The Bridge World

MASTER SOLVERS CLUB

Scores for the June 2025 Contest

Problem A

Matchpoints
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold

♠ —

♥ K 10 6

♦ A Q 10 8

♣ A 10 9 8 5 4

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
1 ♣	Pass	1 ♠	Pass
2 ♣	Pass	2 ♥^*	Pass
2 NT	Pass	3 ♣^†	Pass
?

^*BWS: one-round force; 3 ♥ would have
been a natural game-force with five-five
^†BWS: game-force

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
3 ♦	100	18	52
3 ♥	70	3	11
4 ♠	60	2	0
6 ♣	50	2	0
4 ♣	30	1	3
3 NT	0	0	29
4 ♦	0	0	2
4 ♥	0	0	1
Pass	0	0	1
else	0	0	1

Problem B

Imps
Both sides vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ A 3

♥ Q 9 6

♦ K Q J 7 6

♣ 8 7 5

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

^*BWS: 1 ♠ = four-plus spades, any strength;
2 ♠ = artificial game-force.

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
2 ♠	100	12	74
2 NT	90	12	15
3 NT	40	1	6
3 ♣	30	1	1
3 ♦	0	0	2
2 ♦	0	0	1
2 ♥	0	0	1
else	0	0	0

Problem C

Matchpoints
East-West vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ K J 5

♥ K Q 9 7 3

♦ 9

♣ A K 9 4

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	—	1 ♦	Pass
1 ♥	Pass	2 ♣	Pass
2 ♠^*	Pass	3 ♣	Pass
?^†

^*BWS: game-force
^†BWS: 5 ♣ picture bid (strong clubs)

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
4 ♣	100	14	33
3 NT	70	8	31
5 ♣	50	3	21
4 NT	30	1	6
4 ♦	0	0	4
3 ♥	0	0	2
3 ♠	0	0	1
6 ♣	0	0	1
else	0	0	1

Problem D

Matchpoints
East-West vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ A 10 8 7

♥ 9 5 4 2

♦ K 8

♣ A 3 2

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
Pass	Pass	4 ♥	4 ♠
?

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
5 ♥	100	19	57
Double	70	6	24
4 NT	30	1	6
6 ♥	10	0	4
5 ♣	0	0	3
Pass	0	0	3
6 ♠	0	0	1
else	0	0	2

Problem E

Imps
Neither side vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ Q 10 8

♥ A Q J 8 6 2

♦ K

♣ K 6 5

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	—	—	1 ♣
1 ♥	Pass	2 ♥	Double
?

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
Redouble	100	9	24
2 ♠	80	6	11
3 ♥	70	6	40
4 ♥	40	3	11
3 ♣	30	2	4
Pass	0	0	6
2 NT	0	0	2
3 ♦	0	0	1
else	0	0	1

Problem F

Imps
North-South vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ 10 8

♥ Q J 8 7 3

♦ K Q 8 4

♣ Q 8

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	1 ♦	2 ♣	Pass
?^*

^*BWS: 2 ♥ nonforcing

What call do you make?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
2 ♥	100	14	67
2 NT	80	9	21
3 ♣	50	2	5
Pass	40	1	3
2 ♦	30	0	3
3 NT	10	0	0
else	0	0	1

Problem G

Imps
Neither side vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ —

♥ J 7 6 2

♦ K J 8 3 2

♣ A Q 8 7

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	—	1 ♠	2 ♥
?

What is your plan?
(a) Pass; then, after (Pass) - Double - (Pass) - ?
(a1) Pass (a2) 2 NT (a3) 3 ♥
(a4) 3 NT (a5) 4 ♦ (a6) 4 NT (a7) 5♦
(b) Double; then, after (Pass) - 2 ♠ - (Pass) - ?
(b1) 2 NT (b2) 3 ♦ (b3) 3 ♥
(b4) 3 NT (b5) 4 ♦ (b6) 4NT
(c) 2 NT (d) 3 ♦

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
b1	100	15	48
b2	80	4	26
a1	40	2	9
a3	40	2	2
c	30	1	3
b3	30	1	2
a6	30	1	0
d	0	0	6
a2	0	0	2
a5	0	0	1
b5	0	0	1
else	0	0	0

Problem H

Matchpoints
Neither side vulnerable
You, South, hold:

♠ Q 7 6

♥ Q 10 7 2

♦ J 10 3

♣ Q 6 2

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	1 ♦	Pass	1 ♥
Pass	1 ♠	Pass	1 NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

What is your opening lead?

Action	Score	Panel Votes	% of Solvers
♥ 2	100	17	34
♣ 2	60	4	21
♦ J	40	2	27
♠ Q	40	2	1
♠ 6	30	1	12
♠ 7	0	0	2
♦ 3	0	0	1
♣ 6	0	0	1
else	0	0	1

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 June 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.