October 2022 - 45

chalk talk. " Imagine facing
Q J x x x x and a random high card.
Which game [3NT or 4] do you want
to play? Maybe partner has:
Q J x x x x kx x lQ x x 'x x. "
4 by Colchamiro, who gives
partner a slightly better hand. " With
controls and a full-blown jumpshift
in terms of high cards, it is tempting
to do more, say with 4l. But with no
guaranteed eight-card fit, I go slow.
And the stiff A screams spades, not
notrump. Partner's
K Q x x x x kx x lx x 'Q x x
does not produce a slam, even if
spades divide, and why should pard
have more than that? "
Grossack raises to 4. " Partner is
promising six spades here, and with
the singleton ace, we often need to
play it as trump. My second choice
would be 4l, an advance cuebid for
spades, as my hand is quite powerful
with spades as trump. Although 3NT
shows my shape correctly and I have
a diamond stopper, it rates to play
far worse in notrump than in spades;
sometimes we won't even have an
entry to partner's spades. "
Sounds like Weinstein's still straddling
the middle of the road. " 4.
This should play better than 3NT, but
I'm not quite worth a 4l slam try. "
4 by Robinson. " Even if partner
has diamond help, I don't see any
tricks in
notrump. "
Donn, 4.
" We seem to
lack a clear
source of
tricks for
3NT. "
" I'll
choose
3NT, " says
Josh Donn
Lawrence.
" This is a
standard
system irritation. I'd much prefer to
bid 2' on my first rebid. Having rebid
3', however, I cannot conceive of
a good bid now. 4 and 3NT are possible.
Partner has one or two hearts -
with one being likely. If he has either
a sane spade suit or kJ x, he may be
willing to bid 4k or 4 over my 3NT.
He might bid 4k with kx x. Perhaps
he has four clubs and has hidden
them for the moment. Who knows?
3NT might fetch 4' from him. The
postmortem will not be fast. "
Sanborn goes with 3NT. " I have to
show a stopper. 3 is unlimited and
my 3NT does not end the auction. I'm
liking my hand less now. "
Boehm, too, appreciates the cooperative
spirit of 3NT. " Doesn't preclude
4. It's hard to reach 3NT, however,
if I bid 4. "
Cohen, 3NT. " I really wish I had
the lJ, or even the l10, but 3NT gets
across the general nature of my hand
- short spades, not a 5-5 or long type
of heart/club hand. "
Meckstroth cooperates with an
unlimited partner. " 4l. I have a huge
hand, so I will control-bid on the
way to 4. Definitely want to play in
spades here. "
4l by Molson. " Too good for 4. "
Korbel bids 4l. " This hand is not
quite as good as it looks, as the kK Q
will often be facing a singleton. I think
all of 3NT, 4l (showing a big 4
bid) or 4 are reasonable. However,
because:
K Q x x x x kA x lx x 'x x x
makes an excellent slam, I feel obligated
to fudge my spade length and
give partner an encouraging bid. "
Meyers, 4l: " I feel obligated to
show some kind of interest. "
IT'S
YOUR
CALL
August Top Online
Scores. See page 78.
Please participate in It's Your Call! Go
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October 2022 | Bridge Bulletin |
45
OCTOBER PROBLEMS
It's Your Call uses the Bridge Bulletin
Standard system. Enter the MyACBL
member portal at acbl.org and click on
It's Your Call on the left-hand menu.
You'll find a link to the system notes at
the top of the page.
1. Matchpoints. Both vulnerable.
A 5 kK 4 2 lQ J 10 5 '10 8 4 2
West North East
South
2 4'(1)
4 ?
(1) Strong, forcing, at least 5-5 in clubs
and hearts (leaping Michaels)
2. Matchpoints. None vulnerable.
K kA K J 8 3 2 lA K Q 9 7 4 '-
West North East
3 Pass
South
?
3. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
A 10 2 k9 8 5 3 lQ 9 7 4 'K 3
West North East
South
Pass Dbl
3k Pass
?
Pass
4. Matchpoints. Both vulnerable.
K Q 9 8 6 5 3 k- lK J 10 7 3 '10
West North East
South
1
Pass 2l Pass
?
5. IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
8 5 2 kA K Q lA K 8 6 3 '9 6
West North East
1' 1k Pass
Pass 2l(1)
Pass
South
2'
?
(1) Natural-ish, nonminimum
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October 2022

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