Matchpoints. E-W vulnerable.
♠Q ♥A J 10 5 4 2 ♦J ♣K Q 10 7 6
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | 2♥(1) | Pass | ? |
(1) Michaels cuebid: weakish hand or strong.
What’s Your Call?
| 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 |
| Dbl | Pass |
Stay low on a misfit
Partner shows spades and a minor. Guess which minor he has. Seven experts choose to pass and hope for the best — you’re not doubled yet.
Walker: “Pass seems like our best chance for a plus score. Partner never has clubs.”
Stack: “There is a good possibility of a plus score in 2♥ or our smallest minus. If we happen to have a club fit, the opponents have a huge diamond fit.”
Will they double 2 if you pass?
Lawrence: “West, on sequences like this one, is usually so happy that he passes thinking I have forgotten the system. Perhaps we can scramble enough tricks to survive.”
Kennedy: “2♥ is probably the only makable contract. At least we aren’t doubled yet.”
Colchamiro: “I haven’t done this in a long time, but maybe pass will win the day. At least I won’t have to play it! I may need a new partner, however, if this goes badly.”
2♠ was the second-favorite bid.
“Let’s bid 2♠ quickly and confidently,” say the Coopers. “We hope the opponents bid something.”
“Pass is like poker, not bridge, and will end the partnership” says Falk.
“Why can’t North have a 6–6 hand with 12 winners? So, I’ll honor our agreement and bid 2♠.”
“While passing might be right, I hate to give partner a coronary,” says Rigal. “If I go low, there might be some more bidding.”
“Let’s try and get out low while the getting is good,” agrees Cohen. “If partner has clubs, I am likely to hear further from the opponents with their million-card diamond fit.”
The experts who bid 2NT are hoping for a club fit.
“I’ll bid 2NT just in case we have a fit,” says Sanborn. “I’ll follow with 3NT over the expected 3♦.”
“If partner shows diamonds, I’ll bid 3NT,” says Robinson. “I can’t assume that his other suit is diamonds.”
“2NT just in case partner has clubs,” echoes Meckstroth. “Over 3♦, I’ll have to guess what to do.”
The Joyces bid 3♣ and say: “We hate this dilemma, but we hope partner is 5=0=5=3.”
Meyers chooses 3NT. “I’m torn between 3NT and 2♠,” she says. “The advantage of 2♠ is that we stay low, but partner could have a hand where we are playing 2♠ and be cold for game in notrump. I think at the table I would bid 3NT.”
The majority choose to pass or bid 2♠. When you know you have a misfit, try and stay low.
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