We enjoyed reading chatting with Dave Smith in Vegas and reading his articles in the Daily Bulletin.
We were pleased to discover that he also has a stimulating and entertaining blog. There are good bridge problems and for those of us with diverse interests, a poker theme as well.
Start with the excellent pictures and coverage of the Vegas scene at the tourney site.
Vulnerable at IMP’s you hold the following:
7 6 
T 9 
K J T 7 6 
K T 9 5.
Your partner opens 1 NT and RHO passes. Do you make a move?
Thanks to those commenting early. Like Joe, I did a Deal Master simulation and found slam to be about 2/3. So what should you bid?
Part of my reason for bringing up this problem is part of my philosophy. I do not try to place a burden — perhaps impossible — on partner when I have a good idea of the most likely contract. I like to believe that my partners play better with me than with others, partly for this reason. It is a partnership skill that is under-appreciated. It is pretty easy to torture partner and get plenty of wrong decisions.
When I gave this hand to a group of regular partners and teammates in Vegas, they were bidding 4 and one even tried “double!”
It is pretty easy to imagine minimum balanced hands where partner will have no idea that a move is in order. Furthermore, three small spades may be plenty. A hand with the diamond King and strong clubs and three little spades might work, and you have only used 8 HCP. We are careful to have 2 QT’s for opening bids, and that helps.
When I gave the hand to my expert guru’s, the popular call was 5 with the idea that they would bid slam regardless of the response, but a grand might be there. Quite a difference between “peers” and “pros”.
Here is what is wrong with 5 . You are not in a bidding contest and you are not behind screens. It is an early Spingold round. Do you really expect partner to make the right decision? In tempo? Get serious!
The rules, perhaps unwisely, do not permit you to “file a flight plan” with your 5 call. If partner bids a slow 5 you are trapped.
For these very practical reasons, you should bid 6 .
Here is what you bought:
Q J 4 K 5 2 A K 4 J 9 8 2.
The table comment was “What a great buy” but I do not agree. I would have traded nearly all of the non-club honors for stronger cards there.
So now you get to play 6 on a heart lead. Perhaps this is too easy, but give your plan.
I am deferring the “solution” to this one because District 8’s excellent publication, The Advocate, is using it in their bidding contest.
Let us first see what their expert panel says, and then revisit the question.