What’s your call?
| 1♠ | 1NT | |||
| 2♣ | 2♦ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 2NT |
| 3♣ | 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass |
“3♥,” according to Stack and just about everyone else on the panel. “Too strong to raise to 2♥ and not strong enough for 4♥, so 3♥ is the perfect bid and should be close to a unanimous choice.”
Gone is easygoing Barry. “3♥. Any-one who bids 2♥ should be thrown back into Milton Work’s cupboard and not allowed out till he has written 100 times: ‘Aces and kings are undervalued in the standard point count.’”
Hampson bids 3♥, but he would have done things differently from the start. “I would have planned a notrump auc-tion, but now I must upgrade to 18–19.”
Meyers: “3♥. I am not forcing to game. My partner is a big girl and knows how to accept invitations.”
Walker: “I’m not the only one who can see we’re vulnerable at IMPs. No need to overbid when I know partner will stretch with any excuse.”
Sanborn: “I don’t anticipate missing a game if partner passes. I think one should accept with five trumps and an ace.”
Lawrence bids 3♥, conjecturing that “♥Q x x x x and a black high card will give us a play for game. If partner has that hand, he will usually bid on.”
3♥ from Cohen. “I’m not sure I understand why this problem is here. What am I missing? If I were writing a beginner’s article on what opener’s jump raise shows, I’d use this as a text-book example.”
Kennedy says, “I went back and forth on this one.” She decides on 3♥.
The Gordons: “3♥. What’s the alter-native?”
The Joyces believe 3♥ should be automatic. “But there are few flat boards!”
Proving the Joyces’ point, Colchamiro, solo, makes the leap to game. “I know 4♥ is technically an overbid, but I like this hand: great trumps and a source of tricks. If partner goes slamming, he won’t be disappointed.”
