July 2019 - 40

It's Your Call
DIRECTOR: SUE MUNDAY

❘ SCORES: KAREN WALKER

Problems from the District 8 Advocate

to

follow up with 4♥ after the odds-on
4♦ response, hopefully showing some
sort of slam hand with a minor and
four spades. Perhaps then, pattern will
start to clarify which type of hand they
have. Tricky hand, but it doesn't feel
right to just drive to 6♣, as partner
could have so many different hands."
Colchamiro. 4♣: "Help, double help
and triple help! I hope partner thinks
4♣ is Stayman. If I get 4♠, I'll quit,
satisfied that I have found a safe home.
If I get 4♦ or 4♥, I'll have to guess
between 5♣, 6♣ or 4NT, whatever
that means (Roman key card Blackwood or sign off ). Even pass could
work. It wouldn't shock me if partner
has a singleton club. Because of all the
guesswork involved, I don't think this
is a very good problem - or it is a great
problem!"
Lee plays 4♣ as a general inquiry. "I
don't expect it to produce any miracles,
but it's the best I can do at the moment."
4♣ says Donn. "This is impossible
without a clear system, but I guess I
will start with a bid that might be Stayman."
Cohen's 4♣: "It's tempting to just
bid 6♣, but might as well start with
Stayman (no, this is not Gerber) in case
partner has something like:

♠Q J x ♥A J x ♦A 10 x x ♣A Q x

♠Q J x x ♥A Q x ♦A x x ♣A x x.

to

Many players use 4♣ as an ask, but I
presume that is not part of IYC."
Meckstroth doesn't get too specific
about his 4♣: "Partner can have a wide
variety of hands for the 3NT call. I
need to at least try for slam."
Rigal gets a little more specific.
"Simple would be 4♣ Stayman with
complex responses, because 3NT is

1. Matchpoints. None vulnerable.
♠A K 6 5 ♥4 ♦5 ♣K 8 7 6 5 4 2
West
3♥

North
3NT

Call
4♣
Pass
5♣
4NT
4♥
6♣

East
Pass

Votes
13
2
1
0
0
0

South
?
Award
100
80
50
30
30
20

We need to talk
Occasionally It's Your Call presents
problems designed primarily to instigate partnership discussion. Here's
one.
Meyers bids 4♣, "which I believe in
Bridge Bulletin Standard is natural and
forcing." [It is - Bridge Bulletin Standard has no agreement, which leaves
natural and presumably forcing.]
Weinstein: "4♣. I assume this is
natural. Slam is a strong possibility, so
I have to take a bid."
Grossack bids 4♣. "This hand could
be the advertisement for 'why preempts work.' When partner's range
goes from:
♠J x x ♥A Q x ♦A K J x x x ♣x

♠J x ♥K Q x ♦K Q J 10 x x ♣A J,
it's hard for my hand to have any clue
where it belongs. 4♣, I imagine, should
be Stayman(?), though with many
hands with four spades, partner starts
with double. Here, you'd much prefer
4♣ as natural and forcing! Still, I will

40 Bridge Bulletin July 2019

so wide-ranging. 4♦ is spades, 4♥ is
clubs, 4♠ is diamonds. If I sat down
with a casual partner, I'd bid 4♣, then
5♣ and hope partner worked it out."
Guest panelist Theurer bids 4♣ with
the same questions everyone else has.
"What is our system here? Partner's
3NT could be a balanced hand, or it
could be a trick-taker (long diamonds).
Still, between clubs or spades being
a better strain and slam possibilities
opposite a balanced hand, I don't think
I can pass 3NT here. So I'll bid what is
either Stayman or clubs; I'm covered
either way with this hand. I'll bid 4♠
over four of a red suit, hopefully showing long clubs, four spades and a good
hand."
Shi, too. "4♣. Whatever this bid
means ... natural, Stayman, some sort
of asking thing ... I have it. I usually
play that 4♣ asks partner about the
3NT bid and partner will show whether he is balanced or trick-oriented, and
how min/max he is."
Korbel, too. "4♣. Whatever this
means, I've got it."
Robinson throws in the towel. "Pass.
I have no way to show this hand, so I'll
hope that 3NT is our best contract.
Partner could have:
♠Q J x ♥K x ♦A K Q J x x x ♣x.
Boehm passes. "It's a matchpoint
gamble - I'm not proud of it. I would
bid 4♣ at IMPs."
Lawrence bids 5♣. "Asking for
simple aces. If he has two, I will end in
6♣. If three, 7♣." [Wow, super Gerber
- that's a blast from the past!]
2. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠5 ♥A K Q 8 3 ♦J 8 ♣10 9 7 6 5
July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2019
