February 2025 - 44

DECEMBER TOP ONLINE
SCORES
(528 players)
Michael Dimich, Burnaby BC
Paul Gutterman, Eagan MN
J. Richard Klaas, Richmond VA
500
500
500
Arthur Loring, West Palm Beach FL 500
Pete Matthews Jr., Canton MA
Donald Stanger, Northfield MN
Peter Stein, Hillsborough NJ
Kenneth Tatz, Highland Park IL
Richard Bickley, Calgary AB
Shiang Chen, Fairfax VA
Steve Harvey, Decatur IN
500
500
500
500
480
480
480
Oliver Hoffmann, Auckland,
New Zealand
Stefan Iancu, Iasi, Romania
ProKnight Kao, Corvallis OR
Joe Lentz, Madison WI
Dan Wong, Pleasanton CA
Bruce Altshuler, Los Angeles CA
Wesley Branch, Fayetteville NC
Eric Cassel, Arlington VA
Keith Dowdall, Winnipeg MB
Harry Elliott, Houston TX
James Feinstein, South Bend IN
Matthew Gordon, Huntington NY
William Gregg, Livonia MI
Jeffrey Hack, San Jose CA
David Hampton, Hulbert OK
Masao Hara, Tokyo, Japan
Ronald Hope, Sydney NS
Mike Kazmierczak,
Saint Simons Island GA
Michael Kufs, Merrick NY
Alan Lawhon, Huntsville AL
Stephen McConnell, Evanston IL
Jim McGinnis, Jefferson City MO
Floyd McWilliams, Sunnyvale CA
Dan Morgenstern, Brunswick ME
Mark Nehs, Oconomowoc WI
David Pearlman, Tucson AZ
Leo Pigaty, West Hartford CT
Craig Pritzker, Woodbridge VA
Geoffrey Scott, Chapel Hill NC
Aimee Telsey, New York NY
Brad Theurer, Gaithersburg MD
44 | Bridge Bulletin | February 2025
480
480
480
480
480
470
470
470
470
470
470
Paul Goldfinger, Sherman Oaks CA 470
Louis Goldsmith, Indio CA
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
470
Call
3h
4c
4h
4d
2h
Votes
9
2
1
Award
100
60
60
30
20
Colchamiro, 3h. " What's wrong
with a straightforward bid once in a
while? "
" Is this a gift example for me to
add to the Responder's Rebid class I
teach? " Cohen asks. " I'd teach: Too
much for 2h but not enough to go to
the four level, therefore 3h. "
" 3h. It just feels right, no? " says
Grossack. " 4h is an overbid, but
a possible one. Splintering is just
hoggish. "
3h by Lin. " My diamonds are very
nice - A-J-10+ again! - but still may
be difficult to set up if they start tapping
my hand in clubs. At least I have
a guaranteed spade entry, too. "
" 3h seems kind of normal, " says
Molson. " My diamonds are not good
enough to bid 4d. "
Donn thinks partner should be
very aggressive over his 3h call holding
five hearts, " which is exactly what
I want with this hand. "
3h by Rigal: " I am not sure this
will be unanimous, but I suspect a
majority will go for the middle course
between the wild optimists driving to
game or splintering, and going low. "
Korbel bids 3h, " though I can
understand 4c or 4h as well, even
though they are slight overbids. "
Two panelists did choose the
descriptive club splinter.
Sanborn: " 4c. My diamonds aren't
chunky enough for 4d. "
4c splinter by Robinson. " With
East bidding clubs, there's a very
good chance that partner will have
something in the other suits, even if
he's weak:
sJ x x x hK Q x x dx x cx x x
has play for 4h. If partner is thinking
about slam, he can try with 4d (the
artificial last train) and I will reject. "
Meckstroth takes partner off the
guess. " 4h. Possibly an overbid, but I
have a nice hand. "
5. Overtime win
IMPs. North-South vulnerable.
s3 hA 10 3 dA 10 8 3 cA 10 5 4 3
West North East
South
1c
Call
Dbl
4s
5c
4NT
4c
3s ?
Votes
7
5
Award
100
90
50
40
20
" Double keeps 3NT and 3s doubled
in play, " says Boehm. " I will correct
4h to 5c and hope for the best. "
" Double, then 5c over partner's
ensuing 4h bid, " says Grossack. " The
more the opponents preempt, the
more pressure we're under. This is
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February 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2025
