It’s Your Call
IMPs. N-S vulnerable.
♠K 9 8 7 5 3 ♥4 ♦A K 4 ♣A K 6
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | Pass | 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 |
| Dbl | Pass |
Values to jump but the trump suit lacks body … “Aren’t we tired of this umpteenth variation on a theme?” asks Falk who, like a majority of the panel, bids 2♣. “I’m in the group that believes that if we survive this round of bidding, we’ll be in good shape.””
Sanborn is in that group, as well. “Frequently, a good hand with a six-card major rebids a three- or four-card minor, hoping to survive the second round of bidding. This hand is good, but the spade suit is anemic, so a 3♠ bid is not appropriate. If I get the chance to rebid spades, it would indicate a hand of this strength or thereabouts. Meanwhile, if 2♣ is passed, a lot of good things could be happening, including a makeable partscore, a balancing opponent who gets into trouble, etc.”
The Gordons agree that if partner passes 2♣, “it isn’t such a disaster.”
Lawrence, too, bids 2♣. “If I can follow with 2♠, that will show almost what I have. He adds that the downside to a 2♣ bid is when it is passed out and there’s a better partscore in spades available.
Meyers and Rigal both “go low,” hoping that partner will not pass. “My plan is to raise diamonds and bid 2NT over 2♥,” Rigal says.
“2♣ leaves me most options over partner’s next bid,” Meyers says, then adds, “If that is pass, I hope we have not missed game.”
Someone always touts the superiority of a strong club system in handling these hand types, and this month it’s Cohen (again): “Playing standard, you just have to pick among lies. Bidding 2♣ in tempo leaves the most options open — you just hope and pray partner bids again.”
Boehm says that while 2♣ “may look odd, 3♠ with a bad suit and 2NT with a low singleton appeal less.”
Robinson has no regard for the spades. “They look like a five-card suit.”
The 3♠ bidders admit the suit is shaky for the jump rebid.
Says Meckstroth, “I would like to have a better suit but I feel I need to show my extra values. My second choice would be 2♣, but I don’t think partner can ever figure out I’m 6–3 in the black suits.”
“The spades are not up to this bid, but the hand is,” say the Coopers. “Anything else is worse. The hand is suit-oriented.”
Kennedy isn’t apologizing for her 3♠ bid. “If my suit was solid, I would choose 3NT.”
The Joyces opt for an invitational 2NT. “Nothing is perfect. We are still hoping for game.”