Bridge Problems

Problem 35: Club game, 4/25/06

2007-04-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

Matchpoints. All white, 1st seat, you hold QJ9xx J876x void 98x. The bidding proceeds:


p 1D 1N 3D.

What do you bid?

Recent updates

2006-12-24T00:34:00.000-08:00

I posted hands and results in the comment section of many problems: 21-23, 27-31, and 33-34. If these spur any further thoughts, please comment away! It is also never too late to chime in on the original problems.

I also posted part 2 of problem 32 in the comments, so you may wish to take a look. Problems 24-26 will be resolved as soon as I can reconstruct the hands -- it has been a while!

Finally, I am rounding up some new problems, hopefully to be posted as soon as mid-January.

Problem 34: All Western open pairs, day 2, 9/3/06

2006-11-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Both vul, 4th seat, good opps, AKJT986532 T8 void J, 1D P 2C(GF) to you. What approach do you take?

Problem 33: NAOP club qualifier, 8/15/06

2006-11-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Unfavorable, dealer, QJ54 AKJ4 5 A762. You open 1C and lefty overcalls 1NT, pass pass to you.

Problem 32: Sectional stratified pairs, 7/3/06

2006-11-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Both vul, 3rd seat, 9 72 KQ875 QJ732. Partner opens 1D and righty passes. What do you bid? We play 2D inv+ and 3D 5-8 or so when vulnerable. 2C is GF and 3C is natural invitational. (Yes, this may be a style question, but I am interested in your approach with such a hand.)

Part 2 of the problem will be posted in the comments.

Problem 31: Sectional stratified pairs, 7/3/06

2006-11-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Both vul, you deal 97 AKJT Q875 T72. Opps get to 4S via
P 1NT(15-17) P 2H(transfer)
x(do you?) 2S 4H 4S.
Partner leads the H8 (3rd from even, low from odd) and you see:


       H8

              KQ865432
H3            2
              J9
              Q8
       97
       AKJT
       Q875
       T72

How do you defend? Is it anything more than a guess?

Problem 30: California Capitol Swiss, day 1, 6/3/06

2006-11-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

IMPs. Unfavorable, 2nd seat, Kxxx KQT8x T9x x, P P 2S x 4S to you.

Problem 29: Regional bracket 3 KO, 6/2/06

2006-11-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

IMPs. Favorable, 4th seat, AQ8xxx Axx xx Jx. Partner opens 1D and righty overcalls 1NT. You double (do you?), all pass (opponents do not seem to have runouts planned). What do you lead?

Problem 28: Regional bracket 2 KO, 5/30/06

2006-11-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

IMPs. Favorable, 2nd seat, KQxx xx Kxxx KTx. The auction begins:


       P  P
1C P   1H P
2H P   P  x
xx 2NT P

What do you think partner should have? What do you bid now?

Problem 27: Regional bracket 2 KO, 5/30/06

2006-11-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

IMPs. Favorable, 3rd seat, K9xx AKxx Q AKTx. Partner opens weak 2D (4-10 or so) and righty passes. The diamond length is usually six but could be a good five with reasonable shape. What is your plan?

Here are your methods: 2NT is regular Ogust (3D = good suit bad hand, where good suit is two of AKQ but not AKxxx I think). New suit is 5+ cards, forcing, and ostensibly constructive, with continuations not really discussed unfortunately (suggestions welcomed). 4C now would be cheap RKC for diamonds (steps are 0, 1 without Q, 1 with Q, 2 without Q, etc) but would not be later.

An entry-shifting squeeze, 11/3/06

2006-11-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

Since I have been negligent in posting new problems, I thought I would post an amusing hand from last Friday's bay area quasi-junior bridge party.

IMPs. Both vul, 4th seat, I held AJ8xx Jxxx 9x 8x. The opponents bid uninterrupted 1D 1H 1S 1NT P, but then my partner Ari suddenly doubled, all pass. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I figured Ari probably had a good hand and/or a stack in one of opener's suits, and it had to be in clubs. Accordingly I led the C8.

Dummy tabled T9xx AK KJx QT7x. Ari won the J over dummy's T, then returned the higher of the two unseen low spades, declarer playing the Q. I could duck and hope that Ari had Sxx and that they couldn't run seven quick tricks. However, if Ari had a stiff spade and I ducked, I might never get in again to lead a club through, which would be disastrous. Thus I decided to win and return another club. Ari cashed all of his CAKJ9x and exited a spade (drat!), declarer winning. Declarer then cashed the HAK and led a low diamond off dummy. This was the position:


                -- -- Axxx --   
T -- KJx --                     -- QT QT --
                J Jx 9 --

Ari decided to hop ace (the setting trick), but then was forced to execute an entry-shifting squeeze on me! If I tossed the SJ, declarer would overtake the DQ and dummy would be high. If I unguarded hearts instead, declarer would allow the DQ to hold and her hand would be good. Fortunately we still set 1NTx-1 for +200, but in a way declarer had the last laugh.

(Epilogue: If declarer had simply kept one more diamond and one fewer heart, then she would've had a much easier time taking a heart and two diamonds in the ending. But then how much fun would that be?)

The complete hand:


       xx
       xx
       Axxx
       AKJ9x
T9xx          KQ
AK            QTxxx
KJx           QTxx
QT7x          xx
       AJ8xx
       Jxxx
       9x
       8x

Problem 26: BBO team game, 5/15/06

2006-05-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

IMPs. Unfavorable, reasonable opponents, you deal J7653 KJ8643 8 A and reach 3Hx via

1H P 2H x
P 2NT P 3C
3H x P P
P.


K T97 QJ763 8742
J7653 KJ8643 8 A

The play begins:
H2 H7 HQ HK
S3 S4 SK SA
CK CA C9 C2
S5 S2 H9 S8
C4 CT H3 C3
S6 S9 HT ST
(Note: For each trick the cards are in the order played, e.g. at trick 3 RHO leads the CK.)

2NT and 3C were not self-alerted. The opponents play UDCA with frequent suit preference. How do you play now? For your reference, dummy has the lead and the current position is:


-- ---- QJ763 87
J7 J864 8     --

Problem 25: Club game, 5/12/06

2006-05-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

Matchpoints. Unfavorable, dealer, KQ63 KJ832 AQJ5 void. The auction proceeds:


          1H
P  1NT 2C 2D
5C P   P  x
P  P   P

1NT is forcing and could include a bad heart raise (which could have a spade suit). You lead the SK and see:


       S8

94         
A4            S2
962
KJ7543
       KQ63
       KJ832
       AQJ5
       ----

Partner plays the S8 (UDCA) and declarer plays the S2. How do you defend?

Problem 24: Club game, 5/12/06

2006-05-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

Matchpoints. Favorable, 2nd seat, KJ6 J9 AQJ854 KT, bad opponents. The auction proceeds:


     1C 1D
1H P 2H 3D
P  P 3H P
P  P

       D3

              AQ
D6            A876
              K2
              QJ962
       KJ6
       J9
       AQJ854
       KT

Partner leads the D3 and you take dummy's K, declarer playing the D6. We lead third/low, so partner has T73, 973, or stiff (and probably not T93). How do you defend? If you decide to lead a high diamond now, how do you continue?

Update: See the comments to see what happens at trick two if you lead a high diamond.

Problem 23: Club game, 5/12/06

2006-05-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

Matchpoints. Favorable, 2nd seat, Q K83 KT9 AQT865. Righty opens 1C, all pass. You decide to lead the SQ and see the following:


       S8

T7643         
Q952          SA
J73
3
       Q
       K83
       KT9
       AQT865

Partner plays the S8 (upside-down) and declarer wins the SA. Declarer continues with HA H6. You win the K while partner plays 4,7 (even count). What now?

Problem 22: Sectional A/X pairs, 4/29/06

2006-05-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Matchpoints. Unfavorable, dealer, AKQJT5 96 K753 Q. You have the unopposed auction 1S 1N(forcing) 2S. Lefty leads the DT (standard honor leads) and you see the following. How do you play?

8 AQJ7 Q98 86432
AKQJT5 96 K753 Q

Problem 21: Sectional A/X pairs, 4/29/06

2006-05-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

Matchpoints. None vul, you deal and decides to open 1NT with AQ64 AK832 Q8 Q6. Partner quickly raises to 3NT and you buy the C4 lead (fourth best).

KJT5 J95 AT5 AJ7
AQ64 AK832 Q8 Q6

Trick one proceeds 4, 7, 9, Q. How do you play?

Problem 20 resolved

2006-04-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

I bid 3C to try to keep them out of a red suit and to play 3C rather than 2S. This worked out well; partner held

Q9x immaterial immaterial J (I think he had some detritus in the reds, but not much, maybe just the diamond jack... 5 hearts 4 diamonds I think?)

When I bid 3C, it actually went pass pass double. I got the jack of spades lead and made an overtrick.

Also, a note: from now on, we will be resolving problems in the comments, and posting short notes in future entries saying that the problems have been resolved.

Problem 19 resolved

2006-04-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

The full hand is approximately:


       AJxx
       A9x
       QTxx
       J8
QTxx          Kx
K6x           JT7x
J98xx         Kx
x             AK65x
       987
       Q8x
       Ax
       QT97x

The opponents actually sat for 1Cx at the table. According to double dummy analysis, 1C is down two on a spade or tiny club lead, makes on the HQ lead, and is down one otherwise. However, on a small heart lead, if partner fails to insert the 9, then the contract is makable (though it's nontrivial and declarer understandably failed to play exactly right).

Problem 18 resolved

2006-04-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

The deductions are as Eric Leong said in the comments. Righty didn't make a negative double, so he probably has at most three hearts. The play of the spade suit makes it seem that righty has two spades. For lefty to bid 3C, it seems he has five clubs. If all these inferences are true, then lefty has at most one diamond. We can't make if diamonds are 0-5, so we should assume diamonds are 1-4 (making righty 2344 exactly).

This reduces to a double dummy problem. The key play now is to lead to the HK and play a high spade. The current position is


            KJ8x T KT --
9x ? ? xxx                -- ? ??xx xx
            -- x AQ8xx Q

There are several variations, but most boil down to one of the following two end positions, with the lead in dummy. Dummy leads a spade and righty is toast:


            J8x -- K --
x -- ? xx                  -- -- ??xx --
            -- -- AQ8x --


            J8x -- K --
x -- ? xx                  -- -- ?xx x
            -- -- A8xx --

We leave the problem of reducing to the above end positions as an exercise to the reader. (Hint: Dummy should ruff with the DT at some point, because otherwise there aren't enough dummy entries for a trump coup.) If you make 4D, you pick up 6 IMPs because the other table was in 3S-1. The full hand:


       KJ8xxx
       AKTx
       KT
       x
A97x          QT
QJx           xxx
7             J9xx
AJxxx         Kxxx
       x
       xxx
       AQ86xx
       QTx

Problems 16 and 17 resolved

2006-04-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

On 16, I bid Stayman, and then bid 3H shortness after partner responded 2S. Partner made avery discouraging 4S call over that which I floated. Partner's hand was:

KJ7x KQx Kxx Kxx
(opposite)
98xx Axx AQJxx A

The spade Qx is on your left. Spades always makes five, while notrump will make five if you can guess the spades and 4 otherwise (assuming they lead a club.) So good guessers should play 3NT single-dummy, bad guessers 4S.

On 17, holding KQT97 9x KJ AQ86, after 1s 2h 2s 3c, I chose 4c. Partner bid 4H which I passed. This proved to be the right spot as partner held x AKJTx Qx Kxxxx. As I recall the heart hook was off and partner made 4.

Problem 15 resolved

2006-04-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Partner had Axxx AKTx JT8x A. The grand has its chances, but none of them materializes. 6NT would have been a top, 6S an average plus.

Problem 14 resolved

2006-03-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-21T00:44:00.000-08:00

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 19: Club game, 3/13/06

2006-03-15T19:34:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Both red, 2nd seat, 987 Q8x Ax QT97x. The auction begins:


    1C P
P x P  to you.

What do you bid? (If you pass and 1Cx becomes the contract, what do you lead?)

Problem 18: GNT-A district final, 3/11/06

2006-03-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

IMPs, good opposition. All red, 4th seat, x xxx AQ86xx QTx. You reach 4D via

1C 1S 2C P
P x P 2D
3C 3S P 4D
P P P.

KJ8xxx AKTx KT x
x xxx AQ86xx QTx

The play begins:
CA Cx Cx Cx
Cx Hx CK CT
ST Sx SA Sx
Hx HA Hx Hx
Sx SQ Dx Sx
(Note: For each trick the cards are in the order played, e.g. at trick 3 RHO leads the ST.)

How do you play now? (By the way, do you agree with the auction?) For your reference, declarer has the lead and the current position is:
KJ8x KT KT ----
---- xx AQ86x Q

Problem 17: Club game, 3/5/06

2006-03-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

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 15: Club game, 3/5/06

2006-03-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Both white, 4th seat, KQTxxx Qx AK97 x. The auction begins:

1D P 1S P
3S P 4C P
4H P 4NT P
5D P 5NT P
6H P to you

3S is generally sound, 4C is a serious slam try cuebid (we cue first or second round controls), 5D is 0/3 keycards, and 5NT is a specific king ask (guaranteeing all keycards and the trump queen or equivalent). Would you have bid any differently? You also had the option of specific suit asks instead of 5NT. What do you do now?

Problem 13 resolved

2006-03-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

IMPs. Both white, 4th seat, Ax A7xx KJxxx xx. Lefty opens 3H and partner doubles, pass to you. What do you bid?

I took a long time to decide to bid 3NT. Partner turned out to have KQJxx x AQx AQxx and felt barred from bidding. Any slam makes (the club king is stiff onside). The other table had the auction 3H x P 4D P 4S P P P for a push.

Problem 12 resolved

2006-03-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

The full hand:


       KJ5
       KJ95
       7
       AJ876
AT986         432
743           A2
K42           QJT9865
93            T
       Q7
       QT86
       A3
       KQ542

Whatever you decide to do, you will end up in 4H. However, if partner is declaring it, righty will find the club lead to get a ruff to hold you to +620. This turned out to be the big difference on the board. Should this be a consideration?

Problem 11 resolved

2006-03-15T18:16:00.000-08:00

I decided to double (in the process barring partner). The full hand:


       ----
       2
       AQJT86
       KT8742
T72           AKQ8543
J8            T965
K9752         3
965           Q
       J96
       AKQ743
       4
       AJ3

On repeated trump leads, 6S went down four for +800. This was a near top anyway as only two pairs scored up +1370. In fact, just making a game was above average.

Problem 10 resolved

2006-03-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

I decided to bid 6H, all pass. Apparently partner and I were on the same wavelength as this was the full hand:


       AKJ986
       AKJ7
       A32
       ----
T42           73
53            642
K7            JT9854
AKQT52        93
       Q5
       QT98
       Q6
       J8764

On a club lead, I made seven for a near top. The field got mostly +680 and +650.

Problem 9 resolved

2006-03-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-03T17:55:00.000-08:00

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

2006-03-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

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.

Problem 3 resolved

2006-02-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

I bid 4C. The auction continued:

p 1C 2H x
3H 4C 4H 4S
x

I passed this. 4Sx was down 1 while 4H was cold, and we got a good score. Sadly partner's hand has been lost to the sands of time, but I think he was 6313. If you pass, partner probably balances with 3S and who knows what you do now (I'm not sure if lefty, who has a stiff club, would make the 4H bid if you passed.)

Problem 13: Regional KO, 2/17/06

2006-02-20T20:11:00.000-08:00

IMPs. Both white, 4th seat, Ax A7xx KJxxx xx. Lefty opens 3H and partner doubles, pass to you. What do you bid?

Problem 12: Regional open pairs, 2/15/06

2006-02-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Both red, 2nd seat, Q7 QT86 A3 KQ542. The auction begins:

2D P P x
P to you

2D is weak. This may be more of a systemic question, but try not to use anything too fancy.

Problem 11: Regional open pairs, 2/15/06

2006-02-19T13:12:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Red on white, 2nd seat, J96 AKQ743 4 AJ3. Righty is a pro and lefty is an unknown client. The auction begins:

4S 5H 5S 5NT
P 6C P P
6S

Do you agree with 5H and 6C? What do you bid now?

Problem 10: Regional open pairs, 2/15/06

2006-02-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. All red, 2nd seat, Q5 QT98 Q6 J8764. The auction begins:

P P 3C 4C
P 4H p 4S
P to you

Problem 6 resolved

2006-02-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

I decided to double. When partner bid 4H, I decided to pass. He managed to make four. The field seemed to have little trouble as most pairs scored +620. Both 4H and 4S should make four. The full hand:


       76
       AK76
       AKQJ2
       84
Q432          T5
T53           Q42
T76           94
973           AKQJ65
       AKJ98
       J98
       853
       T2

Problem 5 resolved

2006-02-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

I decided to bid 2NT, all pass. The full hand:


       AJ93
       7
       QT43
       T942
T87           K64
AJ5           T96432
AJ762         9
Q8            J76
       Q52
       KQ8
       K85
       AK53

The double dummy analysis says they can take eight tricks in hearts and we can take eight tricks in spades, NT, or clubs. I took eight tricks in 2NT for an average.

Problem 4 resolved

2006-02-19T12:19:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. White on red, 4th seat, AKQT6 AQT8 K 742. The auction begins:

P P 1C 1S
2C P P to you.

I decided to bid 2H. Partner corrected to 2S, all pass. He held 73 42 JT8742 JT8. I went down 2 when I didn't guess the play (down 1 was possible on best play). Most pairs were -50. Unfortunately, 2C probably goes down when spades are 3-3, so I had a chance at a near top. It appears from the comments that no one seriously considered passing.

Problem 9: Club game, 2/6/06

2006-02-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints, white/red, 3rd seat, AJxx void xxx AKQJxx. The auction begins:

2D 4H to you. What is your bid and plan for various continuations (e.g. lefty bids 5H which is passed to you, or if you bid 4NT for minors, partner bids 5C or 5D)?

Problem 8: Club game, 1/30/06

2006-02-05T21:17:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints, red/white, 4th seat, Kx Q9842 Q K96xx. The auction starts:

1H 1S p 1NT
p p 2D ?

Problem 1 resolved

2006-02-05T21:13:00.002-08:00

Recall that I held x 98xx void AQTJ9xxx all white second seat at IMPs. The bidding went:

p p 1D 1S
p 2C p 2NT
3D 4C float. Partner had:

Qxxxx Qx AKTx Kx. 4C is cold, 3NT is down on a non-diamond lead, so I guess my 4C bid was right, but in retrospect I think I should have bid 3NT. Partner's 2NT opposite my passed-hand 2C advance suggests a fitting honor, and if his diamond king were elsewhere 3NT could easily have been cold, or they might lead the wrong major and he could have an ace, or they might lead a diamond (the opponent on lead claimed he was "never leading a diamond against that auction, come on"), or who knows.

Problem 7: Golden Bear Series, February 1

2006-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

20-board match, IMPs, red on white, 2nd seat, AKx xxx AQx Txxx.

The auction goes:
1H p p x
p to you. What is your bid, and what is your plan?

Problem 6: NAP-A district final, 1/14/06

2006-02-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. Red on white, 3rd seat, AKJ98 J98 853 T2. Partner opens 1D and righty bids 3C. You play a strong NT and standard methods here. (Doubling then bidding spades shows a constructive hand with spades.) What's your plan?

Problem 5: NAP-A district final, 1/14/06

2006-01-31T01:11:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. White on red, dealer, Q52 KQ8 K85 AK53. The auction begins:

1NT 2D P 2H
P P x P

1NT is 15-17, 2D and 2H are natural, and double is ostensibly takeout. If partner doubled 2D, that would have been takeout. Your bid.

Problem 4: NAP-A district final, 1/14/06

2006-01-31T00:52:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints. White on red, 4th seat, AKQT6 AQT8 K 742. The auction begins:

P P 1C 1S
2C P P to you

Problem 2 resolved

2006-01-31T00:40:00.000-08:00

I led the club ace. Dummy came down with something like:

Qxx
KJxx
Q9x
QJx

Partner played the lowest outstanding club spot (playing upside down) and I lauded myself for not playing a heart and allowing declarer to ruff and draw trumps. So I played another club to partner's king... and declarer ruffed, making 4S by discarding a heart on dummy's good club and eventually losing two diamond tricks.

Problem 3: Club game, 1/30/06

2006-01-31T00:38:00.000-08:00

Matchpoints, white/red, 2nd seat, Qx x KJ87 AK87xx (diamond spots approximate.) The auction goes:

P 1C 2H x
3H ?

Problem 1 continued

2006-01-29T20:07:00.000-08:00

I tried the cagey pass. The bidding continued:

P P 1D 1S
P 2C P 2NT
3D

and now I had to find another bid. What would you do?

Problem 2: GNT qualifying, 1/21/06

2006-01-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

Knockout. Red on white, 1st seat, xx Q987x void ATxxxx. You pass. The bidding continues:

P P 1D 1S
x xx 2H 3D
3H 3S p 4S all out.

Your lead.

Problem 1: Monterey regional 1/7/06

2006-01-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Compact KO. All white, 2nd seat, x 98xx void AQJT9xxx, pass to you. Give your first bid, then when there are a suitable number of opinions, we will continue with the auction.