What’s your call?
| 3♠ | 3NT | |||
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass |
Here’s BAM aggression at work.
The Sutherlins explain why double is a favorite with the panelists. “East does not have much and has stretched to compete. We have the balance of power and many potential tricks in aces and kings, especially with partner short in spades. Our chance to score plus 200 or 500 is excellent. Our chance to make game is less than 50%.”
Double by Lawrence. “It’s board-amatch and setting them one trick will be a huge result. I am actually hoping for down two.”
Hampson doubles. “I have a powerful hand for my bidding, and I hope that we can collect the magic 200.”
Sanborn doubles, too, “but only at this form of scoring. We are looking at a very good chance of down one or two.”
Colchamiro’s a doubler. “In context, I have a great hand and a great chance at plus 200 or more. At BAM, I don’t like to put the board up for grabs, but this seems so obvious.”
Lee: “Double, just showing a maximum with no clear direction. I can’t afford to pass 3♥ at this form of scoring, and the opponents probably have no chance in 3♥ if partner has some defense.”
Korbel: “I have a lot of aces and kings and a maximum hand. I cannot sell out to 3♥ and look at myself in the mirror in the morning. If they make 3♥ doubled, it’s only one board!”
Rigal, at last, is on sure ground. “Double (aimed at defending but can be pulled). This must be our hand, and with partner having short spades, they won’t make nine tricks in hearts … unless partner is so short in hearts that he pulls my double.”
There’s optimism and then there’s 4♣.
Falk: “I have a huge hand for partner, who rates to have good club intermediates to take us out of spades. Partner likely holds something like:
♠x ♥K x ♦ Q J x x ♣Q J 10 9 x x.
Note: East may have anything, but seems to have been hoping to play 2♥ doubled, then 3♥. He knows the vulnerability and had to think 3♥ had some hope. I could see partner’s hand and not know what to do – it depends on the East–West distributions. Unless he is crazy, East does not have three spades or two or three clubs. With nothing in hearts and useful stuff for offense I haven’t shown, I raise partner.”
Robinson bids 4♣. I don’t think I have enough to bid 5♣, and partner has already denied spade support. At
IMPs, I’d probably bid 5♣.”
Ditto Meyers: “4♣. I am tempted to bid 5♣ and would not be shocked if we made 5♣, but I am going for the plus at board-a-match. (I would bid 5♣ at IMPs, but no one cares about that.)”
Stack let his spade suit go on problem No. 4, but not this time. “3♠. I have much more than partner might expect. Partner has at least six clubs, so this deal belongs to our side. My hand should play well even opposite a singleton spade. Double is certainly possible.”
Boehm passes. “I would double at matchpoints and try to beat the field, willing to risk a bottom. At BAM, I’m only trying to beat one table and prefer to keep the board in play.”
Cohen, too, tables the green card. Silently. No comment, Larry?
