July 2020 - 33

only has three cards. Yes, opener will
occasionally misjudge in competition,
but so might the opponents. Our next
call will depend on opener's rebid. 3♥
is merely competitive here. Lacking a
fourth heart, responder takes the low
road at matchpoints, though would
likely raise to game if the red suits were
reversed.
Scores: 3♥ 10; 2NT 9; 3♦ 6; 3♣ 4;
4♥ 2; 3NT, 4♦ 1
Shore-Gill 49, Robbins-Becker 33

Problem 7

South deals. Both vulnerable.
West
♠AJ9543
♥A92
♦K5
♣AK

East
♠KQ7
♥Q54
♦8
♣QJ8543

Shore
1♣
1♠
2NT
4♥
4NT
5♦
6♠

Gill
1♦
2♥
4♦
4♠
5♣
6♣
Pass

Another specialized auction with 1♣
showing 16-plus unbalanced or 17-plus
balanced. 1♦ was ostensibly negative,
but could be 8-plus with 0-1 controls
(as here). 1♠ was natural and forcing,
possibly four cards. 2♥ showed a good
three-card spade raise in context of
the 1♦ response. 2NT was ostensibly
a game try, and 4♦ was a splinter with
the 8-plus hand type expected. 4♥ was
a cuebid, planning to continue further, but giving responder the chance
to show a diamond void among other
possibilities. Key card Blackwood followed, with responder showing one
key card, and over the queen-ask (5♦),
responder showed the ♠Q and the
♣Q, because the king was not possible
given the 1♦ response. Opener could
infer that responder had at least five
clubs, but opted for 6♠, not knowing
about the ♣J (or sixth club).

Robbins
1♠
2♠
4NT
6♠

Becker
2♣
3♠
5♦
Pass

Responder chose to force game here
with 2♣, though it didn't necessarily
show a real suit. Opener's 2♠ rebid
showed at least six. A 4♦ splinter
would have confirmed real clubs, but
would have shown much more playing
strength than he held, so East simply
raised to show the spade fit. Opener
contemplated cuebidding, but was
unlikely to be able to judge whether to
play in spades versus notrump, so he
simply checked on key cards, signing
off in 6♠ when one was missing.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1♠-1NT;
2NT(?)-4♦; 4NT-5♦; 5♥-5NT;
6♠-Pass. 3NT over 1NT is usually
based on a running spade suit, with
2NT showing the 18-19 balanced type
hand, though this hand type is a challenge in standard methods. Responder
had planned to show a three-card limit
raise, but can logically splinter over
the 2NT rebid to show that hand type
with a singleton diamond. Though the
diamond holding is not ideal facing a
splinter, opener's hand has increased
in value with the fit. Opener checks on
key cards, bidding slam facing one and
the ♠Q.
Scores: 6NT(W) 12; 6♠(W) 9;
6♠(E) 7; 5NT(W), 6♣ 6; 5♠ 3; 5♣ 1
Shore-Gill 58, Robbins-Becker 42

Problem 8

West deals. None vulnerable.
West
♠K6
♥ J 10 3
♦A4
♣ A Q 10 9 6 5

East
♠ A Q 10 3
♥Q
♦ 10 9 8 7 5 3
♣KJ

Shore
2♣
Pass

Gill
3♣

Shore admitted he'd have opened
1NT at the table, but he was in range
for 2♣ which showed 10-14 with six
clubs but no four-card major. Gill,
knowing the opponents had at least
nine hearts, took the low road with a
competitive raise. This catered to an
exceptional hand but gave up on game
otherwise, as opener will often be on
the lower range here if balanced, given
the failure to open 1NT. Game was
not certain opposite some maximums
either, though in the postmortem, he
thought a quasi-natural 2NT (a clear
choice at IMPs) was a better choice in
the long run. Opener had the perfect
hand for game this time.
Robbins
1NT
2♦
3NT

Becker
2♣
3♦
Pass

1NT was 14-plus to 16, though
opener was lamenting that decision as
the auction progressed. 3♠ over 3♦
to show heart concern in notrump was
not an option for this pair, as it would
have been forward going in diamonds.
3NT was the only systemic call available at that point, and it caught an ideal
East hand.
Bridge Bulletin auction: As Robbins-
Becker. 1NT protects the ♠K, and the
hand certainly has the playing strength
for a 1NT opener. There is a possible
preemptive value to the bid as well,
making it more difficult to compete
than over a 1♣ opening.
Scores: 3NT 11; 5♣ 8; 2NT 6; 4♣ 4;
3♦ 3; 4♦ 1
Final score:
Shore-Gill 62, Robbins-Becker 53

July 2020 Bridge Bulletin

33
July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2020
