What’s your call?
| 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT | ||
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
Meckstroth is greedy. That’s a virtue in a matchpoint player. “Double, hoping to get 500. We could have a slam here, but there is no guarantee we even have 11 tricks. So I’ll take the plus score.”
Robinson doubles to show values. “Partner can pull with distribution. I don’t think I’ll make 5♥ opposite a normal takeout double.”
“We hate to get stampeded to the five level,” grumble the Joyces, who retaliate with a double.
Lawrence doubles, too. “Pass is not forcing. Perhaps it should be. You can make a case for it. I am a passed hand, which tempers my values.”
Walker calls it a close decision, and doubles. “The empty heart suit and low doubleton diamond are liabilities. But if partner has a long major, he may bid again.”
Stack homes in on the worthless diamond doubleton, too, as reason enough to double. “This could make four or five or six hearts or spades, but who knows? Why not take the profit when the opponents make us guess at a high level.”
“If they got us, they got us,” says Colchamiro as he doubles. “But the way players bounce nowadays, maybe they just got got.”
“I’m too balanced to insist on playing at the five level,” Rigal explains as he doubles. “Partnerships might agree pass was forcing at unfavorable vulnerability and more encouraging than double; not here. Partner will normally pass, but can act with extra shape.”
The Gordons make the offensive 5♥ call. “Yes, double would be cards here, but partner will rarely pull. And this hand has great potential.”
Falk bids 5♥. “I could not possibly have a better hand for partner, and we might have a grand slam, so I have to take the slight risk we could be down on a spade ruff. It’s far more likely we belong in at least 6♥ than that 5♥ is going down.”
Boehm calls his 5♥ a “middle of the road” action. “Double should show less offensive potential; slam is not out of reach.”
Kennedy bids 5♥. “My hand certainly warrants a free 5♥ call. If partner has a huge hand, he will continue.”
5♥ from the Coopers. “We may be able to make a slam, so let’s let partner know that we have reasonable values.”
