October 2022 - 43

get there intelligently. "
" I can't do less than insist on slam, "
says Cohen with 5NT, " but there is no
intelligent way to reach seven. 4NT
would not be ace-asking. Sure, players
might bid 5k, but what will that
accomplish vis-à-vis the two missing
aces? Because it is IMPs, I am content
to play in clubs opposite, say:
10 x x kA J lK Q J x 'K 10 x x. "
5NT is Donn's call. " Partner may
presume this is minors at first, but I
feel I have to do something to give a
choice of suits. "
Weinstein starts out with 4NT.
" I imagine that partner will bid 5l,
which I can pull to 6'. In my dreams,
partner raises when it's right. "
Lawrence pouts and tries 4NT. " I
wish to ask for aces and I can't do it. I
assume 4NT is for the minors. Double
would be some kind of responsive
double and it would allow for partner
to pass. Not what I want. 5k is possible,
but what does that do? I could bid
4NT, showing the minors and correct
5l to something. If I corrected to
7', I would require the two aces and
'K - not that farfetched. I might
make a grand facing two aces and no
'K. Feels better than 50%, assuming
the other room gets to a small slam.
Partner, I further assume, would correct
to 7 with a strong preference.
There is always the small chance that
a defender decides to lead something
that is not a heart. "
" I'm not trying to be a hero, "
Colchamiro claims as he careens to
6' on his own. " Just bidding what I
think I can make without getting into
one of those convoluted, never-having-discussed-it,
'it-was-obvious'
auctions that I just hate, hate. "
Sanborn jumps to 6', " to be followed
by 6 if it gets back to me. It's
too hard to find out whether we have
seven. "
Robinson's blind leap of faith takes
him to 6. " I have to guess, so I'll
guess 6. 4NT asks partner to bid a
minor, so I can't bid that. "
Meckstroth lands on 6. " If there
is a way to ask for aces, I would like to
learn how. "
3. Notrump stoppers - the inside
scoop
Matchpoints. North-South vulnerable.
J
10 kA Q 7 3 2 lK 10 9 'Q 7 4
West North East
2 Dbl
Call
2NT
3'
Pass
3l
3k
Pass
Votes
7
6
1
South
1k
?
Award
100
90
50
50
50
Trusting partner to hold the right
cards, Robinson escapes to 2NT. " I
don't want to bid 3' and find partner
with five diamonds and three clubs. A
good partner will have a spade honor.
East did not raise, so partner could
easily have three spades. "
Boehm, 2NT, " hoping for spade
help; nice upside compared to three of
a minor. "
2NT by Donn, projecting confidence.
" 2 wasn't raised, so maybe
partner has help. Let the opponents
figure out that I don't have a stopper.
It's not like bidding a minor is
any guarantee of a brilliant contract
anyway. "
Rigal bids 2NT. " 3NT facing Q-x
will roll home on a low spade lead.
I've read that book before. "
Colchamiro shrugs. " 2NT, hopefully
as good as anything - however
partner takes it. If partner passes
with no spade stop, maybe they won't
lead it from A Q x x x. "
Korbel, 2NT. " Hopin' and prayin'. "
Molson, 2NT. " I sense a theme. I
sort of have a stopper, kind of ... " [No
you don't, Janice, none of you do!]
" One may be tempted to try a
cheeky 2NT, " cautions Grossack, " but
at matchpoints, the risk of minus 200
looms too darkly. " His choice is 3'.
" I don't really have any reason to declare
with my spade holding. Happy
to pass if partner continues with a
preference to three of a red suit. "
3' by Meckstroth, the voice of reaPANEL'S
ANSWERS FOR SEPTEMBER PROBLEMS
1
2
August Boehm
Larry Cohen
Mel Colchamiro
Josh Donn
Zachary Grossack
Daniel Korbel
Mike Lawrence
Jeff Meckstroth
Jill Meyers
Janice Molson
Barry Rigal
Steve Robinson
Kerri Sanborn
Steve Weinstein
2NT
2NT
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
3NT
2NT
Dbl
2NT
Dbl
3NT
2NT
2NT
3
5k 2NT
5NT
6' 2NT
5NT
2NT
son: " I don't want to bid 2NT without 
4
3' Pass
4NT
Pass
5k 3' Pass
5NT
4NT
2NT
Pass
6 3' Pass
5k 3' Pass
Pass
Pass
2NT
5
5' 3NT
3NT
Total
470
470
4 420
4 480
4 480
5' 4l 440
5' 3NT
360
5NT
5k 2NT
6 2NT
4NT
4l 440
4l 460
4l 470
4 490
6' 3' Pass
3' Pass
5l 4 400
3NT
450
4 460
October 2022 | Bridge Bulletin |
43
October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2022
