May/Jun 1999

South Holds    -76    -A65    -AK765    -765	The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ---     2     2     3     ?????
The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Panel's    Votes    Double     100     5     35      Pass     60     2     4      4     50     1     6      3 NT     50     1     19      3     50     0     10      4     40     0     7

Four experts agree with me and double.

Houghton: "Double---Responsive, I assume. Most flexible. Should deny three spades. I'll be happy if partner passes. I'll pass three notrump, correct 3/4 to 4. If partner bids 4, I'll pass and pray. At least I have three certain winners."

If partner bids 4, I would be ecstatic.

Woolsey: "Double---Maybe something good will happen, such as partner passing, bidding three notrump, or bidding 4. If not I can always get to 4 which might be a decent contract."

Adams: "Double---I doubt if three notrump will play well when partner has a stiff heart. I did not find this sequence defined in the Washington Standard book. If he pulls my penalty double thinking it is card showing, then I have the right hand."

Doubles of raised suits are responsive.

Two experts pass. With three defensive tricks we should go plus. But give partner as little as AKJxxx/x/Qxx/QJx, 4 is a good contract and we are collecting 100.

Parker: "Pass---Hopefully in tempo, and collect my 100. This is a very tough hand since double would be responsive in most systems. Three notrump could be hopeless since you have no fit and no source or tricks. Second choice is to raise partner on values, not fit."

Cappelletti: "Pass---Safest plus score (primes and misfit tend to defend); game unlikely (less than 1/3) unless partner can reopen."

One expert tries for the notrump game. This is flexible since partner can correct to 4 with an unbalanced hand.

King: "3NT---I think I can shut West out by holding up in hearts and have enough to make nine tricks. If partner is very distributional he can always correct to 4."

One expert bids 4. 4, by an unpassed hand, is forcing and should show either better diamonds or a better hand. Responsive double followed by 4 is a better way to show diamonds.

Hopkins: "4---Natural and forward-going. Partner can sign off in 4 with a minimum and a six-card suit. With diamond support, partner can raised directly or cuebid 4 or 5 with slam interest. Partner should not have a black two- suiter because Leaping Michaels would have been used."

Partner could be 6-4 so 4 should be natural.

When in doubt you want to make a flexible call or the cheapest call. In this situation, double is both.

South Holds    -3    -KQ54    -3    -AKQJ765	The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East    ---     ---     ---     2*     ?????     * Weak
The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Panel's    Votes    5     100     2     1      3     90     3     26      3     50     2     15      2     40     0     1      Double     30     1     35      4     20     1     2      4 NT     20     0     1

Three experts make the conservative call.

Lublin: "3---The auction isn't dying here."

Hopkins: "3---I probably can make it. If the auction continues, I should be well placed to describe my hand. If not, I hope partner has fewer than two aces so I don't miss a slam. I'm already resigned to missing game."

Ace of hearts, heart ruff, diamond to ace, heart ruff, spade to ace, heart ruff. Down one. Why did you bid so much?

Houghton: "3---Bid natural with strong hands. Very unlikely to be passed out, but if so, we may be in the right spot. Plan to bid hearts next. Doubling with a stiff spade is asking for trouble, as partner will not envision this hand when you correct his spade response to clubs."

One expert agrees with me and bids what he thinks he can make. Also, 5 stops both partner and LHO from bidding 4.

Woolsey: "5---Looks like the percentage call. If partner has two aces he might be inclined to bid the slam."

While 3 is not defined in Washington Standard, I would expect the hand type KJxxx/AJxxx/xx/x, to come up more often than the problem hand. Therefore 3 should be Michaels.

King: "3---I hope this asks him to bid three notrump with a diamond stopper."

Adams: "3---3 is wimpy, and double is sick."

The following expert violates the basic rule on takeout doubles. You can't make a takeout double without support for every unbid major.

Cappelletti: "Double---More good possibilities than bidding any number of clubs."

Right, partner jumps to 4. In your dreams! More likely is that partner jumps to 4 and then reads your club bids as cuebids.

Parker: "4---Strong bid. I have a great hand but need some help. A jump over a major shows the other major and the minor bid, this jump is usually not discussed so it should be strong."

Read page 257. You have a club in with your hearts.

Sometimes system takes away calls that perfectly describe a hand. When partner opens one notrump and you want to play 2, you have to play 3 instead. Here, you would like to jump to 4 to show a good hand with clubs or bid 3 asking partner to bid three notrump with a stopper. That's not part of this system so 5 is simple and to the point.

South Holds    -AQ2    -Q3    -AKQJ9854    -Void	The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     1     Pass     1     Pass     ?????
The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Panel's    Votes    3     100     1     3      2     80     5     46      3 NT     80     2     3      4 NT     40     0     6      3     40     0     7      5     40     0     2      1     40     0     4      6     40     0     6      4     20     1     0      5     20     0     3      4     20     0     1

Five experts bid 2. This will work well if partner does not have four spades but when partner has four spades and raises, you will have to guess how many diamonds to bid and also have to hope partner doesn't keep correcting back to spades. Bidding 2 will not lead to a constructive auction. 2 will get you to game or slam in diamonds.

Cappelletti: "2---Standard American game-forcing jump (maybe less than four); any other bid could trap partner into unfortunate corrections."

Houghton: "2---We could belong in game or slam in diamonds, hearts, or notrump (or even spades), so make a forcing call at a low level to leave room to explore. I might have opened this hand 2, not because 1 might be passed out, but because then a rebid of 3 would have been descriptive (and forcing) without distorting my hand."

Opening 2 wouldn't solve all your problems. After 2 - 2 - 3, how does partner describe his many possible hand types? Opening 1 would work out very well if partner had responded 1. Then 2 would be clearcut with no negative factors.

Woolsey: "2---This hand is pretty much unbiddable if not playing Cole. (Playing Cole, you can bid 2, forcing, and then bid 3 to show a game-forcing hand, solid diamond suit, short clubs and fewer than three hearts --SWR). I hate jump-shifting in a non-suit, but this time my diamonds are so strong that I can override any spade bids by partner if necessary and get to 5. If partner doesn't have spade support perhaps we will have something resembling a decent auction."

Lublin: "2---I bid 2 and correct all bids to 5."

Why not jump directly to 5?

Adams: "2---I usually have four spades for this, but the bid does not guarantee four spades. Anyone for adding exclusion to Washington Standard? My guess is I will end up bidding RKC, but I do not want to do it directly for fear of having to play hearts."

Jump shifting into a short suit which is higher than your real suit could lead to problems. That's why I prefer jump shifting into clubs. After 3, partner with club support will still think about other strains. Who wants to play in clubs? Over 3, I expect partner to bid something at the three-level. I will then bid three notrump. This auction could stop LHO from finding a possible killing club lead. If partner has a minimum response, three notrump is a good gamble. If partner has an opening bid, he will bid again and 6 will be a good gamble.

Two experts bid what they think they can make. Three notrump will make if the opponents lead a spade or partner has a stopper in the club/heart suit that is led. Three notrump describes an unbalanced hand with a long strong diamond suit which is what we have.

King: "3NT---I think any hand with nine tricks should be opened 2 and then I wouldn't have this problem. I have to force and bidding 2 can be impossible to recover from. I don't think one should jump shift into a void. Thus I think three notrump is the most descriptive bid."

Hopkins: "3NT---I must produce a dazzling auction to describe this hand to my partner. If partner has a good hand, partner will have a reasonable idea about the diamond suit and total HCPs. If partner has a bad hand, please let them lead a spade."

The following expert makes up a bid.

Parker: "4---Roman Key card with hearts as the trump suit. I should be well placed over any bid by partner. Four notrump is 0-3 keycards so I can sign off in 5 and bid a grand over a correction to show three. I can bid 5 over 5 showing one and bid 6 if partner shows two. This will be cold or on a finesse (I hope) if partner has the ace of my void."

If partner bids 5 showing one, 5 would ask for the Queen of hearts.

Since you don't want partner to get carried away, made up suits must be lower than your real suit.

South Holds    -10    -J3    -Q10986    -QJ1052	The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ---     ---     1     Pass     1NT     Pass     2     Pass     ?????
The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Panel's    Votes    Pass     100     5     57      3     80     3     3      2 NT     40     1     4      2     40     0     17

Five experts pass 2. Passing 2 stops partner from making a game try.

Parker: "Pass---I am willing to get out as fast as possible, even in a 4-2. We may get a ruff in dummy and the opponents may back in. Correcting may only get partner to do something dumb."

Cappelletti: "Pass---Is this a misprint - certainly not a problem?"

Houghton: "Pass---We may have a better fit in a minor but how to find out which one? Anyway, partner might have five hearts, so pass and hope to take a small minus."

Woolsey: "Pass---Probably bad, but everything else figures to be worse. Incidentally I think South should pass the opening bid. When the only thing you are rooting for is for partner to rebid a minor, maybe you shouldn't be responding."

King: "Pass---Maybe partner has five hearts."

Two experts agree with me and try 3. Playing in clubs, you will take partner's aces and kings as well as your clubs. Playing in hearts, your hand might be worth nothing more than one ruff. The bad news is that you're increasing the level.

Lublin: "3---Maybe partner will bid 3 with a 5-4- 3-1 hand."

Adams: "3---Pass or 3 could work out. On this auction I expect the opponents to set up diamonds, so I might survive."

One expert tries two notrump. In notrump, trumps won't split badly, you have stoppers in all the suits and the opponents have to lead and therefore could help you. You'll just be too high.

Hopkins: "2NT---Well, this will work if partner passes or makes a pattern bid of three-of-a-minor or 3/3 because that is where we will play. If we do end up in three notrump maybe I will go down less than those who guess wrong with two-of-either- major."

The only eight-card fit we could possibly have is in a minor. On very good days partner has three clubs, on good days he has two clubs. Maybe today is a good day.

South Holds    -AQ9    -Void    -654    -AJ108764	The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ---     ---     ---     4      ?????
The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Panel's    Votes    Double     100     1     10      5     90     7     31      Pass     50     1     40

Seven experts bid 5. The problem with 5 is that if you can make 5, you will usually be in six. 5 is an overbid. This hand is worth a 3 overcall of 2.

Parker: "5---I am short in the opponents suit and can't expect partner to back in with two or three cards in their suit. Sometimes if you bid a nice confident 5 no one doubles and partner has some values."

Short in the opponent's suit says bid. The problem is what to bid.

Cappelletti: "5---Seven-card suit (with good void) is certainly good enough to bid over preempt. Double with this type of hand could work - but is like rolling the dice against the odds."

Hopkins: "5---I bid my long suit. Pass, double, and 5 all could be right. On this vulnerability, I take the risk of bidding because the rewards are so great. We could be cold for a grand slam or go for 800 depending."

Houghton: "5---Either 4 or 5 (or both) is likely to make, so this is a two-way action. The ostensible benefits of a double are somewhat illusory: My hand is not too strong defensively; if partner bids 4, I won't know whether to correct to 5. Pass just puts too much pressure on partner to reopen when I am void in opener's suit."

Woolsey: "5---When void in the opponent's suit, bid one more than you think you should. This rule has proven right time after time."

Partner will then bid one more than you can make.

King: "5---It is probably right to pass as partner will bid on when five is the limit, but I am the one short in hearts."

Lublin: "5---I'm aggressive, I bid 5."

One expert passes. Better than 5, but you are void in the opponent's suit.

Adams: "Pass---How can partner balance with 4 when I have already bid 5? Why would I double when partner will never know about my clubs? Since partner needs a very good hand for 5 to be cold, I just go quietly and hope partner can do something even though he has the heart length."

If you are going to bid 5, why not double first. If you double, planning on bidding 5 over 4, partner can take you back to spades with five or more of them or correct to 5 with long diamonds.

When this hand was dealt, South bid five clubs. Partner had two red aces, three clubs to the queen, and a doubleton diamond. Down one in 5 doubled. If West hadn't doubled 5, partner might well have bid six. Guess how bad it would have been if partner had nothing. Of course, 4 was hurting, down at least two. When in doubt make the most flexible call.

Expert / Problem	1	2	3	4	5	Score
Steve Robinson	Dbl	5	3	3	Dbl	480
Jim Houghton	Dbl	3	2	Pass	5	470
Kit Woolsey	Dbl	5	2	Pass	5	470
Glenn Lublin	Dbl	3	2	3	5	450
Fred King	3NT	3	3NT	Pass	5	370
Steve Parker	Pass	4	4	Pass	5	370
John Adams	Dbl	3	2	3	Pass	360
Mike Cappelletti	Pass	Dbl	2	Pass	5	360
Robbie Hopkins	4	3	3NT	2NT	5	360

Don Berman, Web Master.