Italy; 2016 Open and Ladies Teams Championships

Salsomaggiore 22 – 25 Abril 2016

Results Open          Results Ladies 

April 25, 2016

This Bidding Problem was published in the third Italian Open and Ladies Teams Championships Bulletin. You will be able to compare your answer with some of the best italian and international players:

IMPs. E/W Vulnerable. You are South:

 A 10 7 6 4 3   A K Q 9 6   4  2

The bidding starts:

West	North	East	South
Pass	1	Pass	1
Pass	3	Pass	3
Pass	3NT	Pass	?

After thinking your answer. Below you can find some of the best world players answers:

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

⇓

These are the answers:

		Norberto Bocchi  5. Is almost like “pick a slam” showing a 5-5 hand or more…we can also play 6….what I do not dislike … It depends on the quality of my partner’s diamonds.
		Thomas Bessis   5, to to seek slam in spade, heart or diamond. I think we should have slam. I also thought about bidding 5NT (pick a slam), but I think it would be very difficult for my partner to say 6, because I have AKQxx and I didn’t repeat the suit. The advantage of 5 is that my partner can still bid 6 if he has a very solid suit.
		Dennis Bilde  4. I hope my partner can interpret it as «a good hand without a good voice.» If he answers 4, I  still continue with 4 (slam invitation). There are many situations in which we can play 6 but there are others where we should be cautious.
		Diego Brenner   4. With no communication between the hand and dummy, I think its better to play 4/ or maybe 5, if partner has 7 diamond cards.
		Andrea Buratti   4. If the diamond suit is closed or semi-closed, with the club ace, 6 is a good contract.
		Fabio Lo Presti   4. Cue bid: the misfit is not attractive, but with all these sure tricks, I feel obliged to make an effort and try to play slam.