MASTER SOLVERS ' CLUB
A FEATURE FROM THE BRIDGE WORLD
This hand is taken from The Bridge World , a journal for expert players , founded in 1929 . There has never been a set of unanimous responses to the Master Solvers ' Club bidding problem .
East and West are vulnerable . You are sitting South . Partner , North , opens 1♠ . East makes a preemptive jump overcall of 3♦ . It ’ s your turn . What call would you make with this hand ?
Vul : East-West Dlr : North
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ dealer
1♠
n w e 3♦ s A 7 4 A 4 2 Q 8 7 3 Q 6 2
?
When partner opens the bidding 1♠ , even without interference , it ’ s a close call between treating this as a gameforcing hand versus an invitational hand . It lacks shape and intermediate cards , despite the 12 high-card points .
After East ’ s 3♦ preemptive overcall , you ’ re now faced with two questions . Is there game for your side ? With values and four diamonds , should you bid or defend ?
The majority of the panel feel game is not a sure thing . In a spade contract , the ♦Q might be wasted value , so this is more like a 10-point hand , not 12 ! Maybe 3♠ is all it ’ s worth .
Alternatively , you ’ re holding three likely winners on defense – the ♠A , ♥A , and ♦Q – and partner should be able to contribute a few tricks . Maybe it ’ s a good time to penalize the opponents – who are vulnerable while your side is not – and collect a plus score . Pass and hope partner reopens with a double , which you ’ ll convert to penalty . Defeat the contract by two tricks , and you ’ ll be rewarded with plus 500 , more than you ’ ll get even if your side can make game . If partner doesn ’ t reopen with a double , you ’ ll get plus 200 , and that will still be a good score if game isn ’ t making your way .
A few panelists choose to double to show values . Your side still has bidding room to decide whether to stop at 3♠ or bid on to game .
The rest of the panel are optimists , preferring to bid the nine-trick game of 3NT based on the shape , the high-card points , and the diamond stopper . Also , East ’ s 3♦ overcall suggests a potential bad break in spades , in which case , nine tricks might be made versus ten in spades .
4 Audrey Grant ’ s Better Bridge | January-February 2021
Let ’ s hear from the experts , starting with those who choose to pass and hope to defeat 3♦ .
JILL MEYERS : Pass . With three tricks on defense and diamonds my longest suit , I ’ ll wait for partner to reopen with a double . No guarantee we can make a game .
DAVID BERKOWITZ : Pass . The vulnerability made me do it . I ’ m hoping partner passes , but should partner double , I will hope for a sufficient penalty . It ’ s not as if I can underwrite 4♠ holding moth-eaten suits and expecting bad splits .
Some panelists choose to downgrade the hand , bidding a conservative 3♠ .
BART BRAMLEY : 3♠ . No shape , no spots , ♦Q probably not pulling its weight , possible bad splits . Might try 3NT , but that ’ s likely to need nine running tricks before the opponents can take five .
JOEY SILVER : 3♠ . Influenced by the sterile shape , diamond wastage , the lack of a fourth spade , and the possibility of bad breaks .
ROBERT WOLFF : 3♠ . A bad spade break may be in the cards . At 3NT , there would be too great a chance East has the ♣A or ♣K as an entry to the diamonds once they are established .
On the other end of the spectrum , these following panelists have no worries and boldly respond 3NT .
ROGER LEE : 3NT . Could be a big winner , especially as East likely has ♦A-K and no side entry .
DANNY KLEINMAN : 3NT . 3♠ would preclude 3NT , but 3NT definitely does not end all auctions . I ’ ll be happy to reach 4♠ if partner pulls .
FLEISHER AND FRIESNER : 3NT . Seems right on shape and high cards . Could easily make ten tricks in both notrump and spades .
A few panelists think a negative double is the most flexible call . It shows values , and avoids a unilateral decision such as 3NT , giving partner the chance to make another descriptive bid .
KIT WOOLSEY : Double . Too strong for 3♠ and not much of a penalty pass . If partner bids 3♥ , I can bid 3♠ , and stay out of game opposite a minimum . Otherwise , we will reach 4♠ .
ERIC KOKISH : Double . Will convert 3♥ to 3♠ to suggest roughly this strength , and I will pass 3NT . It ’ s tempting to settle for a heavy 3♠ with all these losers and the likelihood of bad breaks but , if there ’ s a chance to invite game , I ’ ll choose that option rather than risk missing a normal high-card point game . I will guess to raise 3♠ to 4♠ .
BETTER BRIDGE CONCLUSION : Pass . If partner reopens with a double , it seems reasonable to pass and defend . The length in spades may be an advantage , forcing East to ruff and establishing a second diamond winner to go with the two aces plus whatever partner can contribute . If partner reopens with something other than a double , you can go for game in spades or notrump .
BRIDGE WORLD SUMMARY PASS = 9 3♠ = 8 3NT = 7
DOUBLE = 4
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