Starry, Starry Night

Paint your palette blue and gray! All bridge players are invited to try this bidding challenge based on six problems from a past tournament. When and where? That’s my little secret, though you are welcome to guess from the clues on this page. But don’t worry about that; all you have to do is choose your call as South from the choices offered.

In January 2003 these problems were presented as a poll, with 1035 entrants from 107 locations.
The poll is closed, but you can still try it as a quiz and find your score immediately.

Assume both sides use Standard American bidding (unless noted otherwise) with 15-17 notrumps,
five-card majors and weak two-bids. The object is to determine the best calls based on judgment,
so only basic conventions are allowed. For a system reference, see Standard American Bridge.

“Look out on a summer’s day with eyes that know the darkness in my soul.” Now start bidding before you get starry-eyed.

Problem 1

IMPs		Both vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass	North 1	East Pass Pass	South 1 ?	K Q 4 K 5 A 3 A Q J 8 5 3
			Your call? 2  2  2 NT 3  3  3 NT 4

Problem 2

IMPs		E-W vul		You, South, hold:
West 2 1	North 2 NT	East 3	South ?	7 6 3 2 10 K Q 10 9 7 5 2 6
1. 12-16, 5+ hearts, 4+ clubs			Your call? Pass 3 NT 4  4  4  5

Problem 3

IMPs		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass	North 1	East 1	South ?	A 6 4 3 A K 3 K 10 8 4 2 Q
			Your call? Dbl 1  2  2  2 NT 3 NT

Problem 4

IMPs		E-W vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass Pass	North 1 2 3	East Pass Pass Pass	South 2 2 ?	9 A K Q 2 10 9 6 A 9 8 7 5
			Your call? 3  3 NT 4  4 NT 5  6

Problem 5

IMPs		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass	North Pass 1	East 1 2	South 1 Dbl ?	A J 4 A K 4 A 7 6 5 3 2 A
			Your call? Pass Dbl 2  2 NT 3  3  4

Problem 6

IMPs		E-W vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass	North 2 Dbl1	East 2 Pass	South 1 NT Pass ?	Q 5 A J 8 A Q Q 9 7 6 5 4
1. penalty			Your call and opinion?	A. Pass, agree with 1 NT B. Pass, disagree with 1 NT C. 2 NT, agree with 1 NT D. 2 NT, disagree with 1 NT E.  3 , agree with 1 NT F.  3 , disagree with 1 NT

 Click to see how you did

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© 2003 Richard Pavlicek