What’s your call?
| 5NT | ||||
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass |
Lee passes. “I’m not happy about this, but it’s too easy to make up hands where we’re off two tricks.”
Pass by Colchamiro. “I’ll try to go plus. Partner’s double just says, ‘I think this is our hand.’ It is possible that we are cold for 6♣ opposite:
♠x x ♥A K x x x x ♦ A x ♣A Q x,
but actually bidding 6♣ with my hand is way too rich for me.”
Lawrence: “Pass. This sequence does not feel takeout-ish. I expect something like:
♠A x ♥A K x x x x x ♦ K J x ♣x.”
Kennedy agrees. “No reason to overrule the double.”
Rigal, too: “That double simply said 5♥ was bid to make. No controls makes bidding on too risky. But can we beat 5♠? Who knows?”
Pass by Robinson. “I expect to beat 5♠ and we have no safety at the six level.”
“I don’t think I am making anything at the six level,” says Meyers. “I think partner has them beat in her own hand.”
The Sutherlins bid 6♣. “Can partner can have anything less than:
♠x ♥A K x x x x ♦ A J x ♣A 10 x?
Plus 1370 is much better than settling for plus 200 or 500 on defense!”
Abdou bids 6♣. “It sounds like the vulnerable opponents have 11 or 12 spades, but I’m not sure who’s saving. 6♣ could have a play if partner holds something like:
♠x ♥A K Q x x x ♦ A x x ♣A x x.
Maybe they will bid 6♠. Who knows? This is high-stakes poker.”
Boehm also tries 6♣. “I might regret it if both contracts are down one, but 6♣ could be laydown. Or the opponents may push on to 6♠, which I expect to beat.”
Weinstein believes that partner’s double says he bid 5♥ to make. “I am not sure if they are making or we are, so I’ll just make the call with the most upside. 6♣ should show some heart tolerance since, if I were short in hearts, I would pass the double.”
Korbel thinks the IMP odds favor bidding 6♣ as well. “This could easily make opposite a control-rich hand – say,
♠x x ♥A K 10 9 x x x ♦ A x ♣A x.
I don’t think we’re getting rich against 5♠, and if we have a big club fit, 5♠ could be a surprise make.”
According to Falk, “partner’s double is ‘cards.’ He’s got extras for his 5♥ bid (in terms of defense). I expect 6♣ to have some play – from fair to excellent. I expect the panel majority will be to pass, and they might be right. LHO may even bid 6♠ over 6♣, fearing I have a spade void. I just have to bid in tempo. If I agonize for five minutes and then bid 6♣, LHO will be pretty sure they can cash one spade.”
