From: maillist@base.cs.ucla.edu (Generic Mailing List ID (Guest))
Subject: PSP #20.4
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:00:07 GMT

Problem 4.
IMPS (Calcutta)
E-W Vulnerable
Dealer East

You, South, hold, S-KQT H-J76 D-A2 C-JT754

South  West   North  East
                     3D
Pass   Pass   Dbl.   Pass
?

What call do you make?


The bids:
(DOUG) 3N. Last chance to bid it.

(PRM) 3NT.  Ugly as it may seem.

(MARC) 3NT. Show both strength and a diamond stopper.

(MSB) 3NT. I presume partner has points and either a good suit or support for
      the 3 unbid suits.  Either way we have a good chance of running off
      9 tricks.  Partner can always bid its suit if it wants to.

(JOHN) 3NT

(WU) 3NT. Probably wrong but probably what I'd do. I'll pass partner's major
	suit and raise clubs.

(EKP) 3NT. I can't be sure of a good partscore, so I'll take the unsure
game.

(CC2) 3N.  Keep the game level as low as possible. Partner could have a
        minimum opener with 4-4 in the majors.

(DK) 3nt.   So I don't always make my bids.

(RLG) 4C.  This is a tough call.  There is a good chance we have game
somewhere.. but how to find it?  East's preempt really worked well
this time.   I don't have strong enough D to warrant 3 NT--I'll just go
ahead and bid my best suit.

(PYNQ) 4C.	Plebian, but there you go.  You hope partner has a 5M and can
	bid it now.

(PBHYF) 4C. If you bid a major you may hit the wrong one.

(MOJO) 4C.  If partner rebids a major, I'll be content.

(IM) 4C.  Bid my best suit, like partner asked me to; nothing else appeals.

(BB) 4C. If desparate to make uo some IMPs, I might pass. But I would never be 
      confident of beating 3D. 3NT maybe?

(DM2) 4C.   3NT is way too optimistic and pass is out of the question. Your
         hand is a little worse than partner is hoping for.
         

(DAG) 4C.  I don't want to hang partner if he is reopening.  

(KP) 4C.  Why should I think we have 3NT on?

(IL) 4C.  3NT rates less, as E probably has an outside A or K for his 3D vul. 
        opening. 4M is still a possible contract if partner has a good hand.

(DESJ) 4D.  This should guarantee at least a 4-3 major fit, which hopefully
should play well, and anyway we only have to take ten tricks.  

(CC1) 4D    3N is too risky. I want to be in a major game. Let partner choose.

(JLD) 5C.  This is tough.  3NT could be right.  This is the first good
problem in the bunch.

(SGM) 5C. It's tempting to pass.

(PW) Pass.  Hoping for 1 down.

(EDT) pass           Best chance for plus score.

(DM1) Pass. Anything that makes 3NT would set this 2-3 vul.

(RB) Pass.  I don't like my game prospects, nor do I want to
start guessing at this level what game to play. I'll stay
preempted and hopefully be able to set 3D a trick or two.

(AH) pass. Game is unlikely, if there is games, East will likely
             be down 2.  Bad major break is assured.

(NAIR) Pass.  I'll try & take the plus 200/500 (or is it -670?).

The totals:
3NT	9
4C	10
4D	2
5C	2
PASS	6


From Henry Francis' column:
  
  [ Runner-up Krzysztof] Lasocki had a tough problem after [Piotr]
  Gawrys' double.  He doubted there was a game in clubs and he didn't
  like the notrump prospects even though he had the DA.  He decided to
  go for the set, especially considering the vulnerability.

  He was right - no game makes and 3D went down two tricks for minus 500.  
  That was a 150-IMP gain for the Poles.


[ I felt this was an excellent problem.  I'm glad the panel seemed to
  agree. ]


The players:
(AH)	ahaas@ecn.purdue.edu (Alan Haas)
(BB)	Brett Barksdale <brett@porky.oce.orst.edu>
(CC1)	Chun Chang <chunchan@aludra.usc.edu>
(CC2)	chris.chambers@rose.com
(DESJ)	desj@ccr-p.ida.org (David desJardins)
(DAG)	dagibbs@quantum.qnx.com (David Gibbs)
(DK)	Dennis Kibler <kibler@turing.ICS.UCI.EDU>
(DM1)	mytelka@enzyme.Berkeley.Edu (Daniel Mytelka)
(DM2)	davidm@Rational.COM
(EDT)	taylor@tivoli.com (Eric Taylor)
(EKP)	Edward Pavelchek <ekp@mcnc.org>
(IL)	Ingvar Lagerstedt <LAGERSTEDT@oc.chalmers.se>
(IM)	Ilene Morgan <morgan@math.psu.edu>
(JLD)	jld1@ihlpm.att.com
(JOHN)	<john@picks.almanac.bc.ca>
(KP)	hampton@ais.org (Kevin Podsiadlik)
(MARC)	marc@wrs.com (Marc Shepard)
(MOJO)	mojo@caere.com (Morris Jones)
(MSB)	msb@sq.com (Mark Brader)
(NAIR)	nair@astro.ufl.edu
(PBHYF)	pbhyf!skataba@ns.PacBell.COM
(PRM)	Paul Markowitz <PRM@BROWNVM.brown.edu>
(PW)	Per Westling <c85perwe@und.ida.liu.se>
(PYNQ)	"George Jetson" <pynq@midway.uchicago.edu>
(RB)	rainbow@ihlpf.att.com
(RLG)	Raymond L. Gilbert <pi@wam.umd.edu>
(SGM)	Myerson <sgm@ssd.ray.com>
(WU)	Warren Usui <aardvark@snap.la.locus.com>

--

Matthew Merzbacher	ARPA:	matthew@CS.UCLA.EDU
Moo - Moo Moo  		UUCP:	...!{uunet|rutgers|ucbvax}!cs.ucla.edu!matthew
               		This time, *with* the oys
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge