What’s your call?
| 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT | |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
The Sutherlins go straight to 6♦. “East does not hold a lot. He passed 1♦, yet apparently has good club support. The chance that partner has heart control seems strong. We may be on for 5♦, 6♦ or 7♦. We guess to take the middle road.”
Lawrence: “6♦ – playable facing ♦K Q 10 7 2 and a one-loser heart holding.”
Rigal: “6♦ and close my eyes and pray. Maybe it’s a save. OK, maybe not.”
Colchamiro, 6♦. “6♣ may be the technically correct choice, but I just don’t see how partner’s gonna be able to bid more than 6♦ no matter what his hand is. 5♦ is too craven for me.”
Even though 5♦ and 6♦ received the same number of votes, 5♦ was demoted in the scoring because it made no move toward slam, whereas nine panelists either bid slam or went looking for it.
Meckstroth bids 5♦. “It’s not clear what we can make here, but it does seem clear to raise partner.”
Robinson: “5♦. If partner has only four diamonds, we’re probably high enough and there is no reason to expect partner to have more diamonds.”
Boehm’s 5♦: “Based on the vulnerability, I’m guessing that partner is weak in clubs. One upside is that partner may be able to bid a laydown 6♦, using the same inference that my high-card points lie outside of clubs.”
5♦ by Stack. “This seems to be another 30-point deck, so there could be a slam. In fact, if partner takes a preference to 5♥, we will bid 6♥ with confidence.”
Pavlicek, who is less confident about everything, bids 5♦. “Who knows? We could have a slam, or belong in hearts or have no play for five. Double could easily be right with my top tricks, but the void suggests otherwise.”
Cohen is one of the two make-partner-choose cuebidders. “I am willing to play a red-suit slam. This hand is awesome. Partner would even know to bid seven with something like the ♥A K and ♦K Q x x x, which he could easily have.”
Benedict expresses his indecision about strain with 6♣. “I’m not sure whether to play 6♦ or 6♥. I tend to believe vulnerable opponents when they jump around in the bidding. Bidding 5♦ or 5♥ is too conservative.”
The vulnerability talks Lee into doubling. “I can live with them being down versus our game, and it might be more. At other vulnerabilities, I like 5♦.”
Korbel uses 5NT to make partner choose a slam. “I can’t imagine we are going to get to seven of anything intelligently, but I’m willing to take a crack at slam. I bid 5NT just in case partner has three-plus heart support. Otherwise, we will play in diamonds.”
Sanborn tries 5♥. “It’s unlikely that partner has a good club holding at this vulnerability. I’m thinking my RHO has four or more clubs and is not short in diamonds, or he might have acted on the first round. Diamonds might be messy to play, if that’s the case. I anticipate making 6♥ if partner, holding at least three hearts, raises.” ◾
