MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
Scores for the January 2021 Contest
Imps
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ Q 10 9 2 | ♥ A K 10 9 2 | ♦ K 5 | ♣ 7 5 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| —— | —— | —— | 4 ♠ |
| Pass | Pass | 4 NT* | Pass |
| ? |
*BWS: two-suiter
What call do you make?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | 100 | 8 | 37 |
| 5 ♦ | 90 | 7 | 27 |
| 5 ♣ | 80 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 NT | 70 | 6 | 5 |
| 5 ♥ | 40 | 1 | 13 |
| 5 ♠ | 40 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 ♦ | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 ♥ | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Matchpoints
East-West vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ K Q 10 6 5 | ♥ K 10 9 7 3 2 | ♦ — | ♣ 8 5 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| —— | —— | Pass | Pass |
| ? |
What call do you make?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | 100 | 10 | 18 |
| 1 ♠ | 80 | 7 | 41 |
| 1 ♥ | 70 | 4 | 25 |
| 2 ♥ | 70 | 3 | 10 |
| 3 ♥ | 60 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 ♠ | 60 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 ♥ | 50 | 1 | 2 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Imps
North-South vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ 8 3 | ♥ A K J 10 6 2 | ♦ A 9 2 | ♣ J 3 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| —— | —— | —— | Pass |
| 1 ♥ | 1 ♠ | 1 NT | Pass |
| ? |
What call do you make?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 NT | 100 | 7 | 2 |
| 2 ♥ | 90 | 12 | 78 |
| 2 NT | 80 | 5 | 8 |
| 3 ♥ | 60 | 3 | 8 |
| Pass | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 ♥ | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Imps
North-South vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ 10 5 4 3 | ♥ K Q J 5 4 | ♦ A 4 | ♣ A 3 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ♥ | Pass | 2 ♣* | 3 ♦ |
| Pass | Pass | Double | Pass |
| ? |
*BWS: game-force
What call do you make?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | 100 | 10 | 20 |
| 3 NT | 90 | 8 | 23 |
| 3 ♥ | 70 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 ♠ | 60 | 2 | 49 |
| 4 ♣ | 50 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 ♦ | 50 | 1 | 1 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Imps
Neither side vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ A K Q J 6 2 | ♥ A K J 10 6 | ♦ — | ♣ K 3 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| —— | 1 ♦ | Pass | 5 ♦ |
| ? |
What call do you make?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ♠ | 100 | 15 | 23 |
| 5 ♠ | 80 | 7 | 43 |
| 6 ♦ | 50 | 2 | 23 |
| 5 NT | 50 | 2 | 6 |
| Double | 50 | 1 | 4 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Matchpoints
Neither side vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ J 9 8 6 4 2 | ♥ Q 4 2 | ♦ J 6 2 | ♣ 7 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| —— | —— | 1 ♥ | Pass |
| ? |
What call do you make?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 ♥ | 100 | 11 | 47 |
| 1 ♠ | 90 | 9 | 37 |
| 1 NT | 70 | 6 | 5 |
| Pass | 40 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 ♠ | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 ♥ | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Imps
Neither side vulnerable
North (dummy) holds:
| ♠ J | ♥ J 3 | ♦ J 7 6 2 | ♣ Q 10 9 8 4 3 |
West (you)
♠ Q 9 4 2
♥ Q 10 2
♦ 10 9 5
♣ A K 5
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 NT | Pass | 3 NT | (All Pass) |
Club king, three, deuce (BWS: low encouraging), six.
What do you lead to trick two?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♠ Q | 100 | 15 | 43 |
| ♠ 2 | 70 | 4 | 8 |
| ♠ 4 | 70 | 1 | 0 |
| ♥ 10 | 60 | 4 | 11 |
| ♣ 5 | 60 | 2 | 7 |
| ♦ 10 | 50 | 1 | 24 |
| ♦ 9 | 50 | 0 | 1 |
| ♥ 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| ♥ Q | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ♦ 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ♣ A | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Imps
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:
| ♠ 10 8 | ♥ Q J 10 | ♦ 9 6 5 3 | ♣ A 10 5 2 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| —— | 1 ♥ | Pass | 1 NT |
| Pass | 2 NT | Pass | 3 NT |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
What is your opening lead?
| Action | Score | Panel Votes | % of Solvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♣ 2 | 100 | 12 | 23 |
| ♦ 6 | 80 | 7 | 4 |
| ♦ 5 | 80 | 1 | 0 |
| ♦ 3 | 70 | 0 | 1 |
| ♠ 10 | 60 | 4 | 67 |
| ♥ Q | 50 | 3 | 3 |
| ♦ 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ♣ 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| else | 0 | 0 | 0 |
These are the scores that were assigned to the problems, as well as the number of votes each solution received from our expert panel, and the approximate percentage of solvers' answers.
See the January issue of The Bridge World to read the panel's in-depth discussion of these contest problems—see how each expert answered and learn how they came to their decisions.