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 | Dbl |
Republished from “Famous Bidding Decisions” by Terence Reese and David Bird
Robinson explains his 5♦ . “I have two more aces than I might have had. It sounds like partner has short hearts, and any black-suit finesses will be onside.”
Abdou: “5♦ . They may bid or I could be making … I have too much for 4♦ , and I would prefer the ♥A to be elsewhere and have three low hearts instead. Then a cuebid would be in order.”
Rigal: “Real extras in trumps and high cards. I may not be worth 5♦ , but they haven’t beaten me yet. I’d make a game try if I could think of one.”
The Sutherlins jump on the 5♦ train. “We have promised nothing in the auction. Nevertheless, partner has competed to 3♦ . The finesses rate to be on. We have too much to bid only 4♦ . Game is worth a shot.”
Weinstein: “If my ♥A were somewhere else I would try for slam and hope for magic opposite a heart void. It’s between 3NT and 5♦ , and I think 5♦ will make more often.”
Meyers bids 5♦ . “If I were sure that double said, “I have extras, not sure what to do,” I would double.
A number of panelists think that double means exactly that.
Falk, double: “This is easy. I can’t conceivably have a trump stack, so I’m merely announcing I have much better defense than partner would expect from my minimal takeout of North’s double. In the modern style, this double just says, ‘Do something intelligent.’ Partner knows what sort of hand he holds; I don’t, so I’ll let him decide.”
Cohen nods. “Double. In the postmortem, if I need to, I’ll explain what it means. Expect to hear the word ‘modern.’”
Colchamiro is a doubler. “I have SO much extra, I must do something dramatic. Should I bid 5♦ ? Partner might have ventured 3♦ with: ♠A Q x x ♥x x ♦ K Q x x ♣A x x, and if so, no game makes and I will have turned a plus into a minus. Double, however partner takes it, will work out much better. Chances are strong that LAW-abiding East with his 3♥ call will rue the day he went to law school.”
Stack doubles. “Holding two aces when I might have none certainly makes it look like I am entitled to a bid. I will opt for the double rather than the nine-trick 3NT contract.”
Boehm, on the other hand, bids 3NT. “I’m close to a maximum, holding aces and the fifth diamond. Partner could hold the likes of:
♠A Q x x ♥J ♦ K Q x x ♣A x x x.”
Korbel also chooses 3NT. “I did not bid 1NT over the double, so partner cannot expect a double heart stopper. I have a maximum for my 2♦ call, so I must bid again, and this is the call that keeps notrump in the picture.”
3NT by Meckstroth: “I cannot have more.”
Hampson tries 3♠. “I am worth a game try, and I do have three cards in the suit, which is the most I can have for bidding diamonds first.”
Lawrence, 4♣: “This would be a terrific spot for some kind of value double. But I don’t think it is in our methods. 3NT could work, but that requires we have nine runners, which is against the odds. I’ll try 4♣, a game try. 5♦ is a sane second choice.”
Sanborn bids 4♥. “I probably should have bid 3♦ the first time, but it’s close. I have a terrific hand on the auction. Give partner:
♠A x x ♥x ♦ K Q x x ♣A K Q x x.
Isn’t this a good look at slam? And at IMPs, I’m not so worried about missing 3NT.”
