my
3♦
6
100
shape really well. 3♥ implies a more
2♣
4
80
heart-oriented hand than I have, while
2♦
1
70
3♦ might sound like 5-5. Best to start
3♥
1
70
with an unclear, forward-going bid and
2♥
0
40
let partner describe their hand."
Xiao, 2♣. "2♣ should be game forcThe ♠K stands taller
ing and it lets partner describe his
Zhou explains the ins and outs of
hand further. Unless partner mentions
3♦. "If partner has more than a minia diamond suit, I will simply
mum 1♠ bid, you want to
rebid hearts on my next turn,
be in game, but without a
and we should be able to find
known fit or club stopper,
our best contract from there."
notrump is dangerous. AlKriegel, 2♣. "Easy for now.
though you are 6-4 in the
2♣ just shows some good hand.
reds, 3♦ does a better job
If partner bids 2♥, I'll bid 3♥.
of describing your hand
Over 2♠, I'll bid 3♦."
than 3♥ - shows nine
2♣ by Zhang. "With a strong
cards as opposed to six.
hand,
force one round first; this
Partner can bid notrump
doesn't guarantee spade supwith a club stopper, or 3♥
Oren Kriegel

port."
Dhir opts for
3♥. "It gives
partner a chance
to show long
spades, bid 3NT
with a club stopper or pass with a
broke hand. If, inLucy Zhang
stead, I had a low
singleton spade
and ♣K x, I'd probably bid 4♥."
Jeng goes low with 2♦. "If partner
is 5-5 in the blacks or longer, it seems
that we are headed for a misfit deal.
Over any sign of life from partner (even
a 2♥ preference over my 2♦), I will, at
the very minimum, invite to game."

NEXT MONTH'S PROBLEMS
1. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠K 9 6 5 3 2 ♥Q 7 6 5 2 ♦J 7 ♣-
West
1♦

North
Dbl

East
2♦

South
?

2. IMPs. East-West vulnerable.
♠A J 3 ♥A 9 8 2 ♦A K 10 9 8 7 ♣-
West

North

East

5♣

Dbl

Pass

South
1♦
?

3. Matchpoints. East-West vul.
♠A K 10 8 ♥K ♦A Q J 10 9 7 4 ♣4
West

North

East

3♥

Dbl(1)

Pass

South
1♦
?

(1) Negative.
4. IMPs. None vulnerable.
♠A K Q 10 ♥J 9 7 4 ♦- ♣Q 7 4 3 2
West
1♥

North
Pass

East
Pass

South
?

5. Matchpoints. North-South vul.
♠K Q 9 7 ♥A K Q 3 ♦A Q 9 6 ♣3
West
1♦

North
Pass

East
1♥

South
?

July 2018 Bridge Bulletin

43
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2018
