September 2019 - 41

score. While 2NT is also imperfect, my
Lawrence passes. "I have five tricks
spade spots are tight and I have a fifth
and can expect a couple from partner.
diamond. I think jumping
If partner has a couple
to 2NT is the best way
of spades or, perhaps, an
to get to a red game if we
honor, we should net a modhave it."
est penalty. I'm hoping we
Lee unhappily bids 2♣.
don't have a cold game. The
"2NT has too many flaws
bigger risk is that we have a
and the spades aren't
slam in diamonds."
good enough to pass. 2♦
Colchamiro passes. "With
isn't a real option to me."
an unclear path forward,
Robinson says 2♣ has
I'm hoping for a reasonable
a higher maximum. "If
plus this way, and there's
partner has 10 points,
no guarantee we have game.
he can invite and I'll bid
Other choices: 2♣? 3♣?
3NT. If I rebid 1NT, part2NT? None light my fire.
Mel Colchamiro
ner will pass with 10."
This is the second time I'm
Meyers also tries 2♣. "I don't want
reporting that in a similar situation,
to bid 1NT with 16 high-card points
years ago in the team trials, Joe Grue
vulnerable at IMPs. If partner corrects
passed and nailed my partner and me
to 2♦, I will bid 2NT."
for a number against nothing. And the
overcall was a good one!"
3. Matchpoints. North-South vulnerKorbel passes, but says he is right on
the line. "Close between pass and 2NT. able.
I have five tricks in my hand, and if the
♠A K Q 2 ♥K ♦A 9 8 5 4 3 ♣A 10
dummy is unsuitable, declarer could
West North
East
South
really go down a lot. I'm going to take a
3♣
Pass
Pass
?
chance."
Rigal charges ahead with 2NT. "I
Call
Votes
Award
realize this may look extreme, but
Dbl
9
100
this is as much an overbid as 2♣ is an
3NT
5
80
underbid. Passing for penalty might
3♦
0
40
well be right, but facing, for example,
3♠
0
40
a 1=4=4=4 hand, this would look very
silly."
Meckstroth's 2NT: "An overbid, but
there's no great choice. I hope to bid
Panel's answers
and make a vulnerable game."
1
2
"No good bid here," says Shi, as she
August
Boehm
3♦
2NT
proffers 2NT. "Pass is out of the quesLarry
Cohen
Dbl
Pass
tion, because partner could be very
Mel Colchamiro
Dbl
Pass
distributional. So is 1NT. I'm overbidding and offshape, but hey! we are red
Josh Donn
3♦
Pass
at IMPs."
Zachary Grossack
Dbl
2NT
2NT by Grossack. "I love floating
Daniel Korbel
Dbl
Pass
negative doubles at the one level as
Mike Lawrence
Dbl
Pass
much as the next guy. (OK, OK, maybe
Roger Lee
Dbl
2♣
a little more; I said it so you don't have
Jeff Meckstroth
Dbl
2NT
to.) But the colors are wrong, as is the
Jill Meyers
Dbl
2♣
scoring format. I have good texture
Barry Rigal
Dbl
2NT
to be going after the opponents at
Steve
Robinson
Dbl
2♣
matchpoints, but at IMPs, nine tricks
Kerri Sanborn
Dbl
Pass
is too easy to envision, and we would
Sylvia Shi
Dbl
2NT
need to take at least nine tricks on
defense in spades to get a comparable

Good partner-bad partner
Robinson, on behalf of the majority: "Double. If partner jumps to 4♥,
which is the worst response, I'll try
5♦. If he doesn't bid 4♥, we'll be in a
better position."
"This is easy," says Lawrence.
"Double. The trick is what to do when
partner bids 3♥. Glad you didn't ask."
Double by Cohen. "Will convert 3♥
to 3NT, and 4♥ to 5♦. Unlike the first
problem, this time I can cope with
(bad) partner's expected heart bids."
Boehm doubles. "Easy to correct
3♥ to 4♦. If partner jumps to 4♥,
I'll pass and hope that my extra highcard points compensate for the short
hearts."
Shi thinks the hand is too strong to
do anything but double. "If partner
jumps to 4♥, we should have a slam in
diamonds or notrump, so I think I'll be
fine bidding over that."
Grossack guesses that double is
going to be close to unanimous. "I can
just bid 3NT over 3♥. If partner jumps
to 4♥, I'll probably just bid key card,
right?"
Colchamiro doubles. "And then 3NT
over 3♥, 4♣ over 3♠, 4NT over 3♦
and pass and pray over 4♥."
Double by Donn. "There are so many
contracts that might be correct. Starting with a double is the best chance

3
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
3NT
3NT
3NT
3NT
Dbl
3NT
Dbl

4
Dbl
2♣
Dbl
2♣
2♣
Dbl
Dbl
2♣
2♣
2♣
Dbl
2♣
Dbl
2♣

5
4♠
4♠
4♠
4♠
4♠
4♠
6♣
4♠
4♠
4♠
5♠
4♠
5♠
4♠

Total
430
500
480
460
490
480
440
450
470
450
410
470
420
490

September 2019 Bridge Bulletin

41
September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2019
