Turin Polls Raise Cain

Have my bidding polls been causing turmoil in Italy? This title may seem as mysterious as the Shroud of Turin, or as confusing as the Book of Genesis, but it definitely provides a clue to the tournament from which these problems came. The pictures also should help with the location, but don’t get hung up on that. Simply choose your call as South on each of the six problems.

In July of 2004 these problems were presented as a poll, with 1185 entrants from 118 locations.
The poll is closed, but you can still try 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.

Don’t bother to get out your maps of Turin, or any biblical references, as these are only serpentine clues. Just bid ‘em up! I’m sure any Abel-bodied person will get at least one right.

Problem 1

IMPs		None vul		You, South, hold:
West	North	East 1	South ?	7 A K 10 9 A Q J 8 A 10 6 5
			Your call? Pass Dbl 1  1  1 NT 2 NT*

*hearts + diamonds

Problem 2

IMPs		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West 4 1	North 1 Dbl	East 2 Pass	South Pass ?	A 7 9 7 2 Q J 9 6 4 3 4 3
1. weak			Your call? Pass 4  4  4 NT 5  5  6

Problem 3

IMPs		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West 1	North 1	East 3 1	South ?	A 8 6 J 10 9 5 K 8 Q J 10 2
1. weak			Your call? Pass X* 3  3  3 NT 4

*penalty

Problem 4

IMPs		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass	North 2 NT 3 4	East Pass Pass Pass	South 3 1 4 ?	8 10 8 7 5 4 3 A K 10 9 8 2 —
1. Jacoby transfer			Your call? Pass 4  5  5  5  6  6

Problem 5

IMPs		Both vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass Pass Pass	North Pass 2 1 2 NT	East Pass Pass Pass	South 1 2 ?	A 7 A Q J 9 8 7 A K 10 6 7
1. natural (not Drury)			Your call? 3  3  3 NT 4 * 4  5 NT** 6

*Gerber **pick a slam

Problem 6

IMPs		N-S vul		You, South, hold:
West Pass	North 3 1	East 2 Pass	South Dbl ?	A Q 9 7 A K 7 3 A 10 8 9 3
1. 0-9, natural			Your call? Pass 3  3  3  3 NT N*

*None (would have bid 2 NT over 2 )

 Click to see how you did

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© 2004 Richard Pavlicek