August 2018 - 42

able to bid then."
Grossack, 4♠: "Again, I don't want
to corner partner by bidding 4♥ and
creating an ambiguous situation. With
the ♥K likely wasted, I'll bid what I
think I can make."
Meckstroth isn't torn. "4♠. Finally,
an easy one!"
Larry Cohen's 4♠: "Perhaps I am
worth 4♥, but 4♠ doesn't show a bad
hand. Partner would need either two
aces and then some, or an ace, good
spades and the ♦K for slam. With all
of that, he might bid again over 4♠.
That's what I'll say in the postmortem,
anyway."
Lawrence's 4♠: "Lazy."
A couple of panelists break into

NEXT MONTH'S PROBLEMS
1. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠8 2 ♥8 2 ♦Q J 9 8 6 ♣A Q J 7
West
1♠

North
2♥

East
Pass

South
?

2. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠K 10 9 8 4 3 ♥Q 9 ♦K 9 4 ♣Q 7
West
1♥

North
2NT(1)

East
3♥

South
?

(1) Clubs and diamonds.
3. IMPs. Both vulnerable.
♠K Q 8 5 ♥- ♦K Q 10 8 5 ♣A K 6 4
West

North

East

Pass
Pass

1♥
3♥

Pass
Pass

South
1♦
1♠
?

4. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠A 4 ♥8 6 5 2 ♦A Q 4 ♣9 7 6 2
West

North
1♦

East
1♥

South
?

5. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠10 7 6 ♥4 3 2 ♦A 5 4 ♣9 6 4 3
West

North

East

1♦

Dbl

Pass

42 Bridge Bulletin August 2018

South
Pass
?

a fan of four-card overBlackwood immediately.
calls, but if partner ends
4NT by Robinson, askup on lead, I can't stand
ing for aces. "If partner has
the thought of anything
two, I'll bid 6♦. If partner
but a spade lead."
has one, I'll play 5♦. 4♠
1♠ by Colchamiro.
could go down on a bad
"Even if they have a big
break or if I lose control."
diamond fit, maybe partColchamiro: "I hope in
ner has them nailed there
our system that 4NT is Ro(♦K 10 9 x) and at least
man key card Blackwood
the dope will know what to
for spades and partner is
lead."
promising at least four of
Korbel's 1♠: "I have no
them. With East-West
Mel
Colchamiro
idea. Reading others' anvulnerable and me ownswers will enlighten me. For me, pass,
ing the ♥K, partner's values should
1♠ and 2♣ are all reasonable-looking
be three of the following four cards:
options."
♠Q, ♦K, ♣A, ♣K. If I am right, then
1♠ is Sanborn's call after survey6♠ ought to be cold or have good play.
ing the possibilities. "Other choices
If they lead out ♥A then ♥Q, I may
are pass, 1NT and 2♣. None appeals
have a trump issue. In that case, I
more than bidding where I live. I don't
might have to decide whether to risk a
first-round finesse for the ♠J opposite have enough to reopen with 2♣ and
then bid again over a big red-suit bid by
partner's ♠Q x x x."
opener."
1♠ by Weinstein. "Suggestion for the
4. IMPs. None vulnerable.
scorer:
1♠, 100; everything else, minus
♠A K Q 10 ♥J 9 7 4 ♦- ♣Q 7 4 3 2
50. Even Zach won't be able to think of
West North
East
South
something more creative."
1♥
Pass
Pass
?
Hey, Grossack is on board with 1♠
... "or did they suddenly make a law
Call
Votes
Award
against overcalling four-baggers? If so,
1♠
12
100
they certainly didn't pass on this news
2♣
3
70
to me."
Pass
1
70
1♠ by Meckstroth, who reasons,
1NT
0
30
"Can't double, and bidding clubs loses
the spade suit."
Four play
Boehm counters with 2♣. "Too
Lee balances with 1♠ somewhat
much to sell out and 1♠ probably loses
reluctantly. "I would like to have a
clubs. If someone bids diamonds -
more textbook hand, but I just don't
likely - I can bid spades and show my
want to sell out to 1♥ with this much
suits proportionately."
playing strength, despite the risk of alKen Cohen prefers clubs, too. "I like
lowing the opponents to back into a big
bidding my longest suit first, and I
diamond fit."
might have a chance to show spades
Shi has misgivings, too. "1♠. I don't
next if the auction stays low."
like my options, but I'm certainly not
Donn reaches for the pass card, "bepassing. I hope nothing bad happens."
cause partner probably doesn't have
Rigal: "1♠. Sorry, that ♣2 sure
too much and the opponents might
looked like a spade!"
belong in diamonds. If I were to bid, it
1♠, Meyers insists. "I'm not defendwould be 1♠, certainly not 2♣."
ing 1♥."
1♠ by Robinson. "I don't want to
5. Matchpoints. North-South vulnerpass it out and no other bid seems
able.
right."
Larry Cohen, 1♠. "Generally, I'm not ♠K Q 9 7 ♥A K Q 3 ♦A Q 9 6 ♣3
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2018
