Results for Set 12

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Board 1, West Deals, Both vulnerable

A Q 8 3 9 7 6 5 3 K A J 5

K 6 4 A J 10 9 K Q 9 7 6 2

Scores for Board 1:

6: 10
4NT: 7
5NT: 5
4: 4
5: 3
5: 2

Six clubs is excellent since without a trump lead, East's diamonds can be ruffed in West's hand. With a trump lead there are still many excellent chances for 12 tricks. After 1-2, what should West rebid? Playing 2/1 GF, I recommend West rebids 2--I am a big believer in bidding out the shape. There are no "reverses" by opener in a 2/1 GF auction. East can repeat his 6-card suit, and West now has a dilemma. Should he blow past 3NT by raising to 4? Should he punt with 3? Will East ever move towards slam if worried about diamonds? This is a tough one.

Board 2, East deals, Both vulnerable, North bids 3

A K 8 7 6 3 A Q 6 2 -- Q 10 9

Q 5 2 K 7 8 7 3 A K J 6 5

Scores for Board 2:

7: 10
7: 8
6: 6
6: 4
5: 3
5: 1

The key to this deal is West's diamond void and the perfect fit.  After 1--Pass--1--(3), what should East do? Presumably he has to pass (even playing Support doubles through 3, East would need extra values for such an action). When 3 comes back around to West he can bid 3 (clearly forcing). I prefer this to 4, which doesn't say as much about his hand. After 3, East will bid 3. Now, West will likely control-bid 4 (bidding 4 to support clubs and show the shape might also make sense). East can now bid 4 to show something there.   Okay, so how do you reach 7? Maybe after East's 3, West bids 5 (Exclusion Keycard Blackwood). Even with that convention, West still needs to find out about the K and Q. Congratulations to any pair who can intelligently reach 7.

Board 3, South deals and passes, but later bids 3, Both vulnerable

J 10 4 A K Q J 5 4 Q Q 9 2

A 8 7 A 9 8 7 6 2 A 7 6 4

Scores for Board 3:

3X: 10
4: 8
5: 6
3NT: 5
4NT: 3
6: 1

What is South doing? I suppose he has KJ10853 and maybe didn't want to preempt the first time since he had spades on the side. No doubt, your auction started: Pass--1--Pass--2--3.  It is hard for West to resist bidding 3. If he passes instead (maybe a reasonable idea with such ugly clubs for offense), East might double. In a 2/1 auction, all doubles should be penalty. This is a rare exception to "all low-level doubles are NOT penalty." If East doubles 3, West will be delighted to sit. The penalty rates to be more than the value of the heart game. It is easy to see East-West getting too high. A heart slam is not a good proposition (especially with bad splits likely).

Board 4, West deals, neither side vulnerable

4 K J 10 8 7 6 A Q 8 6 5 3

A K Q 10 3 3 K Q 8 7 5 4 7

Scores for Board 4:

2:10
2: 8
3: 7
3: 6
2: 5
Other non-club partscores: 3
4: 2
3NT/5: 1

What a misfit! Can anyone stay low? If West opens 1 it is impossible to stay out of game. West might open an eccentric 2and if East passes, a great result is achieved. This problem is probably unfair, but it comes from the Becker Archives (as do most of these problems). I am not selectively weeding out the crazy ones--such as this.  I will be shocked if anyone scores 40 out of 40 on this set.

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