Main   Quiz 8B01 by Richard Pavlicek  

Crow Low, Crow High

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered bidding theory,
Omens of the days of yore came tapping at my chamber door.
Quoth the raven: “One or four!”

As South on these 10 deals, decide whether you would open one or four in your major suit — or something else if you’re raven mad. Then compare your choice with two experts who faced the same situation in real life and chose differently. For fun, keep track of your IMPs won and lost. If you’re plus after 10 boards, you’re a raven genius.

Problem 1

	A K 9 8 7 6 4 J 6 A 4 3 J

West

North Pass

East Pass

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 1997 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying: USA1 vs USA2

E-W Vul	J 5 K 10 9 8 9 8 10 8 7 6 5
10 3 A Q 7 4 3 Q J 10 A Q 9		Q 2 5 2 K 7 6 5 2 K 4 3 2
	A K 9 8 7 6 4 J 6 A 4 3 J

West Meckstroth Dbl 3

North Martel Pass Pass 3

East Rodwell Pass 2 All Pass

South Stansby 1 2

Result: 3 by South ( Q lead) made 4 (+170)

Zia Dbl

Nickell Pass All Pass

Rosenberg Pass

Freeman 4

Result: 4 × by South ( Q lead) down 1 (-100)

Good choice if you opened 1 , +7 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 4 , -7 IMPs.

To keep score, accept the result of your choice (even if you disagree with the auction after) and keep a running IMP total. Goal is to finish plus.

Quit

Problem 2

	K Q J 7 6 4 2 2 A 4 J 7 4

West

North

East

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2004 Olympiad Qualifying: Hungary vs Ireland

Both Vul	8 3 A Q J 8 6 10 6 2 Q 9 5
10 9 5 K 5 4 J 9 5 A 10 8 3		A 10 9 7 3 K Q 8 7 3 K 6 2
	K Q J 7 6 4 2 2 A 4 J 7 4

West Macskasy Pass

North McGann Pass

East Szalay Pass

South Hanlon 4

Result: 4 by South ( 4 lead) made 4 (+620)

Mesbur Pass Pass 3

Dumbovich 1 NT Pass All Pass

Fitzgibbon Pass Dbl

Winkler 1 2 Pass

Result: 3 by West ( 8 lead) down 2 (+200)

Good choice if you opened 4 , +9 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 1 , -9 IMPs. Quit

Problem 3

	A K J 9 8 6 2 3 9 3 K 9 6

West

North

East Pass

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2005 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying: Italy vs Egypt

N-S Vul	7 4 A J 7 10 8 7 4 2 J 5 2
5 3 K 10 9 5 4 2 K Q A 7 4		Q 10 Q 8 6 A J 6 5 Q 10 8 3
	A K J 9 8 6 2 3 9 3 K 9 6

West Fantoni Pass

North El Kourdy Pass

East Nunes Pass Pass

South Dagher 4

Result: 4 by South ( K lead) down 2 (-200)

El Ahmady 2 4

Lauria Pass All Pass

Sadek Pass 2

Versace 1 3

Result: 4 by West ( 7 lead) made 4 (-420)

Good choice if you opened 4 , +6 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 1 , -6 IMPs. Quit

Problem 4

	Q 10 A J 9 8 7 5 3 2 A 6 2 —

West

North

East

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2007 USBC Semifinal: Deutsch vs Nickell

N-S Vul	A K 8 7 Q 6 4 Q 10 8 5 3 8
9 6 4 3 K K 7 4 K Q 5 4 3		J 5 2 10 J 9 A J 10 9 7 6 2
	Q 10 A J 9 8 7 5 3 2 A 6 2 —

West Nickell Pass 5 7 All Pass

North Deutsch 1 6 Pass

East Freeman 3 Pass Pass

South Kranyak 1 4 Pass Dbl

Result: 7 × by East ( A lead) down 5 (+1100)

Cohler Pass Pass 6

Meckstroth Pass 5 Dbl

Baze 5 Pass All Pass

Rodwell 4 Pass Pass

Result: 6 × by East ( A lead) down 4 (+800)

Good choice if you opened 1 , +7 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 4 , -7 IMPs. Quit

Problem 5

	9 K 10 8 7 5 3 2 — A Q 6 3 2

West

North

East

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2007 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal: USA1 vs South Africa

None Vul	K 7 — A K J 9 7 6 3 2 K J 9
Q 10 6 5 4 3 J 9 6 10 8 5 10		A J 8 2 A Q 4 Q 4 8 7 5 4
	9 K 10 8 7 5 3 2 — A Q 6 3 2

West Holman 2 Pass

North Garner 3 6

East Cope 3 All Pass

South Weinstein,H 1 4

Result: 6 by North ( A lead) made 6 (+920)

Zia Pass

Gower Pass

Rosenberg Pass

Apteker 4

Result: 4 by South ( 10 lead) down 1 (-50)

Good choice if you opened 1 , +14 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 4 , -14 IMPs. Quit

Problem 6

	3 A K 9 7 5 4 3 10 5 A J 2

West

North Pass

East Pass

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2008 Vanderbilt Quarterfinal: Rubin vs Katz

Both Vul	Q 10 9 5 2 Q 8 Q J 9 3 8 6
A K 6 4 10 6 2 7 4 2 K 9 3		J 8 7 J A K 8 6 Q 10 7 5 4
	3 A K 9 7 5 4 3 10 5 A J 2

West Jacobs Pass All Pass

North Rubin Pass 1

East Katz Pass Dbl

South Ekeblad 1 2

Result: 2 by South ( 2 lead) made 3 (+140)

Jansma All Pass

Weinstein Pass

Verhees Pass

Levin 4

Result: 4 by South ( A lead) down 2 (-200)

Good choice if you opened 1 , +8 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 4 , -8 IMPs. Quit

Problem 7

	8 3 A K Q J 9 7 6 3 9 3 5

West

North

East

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2008 USBC Semifinal: Nickell vs Welland

None Vul	K 4 2 5 4 2 Q J 6 2 6 3 2
Q 10 7 5 10 8 A 5 K Q J 9 8		A J 9 6 — K 10 8 7 4 A 10 7 4
	8 3 A K Q J 9 7 6 3 9 3 5

West Freeman Pass 4

North Willenken Pass All Pass

East Nickell Dbl

South Welland 4 Pass

Result: 4 by West ( 2 lead) made 6 (-480)

Weinstein,H 2 4 Dbl

Meckstroth 2 Pass All Pass

Garner 4 6

Rodwell 1 Pass 6

Result: 6 × by South ( K lead) down 4 (-800)

Good choice if you opened 4 , +8 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 1 , -8 IMPs. Quit

Problem 8

	J 10 A K 10 7 5 3 J 9 6 4 3 —

West

North

East

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2009 USBC Quarterfinal: Rogoff vs Robinson

E-W Vul	7 6 2 J 9 6 8 7 A J 10 3 2
Q 9 4 3 Q A Q 10 2 K Q 8 6		A K 8 5 8 4 2 K 5 9 7 5 4
	J 10 A K 10 7 5 3 J 9 6 4 3 —

West Johnson Pass

North Boyd Pass

East Simson Pass

South Robinson 4

Result: 4 by South ( K lead) down 1 (-50)

Woolsey Dbl 4 Dbl

Parker 2 Pass All Pass

Stewart 2 Pass

Rogoff 1 4 5

Result: 5 × by South ( 4 lead) down 2 (-300)

Good choice if you opened 4 , +6 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 1 , -6 IMPs. Quit

Problem 9

	A J 10 8 5 3 2 K 3 K Q 3 7

West

North Pass

East Pass

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2009 Bermuda Bowl Semifinal: Italy vs Bulgaria

E-W Vul	Q 4 6 5 4 9 8 6 4 Q J 9 2
K 7 A Q 9 8 7 5 2 A 8 6 5		9 6 J 10 7 2 A J 10 K 10 4 3
	A J 10 8 5 3 2 K 3 K Q 3 7

West Fantoni All Pass

North Trendafilov Pass

East Nunes Pass

South Karaivanov 4

Result: 4 by South ( A lead) down 2 (-100)

Karakolev Dbl 4

Lauria Pass Pass All Pass

Danailov Pass 3

Versace 1 3

Result: 4 by East ( K lead) made 4 (-620)

Good choice if you opened 4 , +11 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 1 , -11 IMPs. Quit

Problem 10

	A K 10 8 6 5 3 J 7 2 K 5 5

West

North Pass

East Pass

South ?

As South, would you open 1 or 4 ?

Answer

In Real Life 2009 Bermuda Bowl Qualifying: Italy vs New Zealand

E-W Vul	J K 10 9 8 4 A 9 4 2 Q 9 8
4 A 3 Q J 10 7 6 3 A K 10 7		Q 9 7 2 Q 6 5 8 J 6 4 3 2
	A K 10 8 6 5 3 J 7 2 K 5 5

West Bach 2 3 5

North Duboin Pass 2 Pass All Pass

East Cornell Pass Pass 4

South Sementa 1 2 Pass

Result: 5 by West ( J lead) down 2 (+200)

Nunes All Pass

Ware Pass

Fantoni Pass

Whibley 4

Result: 4 by South ( A lead) down 1 (-50)

Good choice if you opened 1 , +6 IMPs.
Unfortunate if you opened 4 , -6 IMPs.

Winning actions are determined from the actual deal and what happened in real life, so they may not be correct in theory or the long run.

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Acknowledgments to Edgar Allen Poe and The Raven
© 2010 Richard Pavlicek