Results for Set 4
(for instructions, click here).
Deal 1: West deals, both vulnerable
A J 7 3 2
A K 5
A 5 3
9 8
|
|
Q 10 8
10 9 3
4
K Q J 10 7 2
|
Deal 1 Scores:
4
: 10
5
: 7
6
: 6
6
: 4
5
: 4
3
: 3
4
: 2
3NT: 1
Slam is poor since it is at best on the spade finesse. In clubs, it is pretty much a 50-50 proposition. In spades it is worse, since 4-1 spades or clubs could provide a problem and there are severe entry concerns. Although I am a staunch advocate of opening "all" 15-17 balanced hands with 1NT, West's hand looks more like a 1
opening bid to me. East will raise to 2
and it seems fairly normal to reach 4
. East could bid a forcing 1NT to treat his hand as a 3-card limit raise, but still, West should not go slamming. If West opens 1NT, East-West will need good methods (maybe Puppet Stayman) to get back into spades. Surely, 3NT is a poor contract.
Deal 2: East deals, neither vulnerable
A 5 4 2
7
K Q
J 8 7 6 4 2
|
|
Q 8 6 3
A K 8 2
A 2
A K 5
|
Deal 2 Scores:
4
: 10
4NT: 9
5
:7
5
:5
6NT:4
6
:3
6
:2
The auction should start 2N-3
-3
. Now, West will bid 4
to show his club suit. This is a complicated auction in that some pairs have other ways for responder to show clubs (without going through Stayman first). The question is: Does Stayman followed by four-of-a-minor guarantee a 4-card major? Will East now try 4
? Would West then Pass? No doubt, this deal will cause trouble for many partnerships. Also no doubt, I'll get e-mails saying, "Larry--why don't you completely explain the correct auction?" Answer: This is just a short summary--I can do only so much. Besides--there usually isn't one "correct auction."
Deal 3: East deals, both vulnerable
7
K Q 10 8 6
5 2
9 8 6 5 2
|
|
A K 9 8 2
A J
A 4
K J 10 7
|
Deal 3 Scores:
4
: 10
5
: 9
6
: 5
3
: 4
4
: 3
1
: 2
3NT: 1
At IMPs, 5
is better (safer) than 4
, but the latter gets the top score at matchpoints. A possible auction: 1
-1NT-3
-3
-4
-P. I see no reason for opener to distort by opening 2NT or 2
.
Deal 4: West deals, neither vulnerable
--
A 5
K Q J 10 2
K J 10 4 3 2
|
|
A Q 8 7 6
7 4 2
A 9 3
A 7
|
Deal 4 Scores:
7
: 10
6
: 9
6
: 8
7
: 4
6NT: 3
7NT: 2
Games: 2
In clubs (or notrump) a 3-2 break with the queen right is needed for 13 tricks. In diamonds there are better (extra) chances. With 5-6, West will likely open in his shorter suit (
) to avoid reversing. (However, if West considers his hand good enough to reverse, he can start with 1
, planning to bid diamonds next). But, when West starts with 1
, East will eventually take a preference to diamonds. The start would be 1
-1
-2
-2
-- 4th suit forcing. West then bids 3
and East can bid 3
to show his support (no rush to do more in a game force). West can then bid 3
(what the heck) and if East thinks this is a control (as opposed to a probe for 3NT--which maybe it should be), he could drive to slam. Will any one reach 7
? I think just getting to 6
is quite a good result.
For a full book of Bidding Challenges by Larry Cohen (Advanced), click here.