Same as previous article. There is some luck in masterpoints. Make a selection of twenty heads/tails guesses and write them down before you do any bidding. Cross them off as you use them, e.g. HTTTHTHHTHTHTHHHH
You are playing "tournament standard" 2/1.
Board 1
The 1NT overcall shows 4+ hearts/5+ clubs. Partner's pass denies 3 spades.
Your bid?
Board 1
Score: 6 if you bid 4♠, 2 otherwise. 0 if you tried 3NT.
Full deal:
Board 2
This one is against Meckstroth/Rodwell.
Your bid?
Board 2
If you let them play 2♠, they will take 8 tricks.
If you bid 3♦ like you shouldn't, you take 8 tricks; don't ask me how.
Even the best have a slip up on defense.
3♦ - 1 scores better than 2♠ making.
Score: 4 if you passed, 6 if you bid 3♦.
Full deal:
Board 3
Your bid?
Board 3
Does West really have 4 hearts and was slow playing the hand, or does she have 3 hearts and is violating The Law? You know partner has 4 spades. Do you pass, double or bid 3♠?
Score: 8 if you bid 3♠, 0 otherwise.
There are no police at the BRP, violate The Law all you want. Almost everyone bid 3♠. (OK, probably different auctions, but my point still the same).
Full deal:
Board 4
2♠ is spades and a minor.
Your bid?
Board 4
Pass. Is there any real alternative? Just because it is presented in a quiz format doesn't mean that there is a trick deal every hand. 22/26 tables played 2♠ either by East or West. Your score depends on declarer luck and defense mistakes.
Score: Look at your next two heads/tails predictions. If they are HH, score 9 - you took 10 tricks. If they are HT, score 7 - you took 9 tricks. Anything else, score 2, you took 8 tricks.
Full deal:
Board 5
Your bid?
Board 5
You only take 9 tricks in spades.
Score: 6 if you passed, 2 if you bid 4♠. However, if you bid 4♠ and your next set of H/T are HTH, then you bid and made 4♠. Score 10.
Full deal:
Board 6
Partner's double is penalty.
Your bid?
Board 6
Score: 5 if you pass, 7 if you double, 1 if you bid 5♥ or 5♠.
Full deal:
Board 7
1NT is 14+ to 17. Double is a two suiter. 3♥ shows hearts and spades.
Your bid?
Board 7
Partner must have a strong hand to bud at the three level vulnerable. Opener has implied an off-shape 1NT opening bid. You have two aces. Is it worth supporting partner?
If you passed or doubled, they make 4♣. If you bid 4♥, and your next guess is heads - you play in 4♥; if your next guess is tails, they compete to 5♣ which you double, down 1.
Score: 2 if you passed, 0 if you doubled. If you played 4♥, score 8; if you had to double 5♣, score 7.
Full deal:
Board 8
There was nothing to the bidding, so this is a lead problem.
Your lead?
Board 8
If you lead a spade or the queen or jack of diamonds, you can set the contract. If you lead a heart, they make.
Score: 9 if you set the contract, 4 otherwise.
Full deal:
Board 9
Again, another lead problem.
Your lead?
Board 9
Partner can have, at most, 4HCP. If you gambled that it might be the ♠A, you lost the bet. If you lead a low spade, they make 6. If you lead anything else (except ♥Q), they make 5.
Score: 8 if you led the king or queen of spades, else 3.
Full deal:
Board 10
2♦ is weak.
Your bid?
Board 10
Score: 1 if you passed, 0 if you double. 8 if you bid 5♣. 3 if you bid 6♣ or more.
Full deal:
Board 11
Partner's double shows 4 spades.
Your bid?
Board 11
Score: 6 if you bid 2♠. If you bid 4♠ and picked heads, score 9, else score 4.
Full deal:
Board 12
Your bid?
Board 12
Score: 6 if you bid 4♥, 4 if you passed.
Full deal:
Board 13
Your bid?
Board 13
You only have 1 heart stopper in NT and the K♣ is off-side.
Score: 2 if you bid 3NT, 7 if you bid 5♣, 2 if you bid to 6♣.
Full deal:
Board 14
Do you explore slam or not?
Your bid?
If you bid RKC, partner will show two without the queen.
Your bid?
We assume you have bid 6♠. Over to partner
Do you convert to 6NT or play in 6♠?
Your bid?
Board 14
There were multiple questions. If you stopped in 4♠ and did not bid key card you make 12 tricks. Assuming a key card or cue bidding sequence, did you convert 6♠ to 6NT?
8 of 26 tables did not bid slam. There are 12 tricks in clubs, spades and NT.
Score: 1 if you stopped in 4♠ or 5♠. 2 if you stopped in 3NT (or 4NT), 4 if you stopped in 6♠, 8 if you bid to 6NT.
Full deal:
Board 15
Your bid?
Board 15
2♠ makes but is tricky with a 5-1 spade break. Partner's 2♣ bid might be on a 3 card suit, so everyone corrected to 2♠.
Score: If you bid 2♠, and picked heads, score 8; if you picked tails score 5. If you passed (seriously??) score 8.
Full deal:
Board 16
The double showed 4 spades. The redouble showed 3 card heart support.
Your bid?
Board 16
Hearts break 4-2; it's ugly.
Score: 2 if you passed, 0 if you bid 2♥. If you bid 2♥ and your next two coins are HH, HT, or TH, then score 6. They compete to 3♦ which you pass and you set it 1.
Full deal:
Board 17
Are you going to just bid game, invite slam, RKC or bid slam?
Your bid?
Board 17
9 of 26 tables made it to 6♥, 1 made it to 6NT. Did you bid on?
Score:8 if you bid to 6♥, 10 if you bid to 6NT, 3 otherwise.
Full deal:
Board 18
Partner has forced you to bid and now forced you again. You have promised nothing. Your LHO made a 3rd seat white opening bid. Your RHO is silent. Partner could have 25+ points. is there any reason to bid a 3 card suit? Where is this auction going?
Your bid?
Board 18
Some players bid 2♥ which was raised to 3♥ or more by partner. The KJx are off-side.
Score: 6 if you bid 3♣. Partner will pass. If you bid anything else partner will get too excited, score 3.
Full deal:
Board 19
Do you bid 2♠ or 2♥?
Your bid?
Board 19
Someone has probably done the analysis and which is the better bid. Both 3♥ and 3♠ make double dummy, but single dummy you are more likely to take 8 tricks in hearts. This time partner has a 4 card heart suit.
Score: 5 if you bid 2♠, 8 if you bid 3♥.
Full deal:
Board 20
Do you pass, double or bid hearts?
Your bid?
Board 20
3♠ is going down 1, so is 4♥. West cannot get to East's hand.
Score: 6 if you pass, 10 if you double, 4 if you bid to 4♥.
Full deal:
Board 21
An unusual auction for sure. West would overcall 1NT with a big hand so must have running diamonds, presumably a heart and spade stopper and it appears no club stopper.
Your bid?
Board 21
Score: 0 if you pass or double (someone did), 4 if you bid 4♣, 8 if you bid 3♥ - partner will raise you and you just make game.
Full deal:
Board 22
Do you pass or rebid spades? Per agreement, partner must have 2+ spades to bid 1NT.
Your bid?
Board 22
Did you pass or rebid spades? What do you think our lawless BRP players did? 18/26 bid 2♠. Both 1NT and 2♠ make exactly, but both are hard to play with entry issues. All of the NT bidders made the contract; only 4/18 in 2♠ made it. We use the coins. If your next two coins are exactly HT then you made an overtrick in NT and made your 2♠ contract; if they are not exactly HT then you only made 1NT and went down 1 in 2♠ for -50.
Score: 10 for +120, 9 for +110, 7 for +90, 3 for -50.
Full deal:
Board 23
Your bid?
Board 23
If you bid a non diamond suit, this is a one round force. If you bid spades, partner may raise you. If you bid 2♦, they will compete to 3♥. If you bid 3♦ you win the auction.
Score: 9 if you bid 1♠ - partner bids 1NT with no heart stopper and took the first 7 tricks, 5 if you bid 3♦ - partner goes down 1, 1 otherwise - they compete to 4♥.
Full deal:
Board 24
Your bid?
Board 24
Score: 8 if you bid 5♣, 10 if you bid 6♣, 4 if you doubled.
Full deal:
Board 25
Partner's redouble shows 10+ HCPs. Both of West's doubles are penalty.
Your bid?
Board 25
Seems more like the Reisinger than the BRP. Red/blue/green cards everywhere. If you doubled, you have company. 6/8 pairs did. N/S can only take 6 tricks in hearts.
Score: 8 if you doubled, 3 if you did not. Score 2 if you bid 2♠ - it makes.
Full deal:
Board 26
Your bid?
Board 26
Score: 6 if you bid 1NT. If you pass.... if your coin is heads, score 10 - they play the 1♣ doubled down 2, if your coin is tails, they get to 2♦, making, score 5.
Full deal:
Add up all 26 scores. Multiply by 10 to convert the scores to percentages. Divide by 26 (number of boards). This is your percentage score for the round.
Benefits include:
Plus... it's free!