March 2020 - 41

"I have enough values to bid 1NT,"
asserts Meyers. "It is matchpoints and
notrump pays more than diamonds."
Sanborn says 1NT seems about right
on values, "and protects the club holding."
Korbel: "First I will try to buy it in
1NT, and if that fails, I will compete to
3♦."
Boehm's strategy is the same. "1NT.
Diamonds later if they raise hearts."
1NT by Grossack. "Let's do the
dirty dance. Partners of mine know
all too well my obsessions with bidding notrump at matchpoints when no
one's vulnerable. Say our side is due to
take seven tricks without a trump suit.
Playing in 1NT, we score 90 points. Defending 1NT, we score 50 points. This
means that the side that bids 1NT first
often has a big advantage. I have the
points, I have what I call stoppers, and
I will be thrilled if this goes all pass."
Lee, 1NT. "Seems normal at matchpoints. This may discourage them from
competing to 2♥ (or get us a penalty if
they do)."
Normal for Robinson, however, is
2♦. "I don't see any other possibility.
When both opponents are bidding, it's
usually a partscore deal."
Donn says he could bid 2♦ with
less, "but it feels like enough with this
hand."
2♦ by Colchamiro. "The matchpoint
version of fairways and greens are plus
scores. But I'd bid 3♦ at IMPs."
Shi, 2♦: "A free response should
show 6-9 points, but because I have no
clear game to play, I'll start with this."
Dirty dancing or dirty glasses? Rigal
bids 2NT, natural and quantitative.
"Distinguishing that ♦3 from the ♥3
can be tough in the murky light."
Cohen jumps to 2NT. "I could jump
instead in diamonds, but this feels
more matchpointy. (I have set my spell
checker to approve of that as a word.)"
3. Matchpoints. North-South vulnerable.
♠Q 9 7 5 3 ♥A 8 ♦A 6 ♣A Q 7 4
West

North
1♥

East
3♣

South
?

We could easily have a slam. Otherwise, I will bid 3NT over a red suit."
Meyers is right in step. "Double. If
partner has four spades and bids 3♠, I
am on my way to slam. If partner bids
three of a red suit, I will bid 3NT."
Grossack doubles. "I want to do a lot
of other things, such as trap pass or
Come again, partner
game-force with 3♠, but those are a
Robinson likes the possibilities that
bit too extreme for me here. I think if I
doubling affords. "Allows me to bid
bid 3♠, partner is often cornered into
3NT over 3♦ and cuebid if partner
raising to 4♠ with doubleton support
bids a major."
if they don't have a club stopper - and
Shi agrees. "Yeah, I can't take up all
we know for sure that partner does not
the space with 3♠. Double keeps the
have a club stopper. I double and try to
major and notrump and everything
keep the options flexible, though it may
else in play."
be quite difficult to be
Donn doubles. "I don't
accurate with this type of
so much do this because
hand."
the spades are bad, as I do
Ditto Rigal: "I'm too
because bidding 3♠ might
good to bid 3NT, and my
miss 3NT."
values don't look right
Lee doubles, saying
for 3♠, which might
he can bid 3NT later if it
endplay a partner with
sounds right. "If partner
no spade support. I don't
has four spades or a heart
feel obligated to go past
one-suiter, this hand has
3NT unless I hear about
too much slam potential,
extras."
and we might also just take
Sanborn doubles, hopone more trick in a major
ing
for a 3♠ bid from
Barry Rigal
suit by ruffing something in
partner. "Barring that,
either hand."
I retreat to 3NT, thinking I won't get
Meckstroth plants the red card on
enough penalty by defending, and hopthe table. "I want to check for spades.
ing there is no slam or that partner
Call
Dbl
3♠
3NT
4♣
Pass

Votes
10
2
2
0
0

Award
100
60
60
20
10

Panel's answers
August Boehm
Larry Cohen
Mel Colchamiro
Josh Donn
Zachary Grossack
Daniel Korbel
Mike Lawrence
Roger Lee
Jeff Meckstroth
Jill Meyers
Barry Rigal
Steve Robinson
Kerri Sanborn
Sylvia Shi

1
3♠
3♦
Pass
3♦
3♠
3♠
3♣
3♠
3♠
3♣
Pass
3♦
Pass
3♣

2
1NT
2NT
2♦
2♦
1NT
1NT
1NT
1NT
1NT
1NT
2NT
2♦
1NT
2♦

3
3NT
3NT
3♠
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
3♠
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl

4
4♦
5♦
4♠
4♥
4♦
4♦
4♦
5♦
5♦
4♠
5♦
5♦
5♦
4♠

5
3♥
Dbl
3♥
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
3♥
3♠
3♥
3♠
Dbl

Total
430
400
370
400
490
490
430
500
500
440
390
440
430
440

March 2020 Bridge Bulletin

41
March 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2020
