August 2024 - 41

sA K x x hJ x x dx x x x cA K. "
4h by Molson. " I have already
shown a diamond control, and with
3s and possibly 3NT showing slam
interest, I play that 4c is a serious
slam try. "
2. Spinning straw into cookies
IMPs. None vulnerable.
sK 5 2 hQ 8 6 dQ 9 7 cQ J 6 3
West North East
1d
3d(1) Dbl
(1) Preemptive
Call
4c
Pass
3NT
4d
3h
Pass
Votes
4
3
3
3
2
South
Pass
?
Award
100
90
70
70
60
Meyers bids 4c. " I am not going to
hang partner for making a takeout
double, especially because we know
that partner is short in diamonds.
(The hand that is short in the opponents'
suit will double with any
reasonable hand.) I am tempted to
pass 3d doubled, and I might at
2
matchpoints. But give partner something
like:
sA J x x hK x x dx cK x x x x,
and I don't think I want to be
defending. "
4c by Robinson. " Partner asked
me to bid a four-card or longer suit,
so that's what I will do, even though
I don't like it. Bidding one of the
three-card majors deserves to find
partner with three-card support and
five clubs. I don't think 3NT will play
well with my lack of a good diamond
stopper, and I can't see passing the
double with no sure tricks. "
" Horrible problem, " Molson grumbles.
" I have no tricks, so I can't bring
myself to pass (I would lead a trump),
so I'm going to bid 4c. "
Boehm settles for 4c. " Even if I
survive the diamond lead in 3NT,
there are too many aces to dislodge.
I might pass at pairs and risk minus
470, but not at teams where I have
to prepare apologies for three or five
teammates. "
Colchamiro braves a pass. " No certainty
of a plus if I bid. Best chance
for that is on defense, where my dQ
might take a trick. Even if it doesn't,
PANEL ANSWERS FOR THIS MONTH'S PROBLEMS
1
3
August Boehm
Larry Cohen
Mel Colchamiro
Josh Donn
Zachary Grossack
Daniel Korbel
Roger Lee
Amber Lin
Jeff Meckstroth
Jill Meyers
Janice Molson
Barry Rigal
Steve Robinson
Kerri Sanborn
Steve Weinstein
4d
4d
4s
4d
4d
4d
4s
4s
4h
4d
4h
4s
4h
4h
4s
4c
3NT
Pass
3NT
3h
Pass
Pass
4d
4d
4c
4c
3NT
4c
4d
3h
3d
Dbl
3d
Dbl
3d
3d
Dbl
Dbl
3d
3d
3d
3d
3d
3d
3d
4
Pass
Pass
5c
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
4s
Pass
5c
5c
4s
Pass
Pass
Pass
we should be able to take five tricks
somewhere. If we can't, it won't be
the first time I've said, 'Lose 13.' "
" Impossible problem, " mutters
Korbel, who passes. " Anything could
be right depending on what partner
has this time around and how the opponents'
suits break and where their
honors are. I'll guess to pass this
time, but I'd be willing to change my
vote for a chocolate chip cookie. "
Sanborn tries 4d. " Hopefully I can
catch a five-card major or dA K on
lead, so the tap won't hurt. "
" 4d, asking partner for their better
major, " says Lin. " I'm too scared to
pass this out at IMPs in case partner
made a lighter/shapelier double. Let's
hope they have a five-card major. "
Meckstroth puts a rosier spin on
his 4d: " I want to take a shot at game
- let partner pick the suit. On a good
day, partner is 5-4 in the majors. "
3NT by Rigal. " Close my eyes and
hope ('the thing with feathers').
Passing seems too much of a position
and 4c/5c each have obvious flaws. "
Donn's 3NT: " Settling for a poor
score since a lot of people will pass
this. My experience in this area is
that the pass works very badly a lot of
the time. Partner may be stretching
with a diamond void. 3NT could be a
bad contract also, but the downside is
5
Total
4h 500
Pass
400
4h 450
3h 420
4h 460
Pass
450
4h 450
3h 370
4h 450
3h 450
4h 450
3h 400
4h 480
4h 450
4h 450
much lower. "
" I know that passing is right, but
I don't have the stomach for it, " says
Cohen, who bids 3NT. " I can live better
with minus 50 or minus 100 than
minus 470. "
Grossack, 3h. " I would pass at
matchpoints, but that's just too risky
at IMPs if partner has a void. Maybe
I should bid 4c, but I'm not in the
mood at the moment. "
Weinstein, 3h. " I've seen 4c be
bad so often. I just can't do it. "

August 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
41
August 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2024
