The Bridge World

MASTER SOLVERS CLUB

Scores for the October 2020 Contest

Problem A

Imps
North-South vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ A 10 9 7 6

♥ A 2

♦ A 8 7 6

♣ A 5

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	——	——	1 ♣
1 ♠	3 ♣^*	Double	Pass
?

^*preemptive

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
4 ♣	100	12	19
4 ♦	80	5	24
Pass	70	5	15
3 ♦	60	2	22
5 ♦	60	2	7
3 NT	50	1	14
4 ♠	0	0	1
else	0	0	0

Problem B

Imps
North-South vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ J 2

♥ Q 6 5

♦ A 7 6 5

♣ K J 8 7

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	——	——	1 ♦^*
Pass	3 ♠^†	Double	Pass
?

^*11-15 HCP; two-plus diamonds
^†natural; preemptive

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
4 ♥	100	7	23
4 NT	90	7	10
4 ♣	80	4	24
4 ♦	70	3	11
3 NT	70	3	9
5 ♣	60	2	12
4 ♠	50	1	2
Pass	0	0	9
else	0	0	0

Problem C

Imps
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ A 10 8

♥ 3

♦ A J 7

♣ Q 9 8 7 6 3

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	——	1 ♦	Pass
?^*

^*BWS: 3 ♣, 2 NT invitational; 2 ♦ forcing to 3 ♦;
2 ♣ game-force

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
2 ♣	100	18	48
3 ♣	70	5	39
2 ♦	60	2	6
1 ♠	60	2	4
2 NT	10	0	2
1 NT	0	0	1
else	0	0	0

Problem D

Matchpoints
North-South vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ Q J 3 2

♥ K 6 4

♦ 9 8

♣ K 8 6 4

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	——	1 ♦	3 ♥
Pass	Pass	Double	Pass
?

What is your plan?

(a) Pass
(b) 3 ♠; then, after (Pass) - 4 ♦ - (Pass) - ?:
(b1) Pass (b2) 4 ♥ (b3) 4 NT (b4) 5 ♦
(c) 3 NT (d) 4 ♠

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
c	100	8	27
d	80	5	25
b1	80	4	12
b4	70	3	12
a	60	3	8
b2	60	2	9
b3	60	2	7
else	0	0	0

Problem E

Matchpoints
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ J 10 3 2

♥ A 10 8 5 3

♦ 7 3

♣ A 9

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	——	——	1 ♥
Pass	Pass	Double	Pass
?

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
Pass	100	16	33
2 ♠	80	6	43
1 ♠	70	5	20
1 NT	20	0	3
2 ♥	10	0	0
2 NT	0	0	1
else	0	0	0

Problem F

Matchpoints
East-West vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ A 9 7

♥ A 6 3 2

♦ 6 4 2

♣ A 8 2

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	——	1 ♦	1 ♠
Double	3 ♦^*	5 ♦	Pass
?

^*mixed raise

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
6 ♦	100	14	64
5 ♠	80	6	12
Pass	70	5	16
5 ♥	50	1	2
6 NT	50	1	2
5 NT	10	0	2
6 ♣	0	0	1
else	0	0	1

Problem G

Imps
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ A Q 10

♥ A 4

♦ 10 9 4 3

♣ 9 8 7 3

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	1 ♦	Double	2 ♦
?

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
Double	100	14	41
Pass	80	8	18
3 ♣	60	2	18
2 ♠	60	2	7
2 NT	50	1	15
3 ♦	0	0	2
else	0	0	0

Problem H

Imps
Neither side vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ 10 9 6 4 3

♥ A K J 3

♦ 5 4 2

♣ Q

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
——	1 ♥	4 ♣	Pass
Pass	Double	Pass	4 ♠
Pass	Pass	Pass

What is your opening lead?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
♠ 4	100	7	5
♠ 10	100	4	6
♠ 3	100	3	15
♥ K	90	6	13
♥ A	90	4	18
♣ Q	70	3	41
♠ 9	0	0	1
♠ 6	0	0	1
else	0	0	0

MSC CONTEST

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 October 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.