This Land Is Your Land

Bridge players “from the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters,” and anywhere else, are invited to try this bidding challenge based on six problems from a past tournament. When and where is my little secret, but you can bet it’s in the U.S.A. All you have to do is select your call as South from the choices offered.

In July 2003 these problems were presented as a poll, with 1083 entrants from 113 locations.
The poll is closed, but you can try still 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.

So join the fun and help America celebrate its 227th birthday! To get the fireworks going, I’ll even start you out with a nine-bagger.

Problem 1

Total points		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass	North 1	East Dbl	South 1 ?	A — K 10 4 A 10 9 8 6 5 4 3 2
			Your call? Pass Rdbl 2  3  3 NT 4  5

Problem 2

Total points		Both vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass 3	North 2 Pass	East 2 Pass	South 1 2 ?	A K 7 6 K A Q 9 8 5 K 10 6
			Your call? Pass Dbl 3  3 NT 4  4  5

Problem 3

Total points		E-W vul		You, South, hold:
West	North	East 1	South ?	— A Q 9 7 5 3 5 Q J 10 7 6 5
			Your call? 1  2  2  2 NT 3  4  4 NT

Problem 4

Total points		None vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass	North 1 2 NT	East Pass Pass	South 1 2 ?	10 A 7 A K 9 3 2 K J 9 7 4
			Your call? Pass 3  3  3  3  3 NT 4

Problem 5

Total points		Both vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass	North 1 1	East Pass Pass	South 1 ?	Q 4 2 J 10 8 6 5 K J 10 7 4 —
			Your call? Pass 1 NT 2  2  2

Problem 6

Total points		E-W vul		You, South, hold:
West 2	North Pass Pass	East 1 3	South ? ?	10 A 6 4 3 — A K Q 8 7 5 4 3
			Your call or calls?	A. 2 then 3 B. 2 then 4 C. 2 then 5 D. 2 then 6 E.  4 immediately F.  5 immediately G. 6 immediately

 Click to see how you did

Challenge 7Y41 Main Analyses

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Credits to Woody Guthrie, composer of “This Land Is Your Land”
© 2003 Richard Pavlicek