ACBL Unit 147	American Contract Bridge League
	Washington Bridge League	Mid-Atlantic Bridge Conference
	Dick Wegman, President	Solvers Rules and Instructions
	Don Berman, Web Master	Previous Contest                        Next Contest

     Partner has made a takeout double and the experts have voted for two choices.  Pass the takeout double and play for penalties or bid game.  If you pass, lead a spade and hope you beat them.   If you can make game, hope to beat them more then the value of your game.  Playing for game is more difficult.  If partner has KQJxAxxxxKJxx, 3NT is the only game that makes.  If partner has xxxxAKJxxxKJx, you belong in 4 and if partner has xxxxAQJxKJxxx, 5 is the only game that makes.  If there were only one game in the picture, the choice would be easy but with three possible games, passing for penalties becomes clear.  If you beat them at least one trick, you beat all the pairs who get to the wrong game and go minus.

 Five experts agree with me and play for penalties.

 Roman:”Pass---My guess is that pass will work best unless we have a slam (300 vs. nothing, 500 vs. game).  I'm leading my stiff spade, of course.”

 Lublin:”Pass---And get plus score.  No guarantee we make game.”

 Adams:”Pass---Assuming they have nine diamonds and we have eight hearts, that is 17 total tricks, and it looks right to bid.   However, I have three Law modifiers; bad Hearts, KJx of Diamonds, and probable spade wastage.  Only if we are making 6 do I think we have a better spot.  Will take likely plus.”

 Elster:”Pass---All other bids have good chance of going minus, so I'll take my only chance for a 'sure' plus.” 

 Cappelletti:”Pass---And lead spade.”

 If you decide to pull partner’s takeout double, use the Wolff rule -- When 3NT is a possibility, bid 3NT.

 Woolsey:”3NT---I believe the fifth club argues for declaring rather than defending, although passing is tempting.  I don't like the idea of introducing the heart suit.  A 4-3 fit would play awfully, and a 4-4 fit could easily be wrong.”

 Wallen:"3NT---I have diamonds double stopped with a source of tricks.  Hearts will likely break badly.”

 Hopkins:”3NT.  I hope to use the Club suit as my main source of tricks along with my Diamond stoppers and a few major suit tricks from partner’s hand.  4 could suffer if there is a 4-1 split.”

 Parker:”3NT---I have a good five-card suit, two stoppers in the opponent’s suit and a very weak four-card major.  It all sounds like notrump is the best bet for plus.”

 King:”3NT---Partner is in balancing seat, so this could be a big overbid, but with a double stop in diamonds it seems right to be aggressive.”

 Schwartz:”3NT---With diamonds and hopefully spades onsides, I hope to make it even if we are light on HCP.  Too short in diamonds for penalty pass with danger of them have a double fit.  No way to safely investigating Hearts without getting too high.”

 When there is a choice between taking a small plus score and maybe getting to the wrong game, take the small plus.    

3, asking partner to bid 3NT with a spade stopper, is a perfect answer to this problem.  But you’re playing 3 as Michaels.  A Michaels hand occurs more often than the solid suit hand.  Wouldn’t you like to play in 3NT if partner holds QJ10xxxKQJxQx opposite a typical Michaels hand such as xKQ1032xxAKJxx?  You can’t play 3NT if you have to bid 4.  A jump to 4 showing a better hand than 3 would also be a good answer.  But, you’re playing 4 as ‘Leaping Michaels’.  A jump to four-of-a-minor over a weak-two shows that minor and the unbid major but with extreme distribution.  4 shows -KQJxxxxAKxxxx where 3NT is not a likely contract. 

 Seven experts say that if you can’t ask partner to bid 3NT with a spade stopper, assume partner has some spade help and bid 3NT.  So what if partner is short in spades and they run the first six spade tricks.  3NT would make more sense if you were in balancing seat.  In balancing seat, you would know that West does not have four-card spade support.  You could also escape even if you are off the first six spade tricks if East doesn’t lead one.  East might be afraid to lead from KJxxxxx.  I would be much happier bidding 3NT if East were non vulnerable.  There’s too much chance that the weak-two opener has the AK of spades and that West will lead a spade.  West knows that his partner has made a vulnerable weak-two.  

 Elster:”3NT---Partner always has Jxx on this hand.  Or LHO believes me and leads from his KQJxx of hearts.”

 On good days, partner has Jxx of spades.  On bad days he has three little.

 Lublin:”3NT---I make it if board has Jxx of spades.  If board has 10xx, they have to work it out and it’s a matchpoint bid.”

 Adams:”3NT---Too many good things can happen here.  Might be cold.  They might bid 4, they might not lead spades, they might duck to preserve communication when dummy has just a doubleton spade, noting the value of my spade deuce in concealing opening leader's three-card spade holding.  Best of all, this might be a good save against spades.”

 Cappelletti:”3NT---The only question is will I sit for double.”   

 Hopkins:”---3NT.  Bid what I think I can make.  I only lose when our combined hands don't produce a Spade stopper and they let me play in 3NT.  I have been rescued before when LHO has four Spades and bids 4.”

 Suppose LHO bids 4.  Are you going to be in a better position?

 Woolsey:”3NT---If I'm not allowed to ask for a stopper, I'll simply bid one.”

 Roman:”3NT---Maybe they can't run the spade suit...maybe they won't lead one.”

 Two experts violate the “Don’t double with shortness in the unbid major rule”.  If you double, you might as well jump to directly to 5.

 Wallen:"Double---I have sympathy for a direct 3NT call.  Partner may have a partial stopper, or 3NT may be a good save when partner is broke.  I'll double hoping to extract more information.”

 King:”Double---If partner bids the expected 2NT, I can bid 3NT and make it harder for east to lead a spade, I hope.”

 If partner has a weak heart hand, he probably won’t pass  when you double and then bid 3NT.

 If you don’t want to gamble on 3NT and you can’t violate the takeout double rule, then some number of clubs is your only other option.   

 One expert jumps to 5.

 Parker:”5---3NT seems right if you feel the vibes from East that he may not have his bid. On the other hand it would be silly to lose the first six tricks when you can just claim 5 if partner has any diamond or heart cards and an entry.  Sometimes you just go plus and move on.”

 One expert agrees with me and bids the minimum number of clubs.  If someone bids over 3, you should be OK.  If 3 ends the auction, it could be right.

 Schwartz:”3---Due to the poor methods, I am fixed. I can’t bid 5 off two likely spade losers.  With them vulnerable, I can’t  play for their spades not to run. Maybe someone will find another bid.”

 There’s a big difference between direct and passout seat.  In passout seat, you can assume that your partner has a stopper and balance with 3NT. 

 Play cuebids as Michaels.  It comes up more often.      

You are in balancing position since the opponents are going to stop in 3.  This is different from 1 - 2 where opener is unlimited.  Do you act over 3?  When in doubt, compete when short in the opponent’s suit and pass when long.  Short is two or fewer.  With Qx, you could treat as long.  You are definitely short so it’s right to act.  Partner won’t count on you for much since you’re a passed hand.  Six experts take action.  Three of them agreeing with me hoping partner has good diamonds.  If partner doesn’t have diamonds, he could have KQxxQJxxxxxQx and with good breaks you can make four spades or xAxxxxxxAQxxx and with good breaks you can make 5.   

 Lublin:”Double---Because partner can’t hang me and might have hearts but not spades.”

 Wallen:"Double---Having already passed, partner will know I'm doubling on distribution.  Partner is marked with v