All readers are encouraged to send answers and/or new problems to Steve Robinson, 2891 S. Abingdon St. #A2 Arlington, Va, 22206. In addition to the winner receiving a free play at the WBL Unit Game, Steve will play with anyone who gets a perfect score or who exactly matches all five of his answers. If you send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the above address along with your answers, Steve will send you a copy of the new problems to ensure that you can meet his next deadline. You can pick up a copy of the problems at the WBL Unit Game in Maryland, and can send answers or requests for problems to robinswr@erols.com. WBL Solvers Club uses Washington Standard as published July 1996.

Washington Standard, the book, is out. If you are a serious bridge player, this book is a must. You can purchase a copy from Steve for $20.00 at the Unit Game and at tournaments or can send him a check for $23.50 which includes $3.50 for priority mail. [[ More later ]]

South Holds    -AK    -107    -97    -AK97532

The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ---     Pass     1     Pass     2     2     2     Pass     3     Pass     3     Pass     3     Pass     4     Pass     ?????

The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Solver's    Votes    Pass     100     5     31      4     70     2     28      5     60     1     18      5     40     2     24      4NT     20     0     6      6     20     0     3      5     20     0     8      5     20     0     4      6     20     0     8

Woolsey: "Pass---Partner presumably has five spades and six hearts with a minimal hand on which he chose to open 1so he wouldn't have to reverse. Therefore, I choose hearts. There is no safety at the five-level. A typical hand for partner might be QJ10xx/AQxxxx/x/x, not to mention the possibility of him having two diamonds and a club void."

Adams: "Pass---No way is partner 6-5, but could be 5-6. If 5-5-3-0, would be good to control diamond with low card rather than ruffing with Ace or King."

Levey: "Pass---He sounds like one of two animals: a guy who has misbid his 5-7-1-0, or a guy who opened one spade by mistake, either way, pass ought to work."

Schwartz: "Pass---Sounds like partner is weak with 5-6 in the majors. If there is an agreement to open Flannery with 5-6, then I would bid 5."

Four experts miss the point with two of them missing by a wide margin. They think that this is a slam auction. The first prerequisite for starting a slam auction is having a trump suit. A preference does not set trumps.

Roman: "4---We don't have a diamond control."

Hopkins: "4---If all partner needed was Key Cards, he would have tried Blackwood. I have about what I've shown."

Kivel: "5---Cuebid in support of longer major, showing super major suit cards and no diamond control. Partner knows I have at most two cards in each of his suits and might bid this way with QJxxx/AKQxxx/x/x. If that's his hand, we'd be cold for 6 with normal breaks, but 6would be problematic. So I show my club control and leave it to partner to decide level and strain."

Parker: "5---I have the AK of trump. Partner must have a good heart suit. If he has control of diamonds I am willing to play a slam. He can evaluate his 6-6."

If your last bid was three notrump and partner removed to four-of-a-major, then he would have at least 11 cards in the majors. Using the same logic, partner bids his best major over three notrump. It would still be right to pass 4.

King: "5---I believe this should ask partner to bid six if he has second round control of diamonds."

Getting to the right game is the number one priority of constructive bidding. At the table, partner had a 5-5 hand with good hearts and bad spades and wanted to play the 5-2 heart fit rather than the 5-2 spade fit.

South Holds    -KQ3    -1074    -K853    -KJ5

The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East    ---     ---     1     1     ?????

The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Solver's    Votes    2     100     4     43      Dbl     90     3     39      2     70     1     2      2     50     2     26      3     20     0     8      Pass     20     0     7      1NT     20     0     5

Two experts agree with me and make a negative double.

Kivel: "Double---I considered 2 but didn't want to watch partner play a 3-3 club fit at the three-level. At least we're in a 4-3 fit in spades. If partner bids spades, I'll correct to clubs and hope this shows an almost-opener with three cards in each black suit. Any other bid by partner is easy to handle."

Hopkins: "Double---I really, really hope partner rebids notrump! At least I'm likely to be playing a good 3-3 spade fit! I can raise if partner bids clubs, diamonds, hearts (cue bid), or notrump."

Four experts cuebid showing a club raise with at least limit raise strength. Give partner AJxx/xxx/AQJ/Jxx and where will you end up? My guess is three or four clubs. Playing 3-3 fits is not my cup of tea.

Adams: "2--- A little bird is telling me that 2 will get a very bad score, especially when partner insists on diamonds at the six-level."

What happens when partner insists on clubs at the six-level?

Woolsey: "2---This hand should function about like a limit raise, even though I am a club short. If partner has a heart stopper he will bid two notrump, and then I'll have to raise to three notrump (or pass if two notrump is non forcing, but I think it is forcing). If partner doesn't have a heart stopper and doesn't have extras, 3 will be quite high enough."

The following expert sees the trap but falls into it.

Levey: "2---I hate it, but maybe it will induce him to bid two notrump, in which case I'm off the hook. Otherwise, we may end up playing a 3-3 club fit at the three or four-level. Such fun. I haven't done that in years. Then again, I hadn't picked off a stiff king offside in years, either, until last week. When it rains...."

Schwartz: "2---Plan on passing two notrump or 3. Seems the least distortion."

I hope the following experts are going to enjoy playing a diamond contract opposite AJxx/Jxx/Qxx/AQx.

Parker: "2---This allows partner to bid notrump from his side. No use making some silly call of notrump when he can bid it. We may bassoon up to the 4 level before we can stop safely, but I will take my chances to get to the best contact from the proper side."

King: "2---Anything I do is a slight lie and I would rather lie about a fifth diamond than about a fourth spade or a fourth club."

The following expert is likely to get a plus score even if it is a 3-3 fit.

Roman: "2---If partner passes we are unlikely to have a game, and this leaves me very well placed for the rest of the auction. May goad opponents into trouble."

Six solvers jumped to 3. 3 should be a splinter showing a game-forcing club hand with a singleton or void in hearts. I think the Western cuebid convention is the worst. Cuebids below three notrump ask partner to describe his hand. That means bidding notrump with a stopper in the opponent's suit.

4333 opposite 4333 doesn't play well when there is a long suit out. Stay low.

South Holds    -AQ83    -8    -AKQ    -KQ964

The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ---     ---     ---     1     ?????

The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Solver's    Votes    2     100     5     30      3NT     90     3     18      Pass     50     0     6      Dbl     30     2     73      2     20     0     2      2NT     10     0     1

Two experts agree with me and jump to three notrump. A good partner will put down a heart stopper and the J10 of clubs in dummy.

Adams: "3NT---Not really a classic hand, but I refuse to double with short hearts, and 2 is just wimpy. My bet is that one of the opponents will think I have solid diamonds and the other with think I have solid clubs. Someone will save, and 4 doubled should be tasty. If partner is the one with hearts, three notrump might just have a play."

Kivel: "3NT---Another hand with no good answer, so I'll try to guess the right contract. I don't need much from partner for three notrump to be cold. Double followed by two or three notrump should show heart tolerance, and double followed by 3 should show better clubs."

The other popular choice 2 is wimpy in my opinion. Are the following experts going to be happy if it goes 2 all pass? I don't think so. If RHO reopens with a double, then what? You don't want to encourage partner since he might bid hearts or support with a doubleton club.

Woolsey: "2---Making a takeout double with a singleton in the other major is guaranteed to work out badly, regardless of how strong you are. Pass is too difficult to recover from. The choices are 2 and three notrump. Both have downsides. 2 might get passed out, but then again if that happens it might be the right contract. If we bid three notrump we could go down on a heart lead, cold for five or 6."

Levey: "2---Enough for now. If partner raises this, I will get very excited. If he passes, I am pretty much where I want to be."

Roman: "2---Because it's the only bid that gets me to game when partner has a yarborough (and he preempts in clubs). Second choice is double."

Schwartz: "2---Too good and misdirected for one notrump, not good enough for three notrump. Maybe by not showing strength, they will balance and you will get another chance."

Hopkins: "2---If partner can raise, we probably can make a game. It might work out better to pass."

Two experts double. If partner has long hearts, momentum will get you to game.

Parker: "Double---I see nothing bad that can happen if things stay at a low level. I can bid notrump over hearts to show a real good hand. Over 2by them I will reevaluate."

I see partner bidding hearts, hearts and more hearts. Isn't that bad?

King: "Double---I know it is bad to double without heart support, but this hand is too big to bid only 2 in my view. I can correct any heart bid below game to notrump and show a hand too big for one notrump."

If you know a bid is bad, why do it?

Avoid making takeout doubles with shortness in unbid majors. It is written in the Bill of Rights that partner has the right to expect support for all unbid majors opposite a takeout double.

South Holds    -AKJ43    -A43    -A2    -Q65

The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ?????     * Partner passed out of turn.      He must pass once.

The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Solver's    Votes    3NT     100     5     62      Pass     90     2     2      1     70     2     28      1NT     50     0     12      4     30     0     24      2     20     0     1      2NT     20     0     1

Lets look at this from a matchpoint point of view playing on a twelve top. If we open three notrump and the field is in three notrump we get an average (six). Suppose we open three notrump and the field is somewhere else, either 4or any partscore. Now we get one maybe two matchpoints. If you pass, you don't have to guess where the field is, you just have to hope that they are up too high. You get one matchpoint every time someone sitting in your direction gets a minus score.

One expert agrees with me and hopes that this is a trouble hand. This is the mildest penalty, partner has to pass just once. Maybe an opponent will open the bidding giving us another chance.

Woolsey: "Pass---This is a well-known situation. Any game or part-score bid would be a blind guess, resulting in an average if we guess right and a bottom if we guess wrong. Better is to pass and hope that game doesn't make our way and that other pairs with our cards get minus scores. Also the opponents may feel they have to open and rescue us."

Any other call is a blind guess.

Parker: "3NT---I will assume he has his allotted eight or so points and take a crack at game. He put me in this mess, so I will bid what looks like it can make, if he has his pass."

Adams: "3NT---Take my shot. Wondering if there are unauthorized information issues to contend with as well; since partner failed to preempt I have minor distributional inferences."

Important point. You are allowed to base your call on the fact that partner has to pass at the next opportunity. When your partner has to pass at his next opportunity, don't open 2 strong and artificial with a game-forcing hand. However, you are not allowed to base your call on the fact that partner passed. You can't psyche for instance.

Roman: "3NT---Can't you just hear Al Roth now? How DARE you give us such a problem?"

Kivel: "3NT---What else? You give an impossible problem, you get the only possible answer. Besides, partner gets the blame if you're wrong."

King: "3NT---I bid what I would expect to make opposite a balanced seven or eight points. At least it is matchpoints so I can't lose more than a board."

Hopkins: "3NT---Go with the field."

But who knows where the field is going? Three notrump, four- of-either-major, five-of-either-minor or partscore.

Levey: "1---Why try to be a super-genius? There are two opponents. Either or both of them might be about to get into the auction. I'll know what to do if they bid diamonds (double for takeout). If they bid hearts, clubs or notrump, I can double for penalty if I'm feeling sprightly. If 1is passed out, it may be an average plus result. And if partner gets a second chance to bid, I'd very much like him to know that I have a biddable five-card spade suit. We can take it from there."

Schwartz: "1---Don't think the "book" bid of three notrump is right. Eighteen divided by three is 7 1/3, so the expected value of the partnership holding is fewer than 26 HCPs, and that doesn't take in account that partner has fewer then 12. In addition I would have to guess the right game. By bidding 1, the opponents don't know of my values and might balance. Then I have hopes of showing my hand to an alive partner."

At IMPs, open three notrump since making any game is an average result. At matchpoints passing not only gets you a matchpoint for every minus score, it allows you plenty of time to stare at partner.

South Holds    -1095    -KJ    -A108762    -95

The Bidding Thus Far    South    West    North    East     ---     ---     1      Dbl      ?????*     * (If you bid 2 you'll get 0 points) 2 is 4-6 HCPs with 3-card heart support 2 is 7-9 HCPs with 3-card heart support 2 is 7-9 HCPs with 4-card heart support 3 is natural and non-forcing.

The Panel's Votes    Action    Score    Expert's    Votes    Solver's    Votes    2     100     5     27      Pass     70     1     26      3     60     2     43      1NT     60     1     16      ReDbl     40     0     8      2     20     0     8      3     10     0     1      1     10     0     1

Four experts agree with me and make the flawed 2 call. The biggest problem with 2 is that partner, who consistently follows the Law of Total Tricks is going to bid higher than the Law allows. If partner feels that the opponents are in an eight-card spade fit, he is obligated to bid his eight-card heart fit at the three-level. He could be disappointed finding only two hearts in dummy.

Parker: "2---Seven to nine points and a heart fit. The KJ of trump should equal three little, plus I have an Ace. If they compete to 2I can bid 3."

3 should be an offer to play. One doesn't make a limited bid and then make a game try.

Woolsey: "2---A heart short, but otherwise an accurate description. Major suits are where matchpoints are scored, and a 5-2 heart fit could play fine."

Kivel: "2---3 doesn't do justice to this hand, so I'm lying about my heart length and telling the truth about my strength. Maybe partner will forgive me and play with me again if we miss a 6-3 diamond fit and play a 5-2 heart fit."

Schwartz: "2---KJ doubleton is about equivalent to three- card support. Matchpoints makes the bid even more appealing. Would make the bid even if a natural 2 was available."

One expert passes. Very reasonable and will definitely get another chance to guess which red suit to bid at the next opportunity.

Adams: "Pass---Redouble is tempting, but then I can never get to 2 (but maybe can play 2). 3 looks silly, given my poor diamonds and secondary hearts. Not my style to lie about trump length."

Two experts bid their long suit. Can't complain about bidding what you have. However, I don't think they'll get a chance to show heart support.

Levey: "3---It's where I live. It also gives me the chance to raise hearts next time without having lied and promised three of them. He'll work out that I have a strong doubleton."

King: "3---This looks too obvious, so I will see why it is wrong."

Two experts show their points.

Roman: "1NT---Don't like pass, and red at matchpoints I don't want to lead my law-abiding partner astray. Good hand for transfers. 2 (showing diamonds), now if partner bids 2 (saying he would have passed a non-forcing 2 bid), 2 shows 8-10 with a doubleton heart."

Hopkins: "1NT---If partner has six hearts, I want to play there. If not, I might be able to introduce my diamond suit. If I'm left in one notrump, there should be a play. In the old days (last week), I used to treat two honors doubleton as three cards and act accordingly."

Its best not to lie about trump length but when the alternatives are worse, a little lie is allowable.

Expert / Problem	1	2	3	4	5	Score
Kit Woolsey	Pass	2	2	Pass	2	490
Alan Schwartz	Pass	2	2	1	2	470
Steve Robinson	Pass	Dbl	3NT	Pass	2	470
John Adams	Pass	2	3NT	3NT	Pass	460
Mickie Kivel	5	Dbl	3NT	3NT	2	440
Bob Levey	Pass	2	2	3NT	1NT	430
Robbie Hopkins	4	Dbl	2	3NT	1NT	420
Jeff Roman	4	2	2	3NT	1NT	400
Steve Parker	5	2	Dbl	3NT	2	320
Fred King	5	2	Dbl	3NT	3	280

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