April 2020 - 44

It's Your Call
DIRECTOR: SUE MUNDAY

❘ SCORES: KAREN WALKER

Problems 2 and 5 from bridgechallenge.com
Please welcome Drew
Becker from
Chicago IL. As
the winner of
the 2019 online
Drew Becker
version of It's
Your Call, Drew's prize is a seat on the
expert panel for the next three months.
1. IMPs. None vulnerable.
♠A J 8 6 3 2 ♥Q 6 2 ♦A Q 6 2 ♣-
West

North

East

3♥
Pass

4♥
5♥

Pass
Pass

Call
6♦
6♣
6♠
7♠
5NT
5♠

Votes
6
4
5
1
0
0

South
1♠
5♣
?
Award
100
90
80
50
50
30

In grand style
Both the 6♣ and 6♦ bidders believe
their call shows first-round control
of the unbid minor, as well. So what
makes one call better than the other?
6♦ by Shi. "I never quite know what
to do in these auctions, but I think I'm
obligated to show my first-round diamond control. Partner is unlimited."
Grossack explains his preference
for 6♦. "I'm trying for a grand slam
and not stopping below 6♠. When I
get to high-level cuebidding like this,
I can almost surely rely on first-round
control of hearts from partner for their
5♥ bid. From a logic standpoint, this
is because if partner is missing both a

44 Bridge Bulletin April 2020

diamond control and first-round control of hearts, it's difficult to construct
a valid slam try. That said, I still need
some help in diamonds in order to feel
confident bidding the grand. Because
I am still cuebidding on the six level,
partner will know I have a grand slam
try with first-round control in both
minors."
Meyers bids 6♦. "We can easily have
a grand slam here. Partner is going
to know I have first-round control of
clubs and diamonds and must be missing something key in the heart suit."
6♦ by Sanborn. "Not sure what
partner is describing, but I will cooperate at least this far. I know for sure
first-round heart control and a grand
slam try. I probably have enough, but
what about:
♠Q x x x ♥A K ♦x ♣A K x x x x?"
Meckstroth doesn't sweat the small
stuff. "6♦, just in case partner can bid
seven."
Becker kicks off the 6♣ discussion.
"I'm not stopping short of a small slam
and am making one try for the grand.
This promises first-round diamond
control, so hopefully partner will bid
seven with a perfecto."
Lee: "6♣, showing first-round
control in both minors. Maybe I should
have a little more, but in my mind,
jumping to 6♠ would suggest a quick
diamond loser, and partner is completely unlimited."
Lawrence reasserts his club control
with 6♣. "If I hear 6♦, I will try once
more with 6♥. There are just too many
holes to jump to 7♠."
Colchamiro solves for x in an elaborate equation, where x = the superior

probe for seven. "6♣ also shows a
diamond control, because 5♥ denied
a diamond control - or did it? I don't
think that in this situation it does,
because 5♥ by responder would endplay opener into bidding 5♠ without
a diamond control of his own. But, of
course, responder is allowed to go on
after 5♠ if he does have a diamond
control, and if that is so, then 5♥ followed by 6♦ is a better way to go. But if
5♥ is just 5♥, then 6♣ is better than
6♦ (this does show a club control)
and allows 6♦ from responder, which
would get 7♠ from me."
Weinstein is happy with 6♠. "Any
attempt to look for a grand slam is just
going to confuse partner. 5♥ didn't
deny the ♦K, but how, exactly, am I going to pinpoint that it's the card I need?
I wouldn't know I had a club void in
this auction if I wasn't looking at it."
Donn also likes the practical 6♠. "I
think it's a reach to try for seven off
the ♦K as well as a potential secondround heart loser."
Korbel, too. "6♠. I'll take a chance; I
have no real interest in seven."
Rigal agrees with 6♠. "6♣ would
promise the ♦A, as partner has denied
a diamond control. 6♣ might promise
♦A K and similar club control. But
where are our diamond losers going?
We will need a finesse at best, and I'm
not bidding a grand on a finesse."
Poor Mr. Robinson has more questions than answers. He bids 6♠. "Cuebidding auctions are not good auctions.
What does the 5♣ bid mean? Is it the
ace, king or void? What does partner's
skip of 5♦ mean? What does 5♥
mean? I will guess that 6♠ is the limit

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April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2020