Moderator: Steve Robinson

Congratulations to David Chechelashvili, Mark Chen, Ellen Cherniavsky, Rick Eissenstat, Paul Krueger, Ransome Price, Fred Steinberg and Kefu Xu who tied for first with a score of 490. They win a free entry to the Unit Game and will be invited to be on a future panel. Tied for ninth were Seymore Baden, Sam Gumbert, Leo Lasota, and Dave Smith with a score of 480. Tied for thirteenth were Art Hayes, Lorraine Jarboe, Ken Kaufman, Ed Lewis, Tom Musso, Lloyd Rawley, Noble Shore and Pete Whipple with a score of 470. Tied for twenty-first were Steve Carton, Mark Laken, Jim Murphy, Mette Smith and David Rodney with a score of 460. Tied for twenty- sixth were Ivan Brendler, Manuel Paulo and Mark Shaw with a score of 450. Tied for twenty-ninth were Kent Goulding, Larry Kahn, Jim Mates and George Zolvick with a score of 440. The average score of the 149 solvers was 377. The average score of the experts was 410.

The following scores were omitted from my last column. Jian Jian Wang had 450 and tied for first. Helene Fournier had a 420.

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 $23.95 which includes $3.95 for priority mail.

Four experts agree with me and give up on this hand.

Adams:"Pass---Any bid I make risks getting higher in spades. Pass risks playing 1 undoubled at 100 per trick. Since the rest of the room has a problem, will settle for smaller minus score. Hand is not notrump oriented, and 2 risks large minus (either partner bids again, or opponents sniff out misfit. If partner has a good hand, this might be the only way to go plus."

Sarangan:"Pass---I'll bid 2 if 1 gets doubled."

If 1 gets doubled, it might be right to offer partner a choice of other strains.

Hall:"Pass---In tempo; Get out of misfit auctions smoothly and hope opponents reenter."

Roman:"Pass---Clearly best if they balance and not necessarily bad if they don't. Second choice is one notrump. 2 with no hand and no suit is out."

One notrump might be a better spot but wouldn't partner rebid a six-card spade suit? This is probably the best reason to pass 1.

Parker:"One notrump---How about 2 transfer to 2? Transfer responses to overcalls really do work well. Not using them, my choices are to pass and then run to 2 if they double or go down slowly in spades, bid 2 and hope partner stays quite or bid one notrump and hope to find a better fit. I will try to get out with one notrump."

I'm not sure about transfers in this situation since you have to give up playing either one notrump or 2.

Woolsey:"One notrump---I'm not going to pass and play a possibly silly 5-0 spade fit. 2 is possible, but notrump scores more and I do have a pretty good heart stopper."

So you play a silly 6-0 fit at the two-level instead.

Lublin:"One notrump---Bid one notrump and run to diamonds if doubled."

Wang:"One notrump---I would like to improve the contract, though may get worse if partner rebids spades."

Hopkins:"One notrump---Well, this is about right on HCPs. If partner passes or names a new suit, my improvement gamble will have paid off."

Schwartz:"One notrump---Down a few vulnerable in 1 probably won't be a good score. LHO might not be able to balance with spade length."

One expert raises the level and the stakes.

King:"2---Can't bid a notrump with a void and don't want to leave partner in 1 going down at 100 a trick. Hope I am going from fire to frying pan."

Stay low on misfit hands.

There are clues to partner's distribution and strength. He should have at least three hearts since the opponent's have not found an eight-card heart fit. 3352 is partner's likely distribution. West opened and East bid twice freely and you have fourteen HCPs. With everyone bidding, partner is probably on the light side, probably exactly eight HCPs. This is a partscore battle. Knowing this, what should you bid?

Three experts agree with me and support partner's diamonds. Why only 2? Partner knows what you have. If partner has four spades, he'll rebid them and then we'll play in spades. Since partner has a minimum overcall the limit is about nine tricks. If diamonds split badly or the king of diamonds is offsides, we might take only eight tricks.

Adams:"2---Would not surprise me to get a whack at a lawful 3 bid (therefore double is out). Partner will retreat to 2 with four, and game is unlikely without."

Adams has a good point. If the opponents bid 3, doubling will get +200 assuming that partner has one defensive trick.

King:"2---Will show support for diamonds along with the spades partner knows I have."

Hall:"2---Partner probably had just a lead-directing overcall and may have only three spades. We've shown four spades. Now, showing a double fit may help partner make the right decision."

Five experts bid 3. There's are two reasons why I don't like 3. If you bid 3, you can't double 3 and get 200. Also, West gets to make a lead-directing pass. Maybe East will lead a heart which, from my viewpoint, looks like the best start for the defense. Also, it seems that some of the 3 bidders are on the verge of going minus.

Lublin:"3---Seems automatic to show best hand and not hang partner."

Wang:"3---Three notrump is possible if partner has AQJxx+ in diamonds and opponents can't run five hearts."

And the diamond king is onsides and they split 3-2.

Sarangan:"3---Game in notrump has remote chances of making but even in matchpoints 4 has to be a better bet. I will pass partner's 3. If by chance partner bids 3 I'll bid 4. If he bids 3 I will raise to 4 giving him a choice of bidding game or passing (spade or diamond game)."

Parker:"3---I don't want to blast into game if partner is 4513 and has three heart losers and a diamond loser. Give him Qxxx/Jxx/AKxxx/x, three is the limit. Someone is light given all this bidding. My guess is that it is partner. 3 should not ask for notrump with a club stopper since I have shown spades with my negative double."

Hopkins:"3---I intend to follow with a raise to game in spades. The likely club opening lead may allow us to make it even when partner has the wrong hand such as QJxx/Qxx/KQJxx/x."

One expert jumps in diamonds. Even the 3 bidder says it's an overbid.

Woolsey:"3---I have to make some move toward game, but I'm not strong enough to bid game myself opposite one of those famous eight-point overcalls. This bid invites, as well as putting us in a playable contract if we don't have a game."

Schwartz:"2---If partner can't bid past 2 we are probably high enough. The lack of a support double is troubling. If partner bids 2 with three, the 4-3 spade fit might play well."

The next expert places partner with a specific eight HCPs. Partner never has the exact cards you want him to have. Just make the jack of diamonds the jack of hearts and three notrump has no play.

Roman:"Three notrump---MY partner is going to table xxxx/xxx/AQJxx/x."

My partner is going to table Qxx/Qxx/KJ10xx/xx.

When you show a suit and partner is forced to bid it, don't be surprised if partner bids the suit with only three.

The genie on your left shoulder says look at your singleton spade and pass. The genie on your right shoulder says don't let the opponents play at the one-level. Which genie do you listen to? If partner has xxxx/AQJ9/x/Axxx or AJ109/AQ109/xx/xxx you should bid. On the first you can make 5, on the second you can make three notrump. Partner won't be happy getting 50 points a trick defending 1. However, if partner has xxx/QJ10x/xx/J10xx, you should pass. Since partner could have either a weak hand or a good hand, passing assumes that the opponents have made a mistake. If I bid and push the opponents to their makeable spade game, I will be even with the field. I might be ahead of the field if bidding pushes the opponents into a normal contract and we defend one trick better. I might be ahead of the field if I catch partner with long clubs and we take a good 5 save. If I pass and West has made a non-field overcall, I will be behind the field. Another factor is, how strong can partner be to pass 1. If partner could have an opening bid, then passing is wrong.

Ten experts end the auction. They all ask where are the spades? Good players don't lose the spade suit. If East-West are good players, partner has the spades, the hearts and his share of the points. He is waiting in the bushes to pounce.

Adams:"Pass---Is this a joke? No defense, not much more offense, and the opponents are not in their best suit. Maybe I can script a hand where it is right to bid, but surely odds must heavily favor a pass."

Sarangan:"Pass---Aceless hand. Partner could not get to breathe a negative double. Either East or West has made some error."

Parker:"Pass---Where are the spades? I have nothing and partner should not have a penalty pass of 1 and spades too. He should double if he has a good hand and spades. I would pass if they had bid spades and it went Pass - Pass to me."

I think everyone would reopen if the overcall had been 1.

Woolsey:"Pass---Happily! I have a minimum, and the opponents appear to have missed their spade spot. Why go looking for trouble?"

Hall:"Pass---Partner may have hearts but they have spades."

Lublin:"Pass---Something is wrong with deck. Opponent's must have nine spades." Wang:"Pass---Strange, where are the spades?"

Hopkins:"Pass---If partner has a penalty pass of 1, we will at least be plus. If not, I see no reason to get into this auction."

Schwartz:"Pass---They rate to be cold for 4. Even if partner has an opening bid with a trap with hearts, it would be difficult for us to get to 4."

Roman:"Pass---It sounds to me like my opening bid has picked off their spade game (slam?)...balancing would be crazy."

One expert agrees with me and balances.

King:"2---I don't want to double with a stiff spade and so little for defense and don't want to sell out, although maybe I should ask where are the spades?"

Don't always assume that the opponents have made an error.

Nine experts raise hearts directly.

Adams:"2---Too good for one-notrump forcing, and 1 invites disaster. Another clear-cut bid."

Parker:"2---Show your fit as soon as possible. Plus if we are playing Flannery, spades should show five. This is too good a hand to bid one notrump and correct to hearts."

Woolsey:"2---What's the catch? This is a routine raise. Bidding one notrump on this sort of hand is just silly in my opinion."

Woolsey believes that you should raise with support no matter how weak you are.

Hall:"2---When you have just one bid, always support partner."

Lublin:"2---Not going to encourage by bidding spade first and too strong for forcing notrump and then 2."

King:"2---What's the problem?"

Hopkins:"2---I am slightly too good for a forcing notrump or 1 followed by a 2 preference."

Schwartz:"2---Don't want to take a preference with a decent hand holding three trumps if I bid something else first."

Roman:"2---I can't wait to read what I'm missing about this "problem"..."

Bidding one notrump or 1 and then bidding 2 is usually done on a doubleton heart. Tends to slow down the auction.

Wang:"1---Rebid 2 would be ok for this so-so hand. I would bid one notrump if a bit worse, direct 2 if a bit better."

One expert agrees with my evaluation.

Sarangan:"One notrump---This hand is so terrible I'll risk lying by bidding one-forcing notrump followed by 2. If partner jumps shifts after one notrump, I bid 4. Yes I realize my bid shows only two hearts but I will take that risk."

If you are not playing one-notrump forcing, you have to bid 2. No choice. Playing one-notrump forcing, you have a choice and a direct 2 is constructive.

Three experts agree with me and keep the auction simple. Hall:"Four notrump---Splinter suggests we're dealing with a 30-point deck, everything is working and slam is likely."

Hopkins:"Four notrump---I have strong trumps and controls. The optimal hand for partner is something like AJxx/AKQxxx/x/Kx."

Roman:"Four notrump---Partner has weak spades, so the rest of his hand is probably enough."

Six experts pass. With no slam interest south would bid 4. Pass is encouraging. Opposite a singleton showing bid, redouble shows first round control.

Adams:"Pass---We are getting to slam if not off key cards. Pass leaves room for partner to redouble or bid Roman Key Card. I've a wonderful hand for responding to RKC. I do not like 4, as I have no Ace or King (surely last train does not apply when a pass is available). I dislike four notrump RKC even more, because of void showing issues."

If partner shows a void, he wants to get to seven unless a keycard is missing.

Woolsey:"Pass---I have nice cards, but that missing fifth trump could hurt a lot. Give partner something like AJxx/AKxxx/x/KQx, and slam is only so-so. If partner can make a move I will cooperate, but if partner quits now I will also."

Lublin:"Pass---Hear what partner wants to do. If he bids 4 I'll Blackwood into 6. If he redoubles I'll bid 5. Key is to pass first."

Wang:"Pass---Without double, I would bid 4 as last train. With double, this pass should show some interest."

King:"Pass---This should be stronger than bidding 4 and lets partner redouble with a void or cue bid 4 if he so chooses. When opponents give you extra bids like pass and redouble, they should have meanings." Schwartz:"Pass---Thank you opponents. I have enough to suggest slam without getting overboard now."

One expert is very conservative.

Sarangan:"4---Partner is 4513 or 4603 or 4504. Hearts are probably not breaking. I see four spades, three hearts, two diamond ruffs and maybe two clubs. I am still fishing for the 12th trick. If I had a doubleton heart I would explore with four notrump or 5."

Jumping to five-of-the-trump suit is almost as bad as cuebidding. What does a jump to 5 ask for? Good trumps? Extra values? Who knows?

Parker:"5---Asking for second round control of clubs. Partner needs the club king to have a good play for slam. This seems to be the easiest way to find out about clubs. If he has Axxx/AKQxx/x/Qxx, we have no play but if he has Kxx of clubs we should make."

Try to avoid auctions where partner has to use judgment. Keycard does that.