May 2020 - 37

usually played as leaping Michaels. So
my choices are 3♦, 5♦ and 3NT. 3NT
needs very little from partner to make,
and 5♦ could go down with three heart
losers."
"3NT could be so right," says Sanborn, "especially if I have some followups. 5♦ is the most obvious alternative."
Colchamiro calls 3NT a little wild
perhaps ... "but it's matchpoints. You
with me Zach?"
Meckstroth, 3NT. "Crazy? Maybe,
but I expect Zach will make the same
bid."
Lawrence [Aha! You were expecting
Zach, weren't you?]: "3NT. The one bid
that lets me make a practical stab at
game."
Meyers closes her eyes and bids 3NT.
"It's too good for 3♦, and I am sure I
am going to get a spade bid if I double."
Lee sides with the 3NT bidders.
"There's just no convenient way to
bring diamonds or hearts into the
picture."
Cohen is tempted to bid 3NT, but
doubles instead. "I can bid 3NT if
partner (likely) bids 3♠. If he bids
4♠, I will be stuck with 5♦. My dream
partner, of course - where can they be
found? - bids hearts. Too strong for
only 3♦."
Double by Shi. "Ridiculous hand.
I will correct spades to diamonds. I
think I'm too good to start with 3♦,
otherwise I would."
Donn admits that doubling with a
singleton spade seems weird. "But this
leaves hearts in the picture, and I will
just bid 5♦ over 4♠."
Weinstein doubles, saying he is willing to bypass 3NT to look for slam or
find a heart fit. "But this could be very
wrong."
Rigal doubles, planning to bid diamonds next. "I just have to guess, and
based on past form, this effort isn't
likely to be crowned with success. My
admiration to anyone bidding 3NT and
being lucky enough to hear it passed
out."
Poor Zach. "3♦. What else can I do?
Double is begging for a disaster, and I

have a stiff ace in two suits - a negative
as far as high-card placement goes."
3♦ by Korbel. "I won't double with
a singleton spade and a complicated
hand. 3♦ might end the auction, but
some of the time that it does, that
might be OK."
Boehm leaps to 4♦. "Gives up on
notrump and wards off partner's
spades, which double encourages."
Becker goes him one better. "5♦.
Double or 3♦ could work better if we
belong in hearts, but this hand looks
very diamond-oriented."
3. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠Q J 10 8 6 2 ♥A K ♦A 10 8 3 ♣7
West
Pass
2♣

North
Pass
2♥

Call
Dbl
3♦
3♠
4♣
4♠
3♥
4♥

East
1♣
3♣

Votes
5
3
3
3
2
0
0

South
1♠
?
Award
100
80
70
70
70
50
30

Where do we belong?
A lot of possibilities with this hand!
Weinstein doubles. "Going to elicit
the most natural bid from partner. He

Panel's answers
Drew Becker
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
Steve Weinstein

1
2♥
2NT
2NT
Pass
Pass
2♥
2♥
Pass
Pass
Pass
2♥
2♥
2NT
Pass
2♥
2NT

2
5♦
4♦
Dbl
3NT
Dbl
3♦
3♦
3NT
3NT
3NT
3NT
Dbl
3NT
3NT
Dbl
Dbl

will likely put us on this shape."
Meckstroth calls double the perfect
bid for hands like this.
Donn explains. "Double is cardshowing. My hand is very flexible."
Lee doubles too, showing cards/takeout. "It's important to be able to figure
out which strain to play, and this keeps
everything alive."
Double by Becker. "Shows extra values and something like this shape. It's a
good idea to play takeout doubles until
you find a fit; then you aren't pressured
to guess on hands like this one."
Rigal elects to bid 3♦. "Not sure
whether to pass or bid any of the suits
at the three level. They could all be
sensible, I suppose - even double! But
I'm going to hope partner may work out
to bid 3♥ if he has really long hearts.
There is no harm in being optimistic
once in a while."
Sanborn bids 3♦. "Forward-going
without committing to one major or
the other. It looks like partner has
a bad-suit, weak two-bid, so the tap
when playing in hearts may be uncomfortable. But ♥J 10 9 x x x would be
fine facing my hand."
Boehm, 3♦: "Too soon for hearts, especially when club forces may promote
defensive trump tricks. Seems reasonably descriptive."
Meyers says she is tempted to bid

3
Dbl
3♦
3♠
4♣
Dbl
4♠
4♣
4♣
Dbl
Dbl
3♠
3♦
3♠
3♦
4♠
Dbl

4
Pass
2♣
2NT
Redbl
Pass
2NT
2♣
2♣
2♣
2♣
2♣
2♣
2♣
Pass
Pass
Pass

5
4♥
3NT
3NT
5♣
4♥
5♣
4♥
3NT
5♣
5♣
5♣
4♣
5♣
5♣
4♥
4♥

Total
410
400
370
410
420
400
430
440
490
490
480
420
460
440
400
410

May 2020 Bridge Bulletin

May 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2020