Retro Edition

What’s your call?

4♠ 4NT
5♣ 5 5 5♠ 5NT
6♣ 6 6 6♠ 6NT
7♣ 7 7 7♠ 7NT
Dbl Pass
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Panelists
August Boehm, Larry Cohen, Mel Colchamiro, The Coopers, Allan Falk, The Gordons, Geoff Hampson, The Joyces, Betty Ann Kennedy, Mike Lawrence, Jeff Meckstroth, Jill Meyers, Barry Rigal, Steve Robinson, Kerri Sanborn, Don Stack, The Sutherlins, Karen Walker, Steve Weinstein, Bridge Baron

Pushed ‘em up and now what?
“Both double and 4♠ seem too unilateral,” explains Weinstein. “They could easily be making, or we could have a profitable save. By passing, we involve partner in the decision.”

Boehm, too, is interested in partner’s point of view. “It seems that 4 may be a lucky make, so I won’t double and bar partner. Maybe he can sniff a double fit for our side and bid a lucky 4♠.”

“Pass,” echo the Sutherlins. “Most East–West pairs are not going to be in game. 4♠ does not rate to make, and bidding it for a save will be a poor result. We have some cards and a good lead. Let’s defend.”

Lawrence claims he’s “happy (sort of)” that the opponents have bid to 4. “We do not rate to make 3♠, so getting a plus is a good result.”

“Partner succeeded in getting them two levels higher,” notes Hampson. “I will not punish us for pushing them to a game that the field may have bid on their own steam.”

Cohen’s analysis: “Plus 100 might be good enough if my partner stuck his neck out while a lot of the field our way is minus 140 against 2. Also, some Wests might have invited the first time, or some Easts might have pre-accepted, so I am no worse
off than on par with the field. In case 4 is cold, minus 620 might not be a disaster. But minus 790 will.”

“Pass,” bids Colchamiro. “Haven’t we done enough already? Who knows if they have a secondary fit in clubs?”

The Gordons pass. “If they make this, 4♠ will probably be ugly and we probably won’t get much for having pushed them anyway.”

Rigal will not go quietly. “Double and lead a spade. A bottom is only a bottom. Saving for minus 200 won’t get us any matchpoints, will it? So it is only if 4♠ is making that we need to
act. I’ve been wrong before.”

Meckstroth doubles, and points out: “It will probably be a lousy board if they are making this.”

Sanborn attacks, too: “I don’t think we are making 4♠, and a save would be a terrible matchpoint score if we go for minus 200. If they are down one and it is our hand for 3♠, I may as well protect my plus 140 and hope for plus 200. If they are making, we have a disaster board anyway.”

The Joyces double for the same reason: “We will try to protect our plus 140 in spades.”

“The opponents were passed out in two,” observes Meyers, poised with the red X. “We could be getting a really bad score for going down one in 4
undoubled if we are cold for 3♠. This is matchpoints.”

The Coopers are trapped into doubling. “We pushed them to this possibly cold game, so the zero we might get for 4 doubled making will be no rounder than for it making undoubled. We need to protect our plus 140 in 3♠.”

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