Quiz 8B51 Main

Combatting Preempts

by Richard Pavlicek

Winning combat tactics for the bidder who is troubled?
Parry left! Parry right! Try to escape undoubled!

On each of these 10 problems, your right-hand opponent (RHO) opens with a preemptive bid, and you are presented with two reasonable options. If you would do something else, don’t admit it, as I’d have to flatten you with a flying scissors kick.

Choose your call, then compare your choice 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, consider yourself a black belt.

Problem 1

IMPs, Your Side Vul

Q 10 6 3 2
10 8 3
A K
K Q J
RHO opens 3 as dealer. Your call? P 3

2006 USBC Final

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

Zia
WEST
3
Pass Greco
North
3
Pass Rosenberg
East
Pass
Pass Hampson
South
4 North played 4
Lead: Q
Made 5

Rubin
WEST
3
Pass Garner
North
Pass
Pass Ekeblad
East
4 Weinstein
South
Pass West played 4
Lead: A
Down 2

Problem 2

IMPs, None Vul

A Q 10 8
A Q J 9 3 2
9 8 7
—
RHO opens 3 in second seat. Your call? X 3

2007 Vanderbilt Round of 16

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

Feldman
WEST
Pass
Pass
4 Weinstein
North
3
Pass
Pass Bramley
East
Dbl
3
4 Levin
South
3
Pass
All Pass East played 4
Lead: A
Down 1

Zia
WEST
Pass
3 NT
4 Kamil
North
3
Pass
All Pass Rosenberg
East
3
4 Fleisher
South
Pass
Pass West played 4
Lead: K
Made 4

Quiz 8B51 Quit Top Combatting Preempts

Problem 3

IMPs, Both Vul

A J
K 10 7 6 3
J
Q 10 8 6 3
RHO opens 3 as dealer. Your call? P 3

2007 Spingold Semifinal

Nickell vs
H-Welland A J
K 10 7 6 3
J
Q 10 8 6 3
10 6 3
J
K Q 9 7 6 4 2
K 4 Table 9 8 7 5 2
4 2
5 3
A 7 5 2
Both Vul K Q 4
A Q 9 8 5
A 10 8
J 9

Wrang
WEST
3
Pass
Pass
All Pass Meckstroth
North
3
4
5 Nilsson
East
Pass
Pass
Pass Rodwell
South
4
4
6 North played 6
Lead: A
Down 1

Soloway
WEST
3
Pass
All Pass Willenken
North
Pass
4 Hamman
East
Pass
Pass Welland
South
3
4 South played 4
Lead: K
Made 5

Problem 4

IMPs, Both Vul

A J 2
K 6 2
A Q J 10 6
A 3
RHO opens 3 in second suit. Your call? X 3 NT

2007 Spingold Round of 16

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

Zhao
WEST
Pass
Pass
4 Versace
North
3
Pass
All Pass Fu
East
Dbl
Dbl Lauria
South
3
Pass West played 4
Lead: 9
Down 1

Nunes
WEST
Pass
Pass Bertheau
North
3
Pass Fantoni
East
3 NT Nystrom
South
Pass East played 3 NT
Lead: A
Down 3

Quiz 8B51 Quit Top Combatting Preempts

Problem 5

IMPs, Both Vul

—
A K Q
Q 8 6 3 2
K Q 10 9 8
RHO opens 3 as dealer. Your call? X 4 NT

2007 Bermuda Bowl Final

USA1 vs
Norway —
A K Q
Q 8 6 3 2
K Q 10 9 8
Q J 9 7 5 4 2
8
J 10
A 6 4 Table K
J 9 7 5 3
A 9 4
J 7 5 3
Both Vul A 10 8 6 3
10 6 4 2
K 7 5
2

Helness
WEST
3
Pass Jacobs
North
Dbl Helgemo
East
Pass Katz
South
Pass West played 3 ×
Lead: Q
Down 1

Garner
WEST
3
Pass Groetheim
North
4 NT
Pass Weinstein
East
Pass
Pass Tundal
South
5 South played 5
Lead: 8
Down 1

Problem 6

IMPs, None Vul

A Q 7 4 3
Q J
Q J 7
A J 9
RHO opens 3 in second seat. Your call? X 3

2007 Bermuda Bowl Quarterfinal

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

Bosenberg
WEST
Pass
4
All Pass Bocchi
North
3
Pass Eber
East
3
Pass Duboin
South
Pass
Dbl East played 4 ×
Lead: 4
Down 4

Fantoni
WEST
Pass
3 NT Cope
North
3
Pass Nunes
East
Dbl
Pass Holman
South
Pass
Pass West played 3 NT
Lead: 10
Down 1

Quiz 8B51 Quit Top Combatting Preempts

Problem 7

IMPs, Your Side Vul

K Q 8 6 5
A 3 2
K 8
K J 6
RHO opens 3 in second seat. Your call? X 3

2008 World Championship Semifinal

Germany vs
England 9 3 2
K 4
A J 9 7 6 4 3
9
10
Q 8 7 5
10 5
A Q 8 7 5 3 Table K Q 8 6 5
A 3 2
K 8
K J 6
E-W Vul A J 7 4
J 10 9 6
Q 2
10 4 2

Hackett,Ja
WEST
Pass
4
5 Gromoeller
North
3
Pass
All Pass Hackett,Ju
East
Dbl
4 Kirmse
South
Pass
Pass West played 5
Lead: A
Made 5

Elinescu
WEST
Pass
Pass Sandqvist
North
3
Pass Wladow
East
3 Malinowski
South
Pass East played 3
Lead: Q
Down 1

Problem 8

IMPs, None Vul

K 10 4
8
K Q J 10 9 4
A 8 7
RHO opens 3 in second seat. Your call? P 4

2009 USBC Final

Robinson vs
Fleisher Q 8 3
A Q J 10 9 3 2
3
J 4
9 7 6 5 2
K 6
A 6 2
Q 10 9 Table K 10 4
8
K Q J 10 9 4
A 8 7
None Vul A J
7 5 4
8 7 5
K 6 5 3 2

Weichsel
WEST
Pass
4 NT Woolsey
North
3
Pass Ekeblad
East
4
Pass Stewart
South
Pass
Pass West played 4 NT
Lead: 3
Made 94

Wildavsky
WEST
Pass
Pass Granovetter
North
3
Pass Doub
East
Pass
Pass Rubin
South
4 North played 4
Lead: Q
Made 5

Quiz 8B51 Quit Top Combatting Preempts

Problem 9

IMPs, Your Side Vul

A 9 3
K J 9 6 2
6 3
A K 6
RHO opens 3 in second seat. Your call? P 4

2009 USBC Quarterfinal

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

Strul
WEST
Pass
Pass Smith
North
3
Pass Becker
East
4 Cohen,B
South
Pass East played 4
Lead: 7
Down 2

Willenken
WEST
Pass
Pass Martel
North
3 Welland
East
Pass Stansby
South
Pass North played 3
Lead: 6
Down 1

Problem 10

IMPs, None Vul

K 3 2
A K 9 6 2
5 4
K 4 2
RHO opens 3 as dealer. Your call? X 3

2009 USBC Round of 32B

Rogoff vs
Jacobs K 3 2
A K 9 6 2
5 4
K 4 2
Q
Q 5
Q J 10 9 7 6 3
J 8 3 Table A 8 6
10 8 4 3
A 2
A 9 7 5
None Vul J 10 9 7 5 4
J 7
K 8
Q 10 6

Levin
WEST
3
Dbl
4 Milgrim
North
Dbl
Pass
All Pass Weinstein
East
Rdbl
3 NT Aker
South
3
Pass West played 4
Lead: K
Down 1

Johnson
WEST
3
Pass Katz
North
3 Simson
East
Pass Jacobs
South
Pass North played 3
Lead: A
Down 2

Results and IMP scores are based on what happened in real life, so the winning decision 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, did you earn your black belt? Or is your body just black and blue?

Quiz 8B51 Main Top Combatting Preempts

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

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

Nickell vs H-Welland	A J K 10 7 6 3 J Q 10 8 6 3
10 6 3 J K Q 9 7 6 4 2 K 4		9 8 7 5 2 4 2 5 3 A 7 5 2
Both Vul	K Q 4 A Q 9 8 5 A 10 8 J 9

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

USA1 vs Norway	— A K Q Q 8 6 3 2 K Q 10 9 8
Q J 9 7 5 4 2 8 J 10 A 6 4		K J 9 7 5 3 A 9 4 J 7 5 3
Both Vul	A 10 8 6 3 10 6 4 2 K 7 5 2

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

Germany vs England	9 3 2 K 4 A J 9 7 6 4 3 9
10 Q 8 7 5 10 5 A Q 8 7 5 3		K Q 8 6 5 A 3 2 K 8 K J 6
E-W Vul	A J 7 4 J 10 9 6 Q 2 10 4 2

Robinson vs Fleisher	Q 8 3 A Q J 10 9 3 2 3 J 4
9 7 6 5 2 K 6 A 6 2 Q 10 9		K 10 4 8 K Q J 10 9 4 A 8 7
None Vul	A J 7 5 4 8 7 5 K 6 5 3 2

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

Rogoff vs Jacobs	K 3 2 A K 9 6 2 5 4 K 4 2
Q Q 5 Q J 10 9 7 6 3 J 8 3		A 8 6 10 8 4 3 A 2 A 9 7 5
None Vul	J 10 9 7 5 4 J 7 K 8 Q 10 6

Combatting Preempts

Winning combat tactics for the bidder who is troubled?Parry left! Parry right! Try to escape undoubled!

Problem 1

2006 USBC Final

Problem 2

2007 Vanderbilt Round of 16

Problem 3

2007 Spingold Semifinal

Problem 4

2007 Spingold Round of 16

Problem 5

2007 Bermuda Bowl Final

Problem 6

2007 Bermuda Bowl Quarterfinal

Problem 7

2008 World Championship Semifinal

Problem 8

2009 USBC Final

Problem 9

2009 USBC Quarterfinal

Problem 10

2009 USBC Round of 32B

Winning combat tactics for the bidder who is troubled?
Parry left! Parry right! Try to escape undoubled!