May 2020 - 38

4♠, "but no one is holding a gun to
my head to bid 3♠, so this must show
extras."
Robinson's 3♠: "Partner is a passed
hand, so his hearts can't be that good.
And if playing in hearts, he will have to
do something with his clubs. Usually,
partner has tolerance for spades, which
is what I need. Compete when short in
the opponent's suit."
3♠ by Cohen. "If double - takeout -
showed this, it would be a good choice.
But who is to say it isn't penalty? Partner isn't likely to have both red suits, so
not 3♦. I wonder why he didn't open
2♥ - maybe due to the seat/colors?
Bidding freely now must show a good

NEXT MONTH'S PROBLEMS
1. Matchpoints. East-West vul.
♠Q J 5 3 ♥10 ♦A K Q J 10 9 7 5 ♣-
West

North

East

1♥
2♣(1)
2♥
(1) One-round force

South
1♦
?

2. IMPs. North-South vulnerable
♠K Q 8 6 4 ♥6 ♦A Q J 9 6 3 ♣A
West
2♥

North
Dbl

East
4♥

South
?

3. Matchpoints. North-South vul.
♠7 5 4 3 ♥K Q 10 ♦Q 7 ♣10 7 4 3
West
Pass

North
1♦
Dbl

East
1♠
2♠

South
Pass
?

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

North
1♠
Pass

East
2♣
Pass

South
2♥
?

5. Matchpoints. North-South vul.
♠A J ♥9 ♦10 7 4 ♣K J 9 8 6 5 3
West

North

East

Pass

3♥

3♠

38 Bridge Bulletin May 2020

South
3♣
?

hand/suit, so I am dreaming of plus
620. In a major."
Lawrence suggests 4♣. "Other bids
are guesses. 4♣ lets partner guess. I
think he will have a better chance than
me. I wonder what I will bid if partner
bids 4♦."
Korbel tosses the ball back across the
table, too. "4♣. I hope partner interprets this as a choice of games. If he
isn't sure, he may try 4♦, over which I
will bid 4♠."
Colchamiro, 4♣: "Choice of games."
Grossack and Shi cut to the chase
with 4♠.
Shi: "I think partner has a fitting
spade card to introduce a not-so-great
heart suit here, and I'm just going to
hope to take 10 tricks. I could have a lot
less if I bid 3♠."
Grossack: "I would love to bid 4♣
as some sort of choice of games cuebid, but it just sounds too much like
heart support. Here I think I'll take my
chances in the spade game, as I have a
relatively self-sufficient suit and a very
strong hand for offense in spades."
4. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
♠J 2 ♥A K J 10 6 ♦A 5 ♣A 8 6 3
West

North

East

Pass

1♠

Dbl

Call
2♣
Pass
2NT
Redbl
3♣
3♥

Votes
8
5
2
1
0
0

South
1♥
?
Award
100
70
60
40
30
20

Retro redouble
2♣ by Lee. "In the old days, you could
happily redouble. I prefer to play that
1NT on this auction shows extras - 17+
to 19 - and would bid that if I could."
2♣ by Boehm, who likes the old
ways, too. "It is probably better to use
redouble in these situations to show
extra strength rather than three-card
support."
Meckstroth likes 2♣. "Redouble
shows three spades. This is a good

hand not to play that."
Rigal: "2♣- what I intended to bid
over a pass to my right. Not sure if
redouble is best played as this hand or
support, but we don't do it so I won't
worry about it any more."
Robinson bids 2♣. "Seems normal
to keep bidding with a good hand.
Can't redouble because that's a support redouble. If I pass and LHO bids
diamonds, I will have a problem."
Meyers, 2♣: "Not quite enough to
bid 2NT."
2♣ grumbles Lawrence. "Should
have opened 1NT. As it is, I have no
satisfying bid. Can't redouble: shows
spade support. If I pass, I can't double
2♦, and partner won't know if he
should double. 1NT is a huge underbid.
My choice, with a sick feeling, is 2♣."
Korbel's somewhat reluctant 2♣:
"I would certainly redouble if I could,
but redouble would show three spades
and I don't have that. I don't like getting cute with a pass, because the most
likely outcome is that I will never really get to show my values."
As is frequently the case, RHO's
interference offers a couple more options, one of which is ...
Pass - Sanborn's choice. "Can't think
of a good bid, so maybe one will be
available on the next round."
Shi passes, planning to double
back in later to show extra values. "I
don't mind opening 1NT here originally, also, then I wouldn't be in this
pickle (though I might be in a different
pickle)."
Becker says it looks a little weird
to pass with such a good hand. "But I
don't have a clear action and will get
another chance. Presumably West will
bid a minor, and if that comes back to
me, I can double to show extras, having
already denied three spades."
Donn tries passing. "The follow-up
could be tricky, but fortunately, you
didn't ask about that. The opponents
could be in trouble, and I am not going
to let them off the hook."
Weinstein's scheme starts with a
pass. "I'll wait to see how the auction
develops. Most likely, I'll be doubling
May 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2020
