Quiz 8B61   Main

Major? Notrump? Et Tu, Brute?

by Richard Pavlicek

Friends, Romans, countrymen: Lend me your ears!
I come to bury major suits, not to praise them.

On each of these 10 problems, you must decide whether to open the bidding in your five-card major or 1 NT (15-17). If you would bid anything else, please don’t admit it, as the angry crowd might bury you along with Caesar.

Choose your opening bid, 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 an honorable man.

Problem 1

IMPs, Both Vul

K Q
A J 10 6 3
A J 8
J 6 2
Opening bid in third seat? 1   1 NT   

2001 Vanderbilt Final

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

Rosenkranz WEST Pass 2 2 NT 4

Petrunin North Pass Pass Pass All Pass

Mohan East 1 2 3

Gromov South Pass Pass Pass

East played 4 Lead: 8 Down 2

Zmudzinski WEST Pass Pass

Pszczola North Pass Pass

Balicki East 1 NT

Gawrys South Pass

East played 1 NT Lead: 3 Made 2

Problem 2

IMPs, Your Side Vul

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

2006 USBC Semifinal

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

Garner WEST Pass Pass 4 Pass

Rodwell North Pass 2 Pass Pass

Weinstein East 1 Dbl Pass Dbl

Meckstroth South 2 Rdbl 4 All Pass

North played 4 × Lead: A Down 2

Nickell WEST Pass Pass

Jacobs North Pass Pass

Freeman East 1 NT Pass

Katz South 2

South played 2 Lead: 4 Made 3

Quiz 8B61   Quit

Top   Major? Notrump? Et Tu, Brute?

Problem 3

IMPs, Both Vul

Q 5 4 3 2
K Q 10
A K 2
K 3
Opening bid in second seat? 1   1 NT   

2006 World Championship Qualifying

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

Helness WEST Pass Pass All Pass

Eskinaz North 1 2 NT

Helgemo East Pass Pass

Aluf,S South 1 NT 3 NT

South played 3 NT Lead: 4 Down 2

Kokten WEST Pass Pass

Larsen North 1 NT 3

Aluf,T East Pass All Pass

Meltzer South 2 NT

North played 3 Lead: Q Made 5

Problem 4

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A Q
A 9 5 4 2
J 3 2
A Q 10
Opening bid as dealer? 1   1 NT   

2007 USBC Semifinal

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

Martel WEST 1 2 3 NT

Berkowitz North Pass Pass Pass

Stansby East 1 NT 2 4

Cohen South Pass Pass All Pass

West played 4 Lead: 7 Down 1

Becker WEST 1 NT 2

Gitelman North Pass Pass

Schwartz East 2 3 NT

Moss South Pass All Pass

West played 3 NT Lead: 6 Made 3

Quiz 8B61   Quit

Top   Major? Notrump? Et Tu, Brute?

Problem 5

IMPs, Your Side Vul

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

2007 USBC Quarterfinal

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

Carmichael WEST 1 2

Moss North Pass Pass

Gerstman East 1 NT 3

Gitelman South Pass All Pass

East played 3 Lead: 10 Made 4

Ekeblad WEST 1 NT 2

Harris North Pass Pass

Rubin East 2 3 NT

Morgan South Pass All Pass

West played 3 NT Lead: 5 Made 4

This swing should have gone the other way (3 NT should be defeated) but that’s real life for you!

Problem 6

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A 10 8 5 2
Q 8 5
A K 3
A 5
Opening bid as dealer? 1   1 NT   

2007 USBC Quarterfinal

O’Rourke vs Schwartz	Q J 6 4 K 7 6 4 Q 10 9 4 9
A 10 8 5 2 Q 8 5 A K 3 A 5		K 9 A J 9 3 — K J 10 8 7 6 4
N-S Vul	7 3 10 2 J 8 7 6 5 2 Q 3 2

Krekorian WEST 1 2 NT 3 5 NT

Grue North Pass Pass Pass Pass

Casen East 2 3 3 NT 6

Cheek South Pass Pass Pass All Pass

East played 6 Lead: 10 Made 6

Jacobus WEST 1 NT 2 3 NT

Cohen North Pass Pass All Pass

O'Rourke East 2 3

Berkowitz South Pass Pass

West played 3 NT Lead: 9 Made 6

Quiz 8B61   Quit

Top   Major? Notrump? Et Tu, Brute?

Problem 7

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A K J 10 5
A 4 2
9 4
A 6 2
Opening bid in second seat? 1   1 NT   

2007 USBC Quarterfinal

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

Baze WEST Pass Pass All Pass

Smith North 1 3

Cohler East Pass Pass

Cohen,B South 2 4

North played 4 Lead: A Made 4

Sontag WEST Pass 3

Deutsch North 1 NT 3

Bates East Pass All Pass

Kranyak South 2

South played 3 Lead: 7 Made 4

Problem 8

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A 7 2
A K 8 7 4
A 5
8 5 2
Opening bid in fourth seat? 1   1 NT   

2009 Vanderbilt Semifinal

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

Sadek WEST Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass

Lauria North Pass 1 NT 2 3

El Ahmady East Pass Pass Pass Pass

Versace South 1 2 3 3 NT

North played 3 NT Lead: 4 Made 3

Nunes WEST Pass Pass All Pass

Levin North Pass 2

Fantoni East Pass Pass

Weinstein South 1 NT 2 NT

South played 2 NT Lead: 10 Made 3

Quiz 8B61   Quit

Top   Major? Notrump? Et Tu, Brute?

Problem 9

IMPs, None Vul

K Q J 8 5
J 9 6
K Q 9
K 10
Opening bid in second seat? 1   1 NT   

2009 USBC Round of 16

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

Berkowitz WEST Pass 5 All Pass

Stewart North 1 Pass

Cohen East 2 Pass

Woolsey South 4 5

North played 5 Lead: 2 Down 1

Robinson WEST Pass Dbl

Becker North 1 NT 4

Boyd East 2 All Pass

Strul South 4

North played 4 Lead: 2 Made 4

Problem 10

IMPs, Opponents Vul

A K Q 10 5
A 5 2
K J 8
7 6
Opening bid in second seat? 1   1 NT   

2009 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying

USA1 vs Australia	A K Q 10 5 A 5 2 K J 8 7 6
9 7 2 Q J 9 8 3 Q 9 6 5 A		J 8 4 7 6 A 7 4 3 K Q 10 4
E-W Vul	6 3 K 10 4 10 2 J 9 8 5 3 2

Robinson,I WEST Pass 2

Robinson North 1 Pass

de Livera East Pass Pass

Boyd South Pass Pass

West played 2 Lead: Q Down 2

Woolsey WEST Pass Pass Dbl

Thomson North 1 NT 3 All Pass

Stewart East Pass Pass

Brightling South 2 Pass

North played 3 × Lead: 7 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, have you learned to praise Caesar? Or are you just ready to join him?

Quiz 8B61   Main

Top   Major? Notrump? Et Tu, Brute?

© 2010 Richard Pavlicek