Matchpoints. E-W vulnerable.
♠10 3 ♥A 10 9 2 ♦4 ♣A Q 9 8 7 5
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♦ | Pass | 1♥ | |
| Pass | 1NT | Pass | ? |
What’s your call?
| 2♣ | 2♦ | 2♥ | 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 |
| Redbl | Pass |
Does partner have the ♣K? Can the opponents run the first five spade tricks (unlikely — they’ve been as silent as church mice throughout the auction)? Some bridge players look at a hand like this and see the glass as half full; others see it as half empty; still others aren’t sure what they’re seeing, so they decide to ask partner what the glass looks like from the other side of the table. That club suit has a decided majority of the panel brimming over with optimism.
“3NT,” says Robinson. “If I could invite in clubs, I would. If the clubs come in, we could easily make 3NT. When in doubt, go for the brass ring.”
“Points schmoints,” dismisses Cohen. “I expect to take a lot of club tricks. My major-suit 10s give me added encouragement.”
Walker calculates the odds carefully before bidding 3NT. “Another 50 percent contract — it either makes or it doesn’t.”
Sanborn blasts to 3NT, as well. “Playing two-way new-minor forcing, I could bid 2♣ then 3♣ to show this hand.”
Stack bids 3NT, too. “Passive or aggressive? At IMPs this would be a standout bid and this is my choice at any form of the game. The club spots are very good and the trick-taking potential very high.”
The pessimists:
“Pass,” says Rigal. “This may not be our best possible spot, but it rates to be our best spot possible. Game could be anywhere between laydown and no-play. At pairs, try to go plus, and in notrump when possible, not in the minors.”
The Joyces, too, pass 1NT “even though we would not be surprised to make three or four. At matchpoints, any plus beats any minus.”
Boehm and the Coopers bid 3♣ hoping it sounds invitational and not weak. Meckstroth bids 2NT invitational. “The notrump reward is too tempting to pass up, but I don’t want to go all in with 3NT.”
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