February 2020 - 42

hearts, so I'll try not to have a disaster."
Sanborn calls 3NT the most practical bid. "We could have a slam, but how
to get there without risking our most
probable, best score?"
Meyers says she's a little strong for
3NT, but she bids 3NT. "I don't have a
fit for partner, so I am discounting my
hand a little. However, I certainly do
not object to 4NT - that could be right.
This deal shows the value of preempting; it makes bidding a lot more difficult for the opponents."
Lawrence, 3NT: "Good hand, but
way too weak to experiment at the four
level. Too many bad things can happen
if I double or bid 4♥."
Robinson says 3NT sounds like the
safest game bid. "If I double or bid 4♥,
we could get to a bad contract."
3NT, "unhappily," by Boehm. "What
else, unless 4NT is defined as natural?"
Lee bids 3NT. He says he would usually try to double or bid 4NT (natural)
with this hand, "but I'm swayed to go
low by my two little diamonds."
Meckstroth, 3NT: "Might miss a
slam, but the alternative is to double;
that would lead to a guessing game
after, say, 4♣ from partner."
3NT by Donn. "If I don't bid it, no one
will."
Colchamiro sums up 3NT: "Damn
preempts."
Cohen doubles. "Wrong heart suit for
any number of hearts - where we could
end up opposite partner's shortness."
Double by Rigal, too. "I'm not going
to know what to do come what may;
bidding 3NT looks wimpy, 4NT is key
card, so what is left? No idea!"
4NT, "quantitative to be sure," responds Korbel. "Hopefully we do not
need to play this one in hearts. If I start
with double to try and find the heart
suit, the auction could get even worse
for me. Imagine partner bids four of
a minor; and even if partner does bid
4♥, it's not clear we have a slam."
4. IMPs. East-West vulnerable.
♠K 9 ♥J 8 6 5 4 2 ♦K J ♣10 7 6

West

North

East

Pass
Pass

1♣
3♠

3♦
Pass

Call
5♣
3NT
4♣
4♠
4♦
4♥

Award
100
60
60
50
40
30

It's go time
Now it's Meyers looking for Cohen's
half-step bidding cards. "This is a hard
problem. It is between 4♣ and 5♣, but
I think I would bid five."

NEXT MONTH'S PROBLEMS
1. IMPs. East-West vulnerable.
♠4 ♥A K J 5 4 ♦K 10 3 ♣A 10 9 2
West

North

East

Pass

2♦

2♠

South
1♥
?

2. Matchpoints. None vulnerable.
♠Q 8 4 ♥K ♦Q 9 8 5 3 ♣K 10 6 2
West
1♣

North
Dbl

East
1♥

South
?

3. Matchpoints. North-South vul.
♠Q 9 7 5 3 ♥A 8 ♦A 6 ♣A Q 7 4
West

North
1♥

East
3♣

South
?

4. IMPs. None vulnerable.
♠A Q 8 4 ♥Q J 7 ♦J 7 5 3 ♣J 2
West
Pass
Pass

North
1♦
2♣
3♠

East
Pass
Pass
Pass

South
1♠
2NT
?

5. IMPs. None vulnerable.
♠A K 9 7 5 4 ♥A 6 4 2 ♦- ♣J 10 6
West
Pass

42 Bridge Bulletin February 2020

Votes
9
2
2
1
0
0

South
Pass
Pass
?

North
1♦
2♣

East
1♥
2♥

South
1♠
?

"Yet again I'm going to have to guess
well," says Rigal, who guesses 5♣. "4♦
as a choice of games would be nice, but
that surely isn't what it means."
Weinstein likes 5♣. "This is a nice
hand for this auction. Not many hands
where 3NT is making and 5♣ is down.
Lots more the other way."
Boehm bids 5♣. "North is hugely
distributional - at least 4-6. In
notrump, the tricks may be too slow,
or we may be off one diamond and four
hearts on the go. The jump opens the
door to slam opposite the likes of:
♠A Q x x ♥A ♦x ♣A K x x x x x."
Shi, 5♣: "Partner didn't reopen with
a double because of heart shortness. I
think we will have OK play for the contract, as long as partner doesn't bump
it to 6♣."
Sanborn goes with 5♣. "I must
admit I would have bid 3♥ last round.
But it sounds like partner is at least
4-6 in the black suits. If partner has
two diamonds, 5♣ is right; and if one
diamond, maybe the opponents can't or
won't lead hearts, and we have a pitch."
Meckstroth, too - 5♣. "Partner
should be well stocked in the blacks."
5♣ by Korbel. "Perhaps partner
holds:
♠A x x x x ♥- ♦x x ♣A K Q x x x,
where 5♣ is a very good contract. Perhaps he doesn't. I'll give it a shot."
Donn ponders, then bids 5♣. "I
thought of 3NT first, but it's very hard
to think of a hand for partner where
3NT is better than 5♣, considering
partner is probably short in hearts."
Colchamiro has hope for the ninetrick game. "I'm gonna try 3NT and
hope to run the clubs opposite:
♠A Q x x ♥K ♦x x ♣A Q J x x x."
Lee, too, tries 3NT. "Partner is
pretty much either 5-6, or has a strong
4=1=3=5 or 4=1=2=6 that doesn't want
to hear about hearts. This guess seems
as reasonable as any."
Lawrence bids 4♣. "There could be
nine top tricks at 3NT. Or there may
not be. 4♣ may find a laydown 5♣ (or
4♠), and if partner has any interest in
February 2020

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