South	West	North	East
	1♣ (1)	dbl	rdbl(2)
Pass	pass(3)	1♥	dbl
?

 

 

 

A few panelists have had enough of this auction and go for blood

Royce Alexander: Pass. Partner has at most 12 HCP and could well be 4-5-4-0 shape. East's Double is for penalties (after the Redouble) but there's no better contract. On a good day, partner may get 2 diamond ruffs.

Alec Smalley: Pass. Did East’s 2nd round Dbl show Hearts? as it wasn't alerted I assume it was for take out - Pass and wait for West to act.

The rest of the panel were less optimistic about the defensive qualities of the hand and tried to find safer shelter. Here they are in ascending order:

David Barton: 1♠. To some extent you need to know partner's style as to when he would X or overcall with a 5 card ♥ suit. My experience is that when opponents X you at the one level they are usually right.

Michael Byrne: 1♠. the first priority is to keep the bidding low and look confident. No need to try 1NT yet

Rodney Lighton: 1♠. I don't foresee a happy outcome but 1♠looks better than 1♥.

Victor Ridding: 1♠. hoping this will be a slight improvement over 1♥.

Joy Blakey: 1NT.

Alan Jones: 1NT. Second choice, 1♠

Raymond Semp: 1NT. My first pass was penalties; 32, 32, 432, KQJ1098. 1NT was to play.

Irving Blakey: 2♣.

Jeffrey Smith: 2♣. To play. Partner is marked with 2 clubs (4432 at worst) so this should be safer.

 

Problem 1	#Panelists	Score	#No Competitors
1♠	4	10	0
1NT	3	8	1
Pass	2	4	7
2♣	2	7	3

 

 

Dealer: West
Game All
Teams 

 

Problem 3	#Panelists	Score	#No Competitors
4♥	5	10	6
4NT	3	9	0
4♣	2	2	1
4♦	1	2	0
Pass	0	6	3
4♠	0	5	1

 

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Problem 4

South	West	North	East
	1NT(1)	dbl	2♠ (2)
?

1) 12 - 14
(2) Natural & non forcing

♠ -
♥ AQ8542
♦ Q743
♣ Q84

 

Are we in a position to make the final decision? Most of the panelists think so, but some wants to discuss it further with partner.

Raymond Semp: Dbl. T/O! Then pass 3NT or play in 4♥ . Keeping 3NT in sight as a true Hog!

Royce Alexander: 3♥ . Forcing for now. Slam could be on (with minor suit finesses working) or not (with opener holding 2 of ♥K, ♦A, ♣A). But let's see what partner bids next. I assume you have to have a tool like Lebensohl (2NT forcing 3♣  which is passed or corrected) to end up in 3♥ with a weak hand, hence making a direct 3♥  forcing. An important position to discuss in any partnership.

Always room for the cue bidders:

Joy Blakey: 3♠.

Alan Jones: 3♠. Hope I can make it. Trying to outdo my jokes!

The “keep it simple” brigade wins the day:

David Barton: 4♥. I will just bid what I hope I can make

Irving Blakey: 4♥. Clear enough.

Michael Byrne: 4♥. Keep it simple, 3H is ambiguous. I assume 2♠ is a weak take out no matter what colourful name we give it. 

Rodney Lighton: 4♥. Bid what I hope I can make.

Victor Ridding: 4♥. Our system notes say that a double here would be penalties.

Alec Smalley: 4♥. I would quite like to invite slam in ♥'s in a mild way via 3♠ but I think it unlikely - if we make 12 tricks in 4♥ it is unlikely to be a sub 50% board whereas going off in 5/6♥ is a bottom.

Jeffrey Smith: 4♥. Seems normal bid.

 

Problem 4	#Panelists	Score	#No Competitors
4♥	7	10	9
3♠	2	8	0
Dbl	1	5	2
3♥	1	1	0

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Problem 5

South	West	North	East
	1NT	pass	2♦ (1)
pass	3♦ (2)	dbl	3♥
pass	pass	dbl	pass
?

(1) Hearts
(2) 4 Hearts - Game invitational

♠ AJ92
♥ J43
♦ K95
♣ A53

Two main camps, but as usual we have the odd one out

Jeffrey Smith: 3♠. No need to strive for game at pairs where partner may protect with say 4 spades 5+ diamonds and not many points. Being the odd one out is not the same as being the odd one - very valid considerations and something for us lesser players to learn to consider.

Two schools of thought regarding how to get to the best game:

David Barton: 4♥. Sounds to me as if partner may be 4♠ and 6♦ so I will give him the chance to bid 4♠ else play in 5♦

Michael Byrne: 4♥. Game forcing choice of cue bid. I'm afraid this auction is a complete mystery to me. What on earth does "game invitational" mean? I assume it relates to the diamond suit but why then did partner double it? Also, why on earth did I pass 3♥? (Double as take out stands out a mile) I shall now assume partner has a singleton heart and 5♦, and hope that he has 4♠ also, if not we'll play 5♦. 

Alan Jones: 4♥ . I assume the 1NT bid is 12-14, as it was on the hand before. What does North's 3♦ bid show, as compared with a 3♣ or a 3♥ bid. So many questions. So little information …

Can the majority convince us?

Royce Alexander: 4♠. Partner has Diamonds, a shortage in Hearts, and surely 4 Spades. In fact, partner is likely to be 4-0-5-4 with no way of intervening directly over 1NT.  RHO could have a zero count and LHO will hold all the missing points. With only ♥J wasted, 4♠ is sure to make. In fact, 6♠ could well make opposite 4-0-5-4 but not 4-1-4-4  But there’s no space to investigate. At pairs, I'll settle for 4♠.

Irving Blakey: 4♠. Fancy this possible Moysian better - (although partner looks more likely to have a 4/1/5/3 13-15 HCP)

Joy Blakey: 4♠.

Rodney Lighton: 4♠. Partner should be something like 4153 for this sequence.

Victor Ridding: 4♠. why didn't I bid over 3♥?

Raymond Semp: 4♠. I assume (1NT) was 12-14! North's first double for me showed  diamonds. The second was definitely T/O which left me no choice but to bid 4♠

Alec Smalley: 4♠. clear cut at teams - less so at pairs as -100 will score very badly, but it looks like a 30 point pack and all my stuff is working - I expect partner to be 4 - 1 - 5(6) - 3(2)

Problem 5	#Panelists	Score	#No Competitors
4♠	7	10	7
4♥	3	2	2
3♠	1	3	0
4♦	0	4	1
Pass	0	0	1

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Problem 6

South	West	North	East
	pass	1♠	3♦
pass	pass	3♠	pass
?