September 2024 - 42

IT'S
YOUR
CALL
1. Delay of game
IMPs. Both vulnerable.
sK Q 9 5 4 h10 5 4 d2 cK J 8 4
West North East
1d
Pass 2s
Call
3c
3h
3s
4s
Pass
Pass
Pass
Votes
10
1
1
1
South
1s
?
Award
100
50
50
50
50
This seemed like a more interesting
problem when Ron Smith posted it
on Bridge Winners on June 15, 2022.
Basically it boils down to whether to
bid game, invite game or pass; and if
you invite game, how?
" In the system we are given, 3c
shows a natural game invitation or
better, " says Donn, studying our convention
card. " Why not show what
we have and bid to the level we are
worth? Game could be making easily
or have no play at all. "
" Given all the caveats, I'll make
a natural, help-suit game try, " says
Sanborn with 3c. " Worth it vulnerable
at IMPs. "
Korbel, too. " 2NT spiral ask and
otherwise natural are my preferred
game-try methods. Note that if you
bid something other than spiral, you
will always have at least five of your
major. Bidding 3c will allow partner
to love all honors in spades and clubs
and outside aces. If he is in between,
42 | Bridge Bulletin | September 2024
DIRECTOR: SUE MUNDAY
SCORES: KAREN WALKER
Thanks to Ron Smith, Glenview IL,
for No. 1; Karen Walker, Champaign
IL, for No. 2; and Charles Sydnor,
Fuquay-Varina NC, for No. 5.
he can make a return game try where
he has values, and we can accept a
3h try but reject a 3d try. Seems
perfect. "
Rigal agrees 3c is fine, whether
2NT is available or not. " Vulnerable
at IMPs, it seems like it is just worth
a try. Were 2NT available, then
3c should guarantee five spades,
though. "
Meyers bids 3c. " I have a fifth
trump and I would hate to miss a vulnerable
game at IMPs. I would pass
at matchpoints or if nonvulnerable. "
" 3c, just barely, " by Boehm. " Might
catch a perfecto:
sA x x x hA x x dA x x x cQ x. "
Cohen bids 3c. " Too much to pass
vulnerable at IMPs, but not enough
to insist on game. "
Weinstein agrees. " Occasionally it's
OK to make an honest, natural game
try. "
Colchamiro bids 3c. " Give partner
three bare aces, like:
sx x x x hA x x dA x x cA x x,
and we'd want to be in 4s vulnerable
at IMPs - and partner just might bid
it. Passing 2s
could work,
but it is too
chicken. "
Molson
bids 3c in
accordance
with Bridge
Bulletin
Standard
regulations.
Janice Molson
" Some experts
have
convinced
me the only
two game tries on this auction should
be 2NT spiral and three of the same
major, with other new suits being
slam tries. But probably the way you
guys score, I should bid 3c. "
Lin tries 3s - " going for the red
game. "
The cagey Meckstroth bids 3h. " Try
for game, maybe stop a heart lead. "
The even cagier Robinson jumps to
4s. " I hope this is a game try. Why
can't partner have:
sA x x x hx x dA x x x cQ x x
and 4s is probably cold? Or:
sA x x x hx x dA x x x c10 9 x,
where all you need is the cQ onside?
I know that if partner has all his
points in diamonds, such as:
sA J x x hx x x x dK Q J x cA -
which is a 3s bid - 4s will not
make. This hand would be good for a
short-suit game try, which we are not
playing. "
2. Pump fake
Matchpoints. East-West vulnerable.
sK J 10 5 hJ 9 7 4 3 d3 cK 6 3
West North East
1d
Call
Pass
1h
2d
Dbl
1s
Votes
6
5
1
1
South
?
Award
100
90
50
40
30
Cohen passes. " It's not that I'm
afraid of going for a number, but starting
with 1h - really the only alternative
to pass - could hurt us in finding
spades and also could get partner off
to a disastrous opening lead. "
Pass by Meyers. " I don't have
enough to double, my hearts are not
good enough to overcall without
compensating high-card points elsewhere,
and I don't want to invite a
heart lead. "
Lin passes. " My hearts are too
September 2024

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