Quiz 8B41 Main

Crow Low, Crow High

by Richard Pavlicek

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered bidding theory,
Omens of the days of yore came tapping at my chamber door.
Quoth the raven: One or four!

On each of these problems you must decide whether to open one or four in your major suit. If you would bid anything else, please don’t admit it, as it would only prove you’re a raven lunatic.

Choose your opening bid, then compare your decision with the two experts who faced the same situation in real life and bid differently. Click “Score Me” at any time to see your running score. If you finish plus after 10 boards, you’re a raven genius.

Problem 1

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A K 9 8 7 6 4
J 6
A 4 3
J
Opening bid in third seat? 1 4

1997 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

USA1 vs
USA2 Q 2
5 2
K 7 6 5 2
K 4 3 2
J 5
K 10 9 8
9 8
10 8 7 6 5 Table A K 9 8 7 6 4
J 6
A 4 3
J
N-S Vul 10 3
A Q 7 4 3
Q J 10
A Q 9

Martel
WEST
Pass
Pass
3 Rodwell
North
Pass
2
All Pass Stansby
East
1
2 Meckstroth
South
Dbl
3 East played 3
Lead: Q
Made 4

Nickell
WEST
Pass
Pass Rosenberg
North
Pass
Pass Freeman
East
4
Pass Zia
South
Dbl East played 4 ×
Lead: Q
Down 1

Problem 2

IMPs, Both Vul

K Q J 7 6 4 2
2
A 4
J 7 4
Opening bid as dealer? 1 4

2004 Olympiad Qualifying

Ireland vs
Hungary 10 9 5
K 5 4
J 9 5
A 10 8 3
K Q J 7 6 4 2
2
A 4
J 7 4 Table 8 3
A Q J 8 6
10 6 2
Q 9 5
Both Vul A
10 9 7 3
K Q 8 7 3
K 6 2

Winkler
WEST
1
2
Pass Mesbur
North
Pass
Pass
3 Dumbovich
East
1 NT
Pass
All Pass Fitzgibbon
South
Pass
Dbl North played 3
Lead: 8
Down 2

Hanlon
WEST
4 Macskasy
North
Pass McGann
East
Pass Szalay
South
Pass West played 4
Lead: 4
Made 4

Quiz 8B41 Quit Top Crow Low, Crow High

Problem 3

IMPs, Your Side Vul

A K J 9 8 6 2
3
9 3
K 9 6
Opening bid in second seat? 1 4

2005 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

Italy vs
Egypt A K J 9 8 6 2
3
9 3
K 9 6
Q 10
Q 8 6
A J 6 5
Q 10 8 3 Table 5 3
K 10 9 5 4 2
K Q
A 7 4
N-S Vul 7 4
A J 7
10 8 7 4 2
J 5 2

Sadek
WEST
Pass
2 Versace
North
1
3 El Ahmady
East
2
4 Lauria
South
Pass
All Pass East played 4
Lead: 7
Made 4

Nunes
WEST
Pass
Pass Dagher
North
4 Fantoni
East
Pass El Kourdy
South
Pass North played 4
Lead: K
Down 2

Problem 4

IMPs, Your Side Vul

Q 10
A J 9 8 7 5 3 2
A 6 2
—
Opening bid as dealer? 1 4

2007 USBC Semifinal

Nickell vs
Deutsch 9 6 4 3
K
K 7 4
K Q 5 4 3
Q 10
A J 9 8 7 5 3 2
A 6 2
— Table A K 8 7
Q 6 4
Q 10 8 5 3
8
E-W Vul J 5 2
10
J 9
A J 10 9 7 6 2

Kranyak
WEST
1
4
Pass
Dbl Nickell
North
Pass
5
7
All Pass Deutsch
East
1
6
Pass Freeman
South
3
Pass
Pass South played 7 ×
Lead: A
Down 5

Rodwell
WEST
4
Pass
Pass Cohler
North
Pass
Pass
6 Meckstroth
East
Pass
5
Dbl Baze
South
5
Pass
All Pass South played 6 ×
Lead: A
Down 4

Quiz 8B41 Quit Top Crow Low, Crow High

Problem 5

IMPs, None Vul

9
K 10 8 7 5 3 2
—
A Q 6 3 2
Opening bid as dealer? 1 4

2007 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal

USA1 vs
South Africa Q 10 6 5 4 3
J 9 6
10 8 5
10
9
K 10 8 7 5 3 2
—
A Q 6 3 2 Table K 7
—
A K J 9 7 6 3 2
K J 9
None Vul A J 8 2
A Q 4
Q 4
8 7 5 4

Apteker
WEST
4 Zia
North
Pass Gower
East
Pass Rosenberg
South
Pass West played 4
Lead: 10
Down 1

Weinstein
WEST
1
4 Holman
North
2
Pass Garner
East
3
6 Cope
South
3
All Pass East played 6
Lead: A
Made 6

Problem 6

IMPs, Both Vul

3
A K 9 7 5 4 3
10 5
A J 2
Opening bid in third seat? 1 4

2008 Vanderbilt Quarterfinal

Katz vs
Rubin J 8 7
J
A K 8 6
Q 10 7 5 4
Q 10 9 5 2
Q 8
Q J 9 3
8 6 Table 3
A K 9 7 5 4 3
10 5
A J 2
Both Vul A K 6 4
10 6 2
7 4 2
K 9 3

Rubin
WEST
Pass
1 Katz
North
Pass
Dbl Ekeblad
East
1
2 Jacobs
South
Pass
All Pass East played 2
Lead: 2
Made 3

Weinstein
WEST
Pass
Pass Verhees
North
Pass
Pass Levin
East
4 Jansma
South
Pass East played 4
Lead: A
Down 2

Quiz 8B41 Quit Top Crow Low, Crow High

Problem 7

IMPs, None Vul

8 3
A K Q J 9 7 6 3
9 3
5
Opening bid as dealer? 1 4

2008 USBC Semifinal

Welland vs
Nickell Q 10 7 5
10 8
A 5
K Q J 9 8
8 3
A K Q J 9 7 6 3
9 3
5 Table K 4 2
5 4 2
Q J 6 2
6 3 2
None Vul A J 9 6
—
K 10 8 7 4
A 10 7 4

Rodwell
WEST
1
Pass
6 Weinstein
North
2
4
Dbl Meckstroth
East
2
Pass
All Pass Garner
South
4
6 West played 6 ×
Lead: K
Down 4

Welland
WEST
4
Pass Freeman
North
Pass
4 Willenken
East
Pass
All Pass Nickell
South
Dbl North played 4
Lead: 2
Made 6

Problem 8

IMPs, Opponents Vul

J 10
A K 10 7 5 3
J 9 6 4 3
—
Opening bid as dealer? 1 4

2009 USBC Quarterfinal

Rogoff vs
Robinson Q 9 4 3
Q
A Q 10 2
K Q 8 6
J 10
A K 10 7 5 3
J 9 6 4 3
— Table 7 6 2
J 9 6
8 7
A J 10 3 2
N-S Vul A K 8 5
8 4 2
K 5
9 7 5 4

Robinson
WEST
4 Johnson
North
Pass Boyd
East
Pass Simson
South
Pass West played 4
Lead: K
Down 1

Rogoff
WEST
1
4
5 Woolsey
North
Dbl
4
Dbl Parker
East
2
Pass
All Pass Stewart
South
2
Pass West played 5 ×
Lead: 4
Down 2

Quiz 8B41 Quit Top Crow Low, Crow High

Problem 9

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A J 10 8 5 3 2
K 3
K Q 3
7
Opening bid in third seat? 1 4

2009 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal

Italy vs
Bulgaria 9 6
J 10 7 2
A J 10
K 10 4 3
Q 4
6 5 4
9 8 6 4
Q J 9 2 Table A J 10 8 5 3 2
K 3
K Q 3
7
N-S Vul K 7
A Q 9 8
7 5 2
A 8 6 5

Trendafilov
WEST
Pass
Pass Nunes
North
Pass
Pass Karaivanov
East
4 Fantoni
South
Pass East played 4
Lead: A
Down 2

Lauria
WEST
Pass
Pass
All Pass Danailov
North
Pass
3 Versace
East
1
3 Karakolev
South
Dbl
4 North played 4
Lead: K
Made 4

Problem 10

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A K 10 8 6 5 3
J 7 2
K 5
5
Opening bid in third seat? 1 4

2009 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

Italy vs
New Zealand Q 9 7 2
Q 6 5
8
J 6 4 3 2
J
K 10 9 8 4
A 9 4 2
Q 9 8 Table A K 10 8 6 5 3
J 7 2
K 5
5
N-S Vul 4
A 3
Q J 10 7 6 3
A K 10 7

Ware
WEST
Pass
Pass Fantoni
North
Pass
Pass Whibley
East
4 Nunes
South
Pass East played 4
Lead: A
Down 1

Duboin
WEST
Pass
2
Pass
All Pass Cornell
North
Pass
Pass
4 Sementa
East
1
2
Pass Bach
South
2
3
5 South played 5
Lead: J
Down 2

Results and IMP scores are based on what happened in real life, so the winning opening bid is not necessarily correct in theory, nor does it prove anything. Nonetheless, you must accept the result of your choice, whether you agree with the actual auction or not.

Well, are you a raven genius or a raven lunatic?

Quiz 8B41 Main Top Crow Low, Crow High

USA1 vs USA2	Q 2 5 2 K 7 6 5 2 K 4 3 2
J 5 K 10 9 8 9 8 10 8 7 6 5		A K 9 8 7 6 4 J 6 A 4 3 J
N-S Vul	10 3 A Q 7 4 3 Q J 10 A Q 9

Ireland vs Hungary	10 9 5 K 5 4 J 9 5 A 10 8 3
K Q J 7 6 4 2 2 A 4 J 7 4		8 3 A Q J 8 6 10 6 2 Q 9 5
Both Vul	A 10 9 7 3 K Q 8 7 3 K 6 2

Italy vs Egypt	A K J 9 8 6 2 3 9 3 K 9 6
Q 10 Q 8 6 A J 6 5 Q 10 8 3		5 3 K 10 9 5 4 2 K Q A 7 4
N-S Vul	7 4 A J 7 10 8 7 4 2 J 5 2

Nickell vs Deutsch	9 6 4 3 K K 7 4 K Q 5 4 3
Q 10 A J 9 8 7 5 3 2 A 6 2 —		A K 8 7 Q 6 4 Q 10 8 5 3 8
E-W Vul	J 5 2 10 J 9 A J 10 9 7 6 2

USA1 vs South Africa	Q 10 6 5 4 3 J 9 6 10 8 5 10
9 K 10 8 7 5 3 2 — A Q 6 3 2		K 7 — A K J 9 7 6 3 2 K J 9
None Vul	A J 8 2 A Q 4 Q 4 8 7 5 4

Katz vs Rubin	J 8 7 J A K 8 6 Q 10 7 5 4
Q 10 9 5 2 Q 8 Q J 9 3 8 6		3 A K 9 7 5 4 3 10 5 A J 2
Both Vul	A K 6 4 10 6 2 7 4 2 K 9 3

Welland vs Nickell	Q 10 7 5 10 8 A 5 K Q J 9 8
8 3 A K Q J 9 7 6 3 9 3 5		K 4 2 5 4 2 Q J 6 2 6 3 2
None Vul	A J 9 6 — K 10 8 7 4 A 10 7 4

Rogoff vs Robinson	Q 9 4 3 Q A Q 10 2 K Q 8 6
J 10 A K 10 7 5 3 J 9 6 4 3 —		7 6 2 J 9 6 8 7 A J 10 3 2
N-S Vul	A K 8 5 8 4 2 K 5 9 7 5 4

Italy vs Bulgaria	9 6 J 10 7 2 A J 10 K 10 4 3
Q 4 6 5 4 9 8 6 4 Q J 9 2		A J 10 8 5 3 2 K 3 K Q 3 7
N-S Vul	K 7 A Q 9 8 7 5 2 A 8 6 5

Italy vs New Zealand	Q 9 7 2 Q 6 5 8 J 6 4 3 2
J K 10 9 8 4 A 9 4 2 Q 9 8		A K 10 8 6 5 3 J 7 2 K 5 5
N-S Vul	4 A 3 Q J 10 7 6 3 A K 10 7

Crow Low, Crow High

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered bidding theory,Omens of the days of yore came tapping at my chamber door.Quoth the raven: One or four!

Problem 1

1997 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

Problem 2

2004 Olympiad Qualifying

Problem 3

2005 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

Problem 4

2007 USBC Semifinal

Problem 5

2007 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal

Problem 6

2008 Vanderbilt Quarterfinal

Problem 7

2008 USBC Semifinal

Problem 8

2009 USBC Quarterfinal

Problem 9

2009 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal

Problem 10

2009 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered bidding theory,
Omens of the days of yore came tapping at my chamber door.
Quoth the raven: One or four!