October 2018 - 40

It's Your Call
DIRECTOR: SUE MUNDAY

❘ SCORES: KAREN WALKER

Problem Nos. 2-4 from bridgechallenge.com
1. Matchpoints. Both vulnerable.
♠K 10 6 4 3 ♥A 8 ♦K Q 7 ♣A 10 9
West

North

East

Pass
Pass

2♦(1)
3♦

Pass
Pass

South
1NT
2♥
?

(1) Transfer
Call
3♠
3NT
4♣
3♥

Votes
10
4
1
0

Award
100
80
60
60

You've got potential
A majority of the panelists counter
partner's red suits with 3♠.
"I need one more descriptive bid
from North," says Lawrence, "hence
3♠, hoping I get more information. I
love this hand for 6♦ if he has five of
them, which isn't guaranteed yet."
Lee uses 3♠ to show some doubt
about 3NT. "This hand has so much potential, and a 5-2 major fit may outplay
3NT anyway. Good advertisement for
playing re-transfers here (where 3♣
would show diamonds)."
Cohen's version of 3♠: "This hand
has tremendous potential, especially
if partner has five diamonds. But I
shouldn't raise his second suit yet with
only three-card support. Nor should
I raise hearts with two. I like to have
eight-, not seven-card fits."
3♠ by Boehm. "This is a very promising hand for slam, especially if partner holds five diamonds. Let's probe."
Ditto Grossack. "My hand has a lot of
potential. To me, it just says 'no fit, but
not thrilled about 3NT for one reason
or another.' Here I might well not want

40 Bridge Bulletin October 2018

to play 3NT opposite either a stiff club
or a hand with marginal slam interest.
Now, partner with:
♠Q x ♥K Q x x x ♦A J x x x ♣J
could get us to a good 6♦."
"3♠ should be semi-natural," says
Shi, "showing some doubt about 3NT
and/or interest in going further. Partner could be game-only, so if partner
bids 3NT, I think I'm supposed to pass."
Donn uses 3♠ to focus partner's
attention on clubs. "If partner has a
singleton club, then we are probably
better off in any contract but 3NT."
Meckstroth: "3♠. I want to be in a
suit if partner has short clubs."
So does Robinson. "3♠. Not sure we
belong in 3NT, so I'm giving partner a
chance to describe further."
3♠ is Korbel's choice. "I can imagine
playing a slam when 3NT is down if
partner holds, say,
♠Q x ♥K x x x x ♦A J 10 x x ♣x,
so I don't want to bid 3NT directly.
Any time partner has a singleton club,
he will steer away from 3NT, which
is probably best for us. When he has a
singleton spade, he will often bid 3NT,
even if he has two or three small clubs,
when he holds a minimum."
A few considerate panelists take
partner off the guess and bid 3NT.
Sanborn: "It would be nice if 3♠ was
an offer of another strain, but it merely
shows values there. This hand looks
much better if partner can bid again,
but for now, let's just deny three-card
heart support and hope the ♣10 is
helpful should we languish in 3NT."
Weinstein said he might try to
"thread the needle" at IMPs, "but that

just punts the problem over to partner,
and there's no reason to expect him to
get it right. 3NT seems like the normal
field action, and hopefully I can play it
one trick better."
3NT by Colchamiro: "C'mon! It's
matchpoints. And the ♣10-9 to boot."
Rigal bids 3NT. "I play that after
partner rebids 3♣, we show stoppers;
after he rebids 3♦, 3♠ is worried
about clubs and 3♥ may be worried
about spades. Here, though, 3NT seems
plausible. We may have a stiff club opposite, but we can't worry about that ...
yet."
Meyers likes to play 4♣ as encouraging in both of partner's suits. "I would
like to have an extra diamond, but my
key cards are too good in both suits not
to express some interest. If partner
signs off in 4♥, I am done."
2. IMPs. Both vulnerable.
♠J 10 4 ♥- ♦K J 7 4 3 ♣A Q 7 5 2
West

North
Pass

Call
Dbl
Pass
2NT
2♦
2♣

East
1♥

Votes
9
0
6
0
0

South
?
Award
100
90
70
50
50

Death wish
Scorer Karen Walker presented a
heavily weighted case for passing.
"Here are nine people who feel lucky
today and six with a death wish ... I
might be talked into making a takeout
double, but I can't imagine bidding
either or both of these suits, vulnerable
http://www.bridgechallenge.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2018
