Problem 14 resolved

I tanked and then bid 3NT. Partner's hand was:

KQx x AKJTxx Q97

Righty has Qxx of diamonds so 3NT is down on a heart lead, but I received the fortunate lead of the stiff jack of clubs and took 10 tricks for a top. 5D makes if you pin the stiff jack of clubs, which you may well do. Lefty had ATxx KJxxxxx x J.

3H is down 1 on normal defense (partner leads a top diamond and then switches to a trump), as we take 1D 1H 2S 1C.

Problem 20: Club game, 3/20/06

Matchpoints. All white, 1st seat, you hold AK32 J2 void KQ87xxx. You open 1C. The auction continues:

1C p 1H 1NT back to you. 1NT is strong, 15-18.

Your bid. Also, what would you have done if RHO had passed?

Problem 17: Club game, 3/5/06

Matchpoints. None vul, you hold KQT97 9x Kx AQ86 in first seat. You open 1S. With the opponents silent, the auction continues:

1S - 2H
2S - 3C

2S is your systemic bid with this hand. What do you bid here, and what do you plan to do over some possible continuations (for instance, if you bid 3NT and partner bids 4C or 4H; if you bid 4C and partner bids 4H; if you bid 4C and partner bids 4S; if you bid 3H and partner bids 3NT or 4C.)

Problem 16: Club game, 3/5/06

Matchpoints, favorable. You hold in 3rd seat:

9xxx
Axx
AQJxx
A

Partner opens 1NT, pass to you. What is your plan? (Should you decide to bid 2C and have partner bid 2S, you have at your disposal 3H showing shortness, 4C keycard, and 4D balanced quantitative slam try, all agreeing spades.)

Problem 9 resolved

I bid 4NT. Partner bid 5C which I passed making 6. I was worried about a diamond ruff or slow spade loser against 6, but partner's hand was something like Q xxx KQJ9x xxxx.

Problem 14: Club game, 3/2/06

You hold J9xx AT xxx AT8x, all white, 4th seat. The auction goes:

p 1D p 1S;
3H x p to you.

What do you bid? Lefty is known to not be insane; partner's double is cards / takeoutish / do something intelligent, almost always with 3 spades.

Problem 8 resolved

I passed 2D. Partner doubled, righty quickly bid 2H. I should have hit this but now I wussed out and bid 2S, making 140 (2H was going for 3-500; partner's x of 2D was penalty, as he was 5-5 in the pointeds, and 2D would probably have been down 1 or maybe 2.)

Problem 7 resolved

At the table, the player holding this hand (recall: AKx xxx AQx Txxx, auction goes 1h p p x; p to you, red/white) bid 2h. The partnership then had a long and tortuous auction (opponents silent for all of it)

x 2h
2s 3c
3h 3s
4c 4s

4s was pretty routinely down 1. At the other table, North (who was 6-4 in the rounds) shoved in a 2c bid over x, and East bid 2s and played it there, making 4. Partner held Txxx A9x Jxx KQJx.