April 2021 - 45

- lefty presumably has fewer than five
- and probably many diamonds, bidding 4 seems a bit much. It's easier to
pass and try to collect hundreds. "
" It's easy to be brave on paper, " says
Boehm, " but four potential heart losers, plus three in the black suits make
4 too rich, especially with defense
against their vulnerable contract. "
Sanborn chooses to pass. " I'm thinking that 5 is a ways off, and it's not
easy to get to 3NT now. So I'm just hoping for the plus score. "
Lee has his pencil poised over the
plus column. " Pass. At this vulnerability, I think I'll just play for undertricks. "
Pass by Rigal. " If we cannot make
game, this might be our best or only
plus. Or smallest minus? Partner with
short hearts didn't act. Who am I to say
he is an idiot? " [Well ...] " Don't answer
that! "
Meyers passes. " I don't think we have
a game in clubs and they just bid my
second-best suit. I want to defend. "
Donn: " Pass. I hate it, but they got me
again. Stay fixed. "
Weinstein says the vulnerability
makes pass an easy call. " Take 100 a
trick on defense. I would double again
if you reversed my majors. "
Cohen says his first instinct was to
bid again, but then reconsidered and
passes. " I likely won't find anything
better than collecting 100s right here.
If partner has a lot of clubs, I've done
the wrong thing. "
Meckstroth makes the same decision. " Pass. I'm worried we might make
5, but I will guess to defend. "
Molson mentally starts to reach for
the pass card, and grabs 4 instead. " I
have decided there are hands I could
make a slam on. I doubled planning on
bidding clubs over spades. I can't bury
a six-card suit. If the 3 bid is based
on a diamond fit, e.g., 6-4, I could look
foolish for not bidding. "

Korbel moves forward with 4.
" Would:
K x x 

x x x x 

x 

Q x x x x

be too much to ask for? I suspect pass
will be the winning answer, because I
can probably just score a plus defending. I am risking that that plus score is
insufficient compensation. "
The doubler is Robinson. " I plan
to bid 4 if partner bids 3, which
should show tolerance for spades. "
3. Keeping up appearances
Matchpoints. Both vulnerable.
K J 6 5 3  A  J 10 9 4 3 2  J
West	 North	East	 South
			1
Pass	2	 Pass	?
	Call	
	Pass	
	3	
	3	
	4	

Votes	 Award
10	
100
3	
60
1	
60
1	
50

Robinson passes. " Sounds like partner has clubs and hearts. However, I
expect him to have only three spades.
How many tricks are you going to make
opposite:
x x x  K Q x x  x x  K Q x x?
I strongly suggest that everyone
play either a response of 3 or 3
as a mixed raise (four spades and 7-9
points). If partner has four spades, then
4 would be percentage. But opposite
three, it isn't. "
" The auction has gone well for me, "
says Donn, " so I don't want to press my
luck by getting higher. A hand like this
can fall apart quickly if partner doesn't
fit us well. "
Pass by Sanborn. " It's a harder
problem at IMPs, because it could be
a game hand. My trumps are so weak
that the hand could fall apart on play. I
don't want the opponents to balance, so
that is a reason to make a game try. But
which one? 3? How much help do we
need? "
»

PANEL'S ANSWERS
	

1	2	3	 4	5	Total

August Boehm	

3	 Pass	3	4	3	410

Larry Cohen	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	480

Mel Colchamiro	

3	 Pass	4	4	 Pass	370

Josh Donn	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	500

Zachary Grossack	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	500

Daniel Korbel	

3	4	 Pass	3	3	420

Mike Lawrence	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	440

Roger Lee	

3	 Pass	3	3	3	460

Jeff Meckstroth	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	500

Jill Meyers	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	480

Janice Molson	

3	4	3	4	4	360

Barry Rigal	

3	 Pass	3	3	3	440

Steve Robinson	

3	 Dbl	 Pass	3	4	420

Kerri Sanborn	

3	 Pass	Pass	 3	3	480

Steve Weinstein	

3	 Pass	Pass	 4	3	470

April 2021 | Bridge Bulletin | 45
April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2021
