July 2021 - 42

IT'S
YOUR
CALL
Problems from District 8 Advocate
1. Room for error
Matchpoints. East-West vulnerable.
6 K A 10 9 8 6 3 10 7 5 4 2
West North
3 Dbl
Call
Pass
4
3
5
3NT
East
Pass
Votes
6
5
4
1
South
?
Award
100
90
80
60
50
Sanborn, a blood-thirsty pass. " At this
vulnerability, it seems right to go for
plus 200 or 500. It would be too difficult
to investigate a slam, and precisely
11 tricks in diamonds is like stopping
on a dime. "
Donn, a defiant pass: " They are vul, so
sue me. I hope they get only their club
tricks, however many that may be, and
nothing else. "
Cohen, an ambivalent pass. " It isn't
that I am in love with pass, but the
alternatives are all guesses that could
lead to a silly contract. "
Pass by Grossack, " mostly because
I have no idea how many diamonds
to bid nor any clue what to do when
partner bids a major over my diamond
bids. I expect us to have a fighting shot
at plus 200 with no game our way; or
perhaps we'll score plus 500 if we do
have a game or slam. Of course we
could be cold for a huge number of
diamonds if partner has a club void and
diamond length. But at matchpoints,
it feels right to pass and go for a plus
rather than guess partner's minor-suit
shape. "
42 | Bridge Bulletin | July 2021
Prouser says, " They're vulnerable,
we're not. Passing seems to be the best
option given both the vulnerability and
the hard-to-judge prospects of playing
the hand. "
Molson taps the table. " So what if I
can make six or seven diamonds? Lead,
partner. "
" 4? " Korbel asks. " I dunno. I could
bid 5. Could partner ever hold:
A 8 x x x A Q J x x Q x x?
I'm not smart enough to pass. That's
a good way to minus 670 versus our
grand slam when partner holds:
A x x x A Q x x K Q x x x -. "
Boehm says his 4 was perhaps
an underbid, " but it allows partner to
show a long major in a 6-4 hand if that
was his plan. "
Robinson's 4 anticipates the same
continuation by partner. " I have a good
hand if partner has diamond support.
4 allows partner to bid 4 if he is
4-5 or 4-6 in the majors. Then I can
rebid 5. "
Lawrence: " 4. I can't do more than
this. If we can make six or seven diamonds,
partner will get us there. "
4 by Meckstroth. " Anything could
be right, but I will make what I consider
a normal bid. "
" Where are the majors? " Rigal asks
as he bids 3. " Partner has a good
hand and a lot of cards in at least one of
the suits. The auction may not get any
easier, but at least we will have a lot of
space to get to the wrong contract. "
3 by Colchamiro, who also wonders,
" Where are the majors? There's
gonna be more bidding. My Rule of 9
suggests I pass the double, but not here.
4, the value bid, may well preempt
partner. "
Meyers, 3: " I think they might be
DIRECTOR: SUE MUNDAY
SCORES: KAREN WALKER
going down in 3, but partner could
be lighter in high-card points at this
vulnerability. So if partner has something
like:
K x x x  A x x x K Q x x x -,
I really don't want to be defending. "
Fang takes partner's double out to
3. " It is tempting to pass, but my club
spots are not good enough. "
3NT is Lee's stab at game. " I suppose
pass could be the big winner, but I'm
not doing it. "
2. Losing diamond count
Matchpoints. None vulnerable.
A 3 A Q 3 2 Q 6 3 A K 6 4
West North East
3 3 Pass
Call
4NT
4
5
3NT
4
Votes
5
5
3
2
1
South
1
?
Award
100
90
80
80
60
" Second verse same as the first, "
muses Rigal. " I want 4NT to be quantitative,
just as we saw last month.
Of course if I could see the panel's
answers to that problem [June, problem
No. 2], I would know if I was sending
out bad money after good ... "
Cohen explains that 4NT really
should be quantitative. " I can bid 4
to set spades as trump. At least that's
my argument in the postmortem and
IYC. "
4NT, quantitative, by Lawrence.
" Partner is allowed to look for something
besides notrump here. "
Lee bids 4NT. " Natural, " he emphasizes.
" Could be silly, but I think this is
probably the least of evils. "
July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2021
