DSBA 4th Quarter 2002 Bidding Contest Results!
Edited by Jess Stuart

IMPs	A2	Auction:	West	North	East	South
Vul: N-S	-		-	-	-	1
Dlr: South	AK65432		4	4	5	?
You are: S	K932

The majority of the panel and the solvers think a slam is probably making on these cards. What is the bid that gives the best chance for a slam in the right suit (Spades, Diamonds or possibly even Clubs)? You need partner's help in the decision. In Bridge World Standard, PASS is forcing in this auction and it will solicit action from partner that will likely lead to the correct decision of whether to defend or bid on as well as the right suit if you bid on and probably the right level (six or seven).

Pete Filandro: Pass. (Forcing). I will raise 5 , pass 6 or 6 and, over the likely Double, pull to 6 . "Pass, then Pull" shows extra strength and a flexible hand. Partner can bid 6 with poor diamonds and decent Spades.

Bill Erwin: Pass. This is forcing. I will pull pard's Double to 5 showing a slam try. If partner bids 5 I will cooperate with 6 .

Bill Muir: Pass. Absolutely forcing at this vulnerability. I plan to pull partner's double to 6 ; bid 6 over 5 ; or raise 6 to 7.

Other panelists, knowing their partner couldn't expect seven diamonds in their hand took a shot at the best slam if partner has a modest fit.

Richard Popper: 6 . Difficult choice. I can't see passing and this should be easier to make opposite most 4 bids than 5 or 6 Spades. There is not enough room to look for 7, although that could be cold too.

Dave Smith: 6 . Even if we can't make it, they will probably save. Defending 5 will almost surely be a bad score.

Among those who are pessimistic about slam possibilities:

Rick Rowland: 5 . Bidding this unhappily since I am violating the principle of the 5-level belonging to the opponents. Double would be my second choice.

Six Spades seems to unilaterally set the trump suit and 6 hearts may be unilaterally setting the level too high.

Since Pass is forcing and leading to a slam if you pull the double, a bid of 5 NT isn't "pick a slam" in this auction, but the grand slam force.

IMPs	KJ9432	Auction:	West	North	East	South
Vul: Both	T932		-	1	2	?
Dlr: North	-
You are: S	Q32

Action	Score	Votes(Panel)	Votes(Solvers)
2	100	3	4
3	90	0	4
4	80	3	13
2	70	0	3
3	50	0	3
2 NT	10	0	1

The key issues on this hand are:
1) whether to move DIRECTLY toward the most likely suit contract, Hearts, or whether to introduce the Spade suit to help partner judge the possibility of slam, and
2) whether to invite or make a weak or strong preempt in Hearts if you chose not to introduce Spades.

Half the panel chose to introduce Spades. This seems very reasonable. A Heart slam is very likely opposite as little as Axx(x) AKxxxx xx(x) x

Randy Berseth (with Rick Rowland and Richard Popper similarly): 2 . Both sides may be making game on this hand and we may even have a slam. I need to show partner where my values are so he can make an informed decision. I don't have the high cards for a splinter and 4 doesn't describe the trick taking potential of this hand.

Tim Schafstall (With Lois Stuart similarly): 3 . A limit raise or better in Hearts.

Jeff Ruben (With Pete Filandro and Dave Smith similarly): 4 . Not good enough for 4 - that would imply more defense. Too much playing strength for 2 , 3 or even 3 - partner should almost always have a fair play for game. If you switched your Clubs and Spades this would always be a 4 bid, so why not bid it now?

Janusz Lysko: 2 . I see no need to be too aggressive here. Our hands may produce 8 to 13 tricks. If partner has Ax AKQxx(x) xx Axx seven hearts is the right contract. If she has xx AQJxx Kxx Kxx, 8 or 9 tricks in Hearts might be the limit. Maybe future bidding by the opponents (or partner) will clarify the situation.

A 3 preempt seems too timid on a hand that will probably make game and might make slam.

Matchpoints	AQ6	Auction:	West	North	East	South
Vul: Both	AQ75		-	-	-	1
Dlr: South	-		Pass	1	Pass	1
You are: S	K97643		Pass	2	Pass	?

Do you pass with a misfit and a little extra or bid on in hopes of getting to a better fit or perhaps a game if partner is a maximum? Most of the panelists passed, probably the right decision at matchpoints. With rubber bridge or IMP scoring, which rewards the vulnerable game so heavily, it might be more tempting to bid on.

Pete Filandro: Pass. This is the ONLY call that does not permit partner to bid again-Duh! 2 NT and 2 are invitational, not rescue. 3 is not invitational, but my clubs are not very good and my partner always seems to bid 3 anyway.

Randy Berseth (with Richard Popper and Robert Haas similarly): Pass. The main objective at this point in the auction is not necessarily to find the best fit, but to avoid the dreaded -200. The doubling will start at the 3-level and 2 rates to be reasonable, if not best.

Jeff Ruben (with Maggie Shellenberger and Forrest Pilgrim similarly): 3 . It is tempting to pass with a misfit, but partner does not know that I have a real club suit (real in length, anyway) and I am hoping to improve the contract. If he has only a stiff club and two or fewer hearts, he must have enough diamonds to bid them again safely.

Susan Corbett (with Tim Schafstall similarly): 2 . Fourth suit forcing, at least for one round. If partner bids 2 NT or 3 diamonds, I will pass.

Matchpoints	A9	Auction:	West	North	East	South
Vul: None	KT8653		-	-	-	Pass
Dlr: South	7		2	3	3	?
You are: S	JT98

Bidding Note: 2 is a standard weak 2-bid.

Jeff Ruben (with Pete Filandro and Rick Rowland similarly): 4 . Sure, I have a great hand for clubs, but 4 may be our best spot and I won't have another chance to bid it. If partner has heart support and a good hand, he can push on. If he is short in hearts, I still might scramble home 10 tricks to beat 5 making 5 and tie 5 making 6.

Randy Berseth: 4 . I have a great passed hand in support of clubs with first or second round control in the three outside suits. Partner may have hearts with me, but my holdings suggest he is more likely to have diamond length.

Tom Grabowski: 4 . Too high to show hearts with that many holes.

Janusz Lysko (with Tim Schafstall similarly): Double. Must put hearts in the picture. If partner bids 4 , I will bid 4 and that should show a 6+ decent heart suit and not too many points (8-10). Such sequence strongly suggests a decent club support. Perhaps partner will think a double is responsive and bidding 4 over his 4 shows a strong red two-suiter with the Ace of hearts.

Matchpoints	AT73	Auction:	West	North	East	South
Vul: Both	QJ64		2	Double	Pass	?
Dlr: West	JT732
You are: S	-

Bidding Note: 2 is a standard weak 2-bid.

This hand is a good example of how bidding has progressed over the years. It was a problem in the October, 1965 Bridge World's Master Solvers' Club. This was before the lebensohl response to partner's double of the opponent's weak two was developed. Without lebensohl, the 55 experts on the 1965 panel had a choice of bidding game (either directly or via a cue-bid), passing for penalties or signing off at three hearts. They couldn't invite with a direct three heart bid to show values. 44 of the 1965 panel chose to bid game. With lebensohl available in Bridge World Standard to allow an invitational 3 hearts, that bid was chosen by four out of six of our current panelists.

Richard Popper (with Rick Rowland, Pete Filandro, and Dave Smith similarly): 3 . Law of total tricks says to bid, not to pass. With lebensohl, this bid shows my values.

Another aspect of modern bidding vs. 1965-expert style is that today's partner is more likely to double the opponent's weak two spade bid with spade shortness and marginal values than the 1965 partner; hence a case for inviting today vs. bidding game.

Jeff Ruben: 4 . I like my chances of making 4 better than my chances of beating 2 doubled more than 500. Partner may have doubled with long clubs, but in that case he should have a very good hand with heart tolerance. Question: if partner bids 5 over 4 , is that a suit or a cue-bid in support of hearts? Another question, if you are going to bid game in hearts, should you bid 3 S on the way to show partner you have first round control and really want to play 4 H, as opposed to gambling with something like KJ sixth and nothing extra?

Randy Berseth: Pass. The Ace of spades is a big card when looking for ruffs. Partner has made me bid at the three-level vulnerable, so I would expect a good hand. He won't always have 4-card heart support, particularly if holding a big club hand.