The Israeli Open Team Trials

If you recall the Israel did very well in the round robin in the Olympiad last year. If you want to see more look at my blog about the Israeli team during the Shanghai World Championships Blogs about Beijing match.

When I joined in at the end of the fourth set of eight the Herbst team was leading 157 imps versus 84 imps.  I remember the Herbsts’ who have have been doing well in a variety of competitions.    At the end of the fifth segment nothing much had changed but there were a few swings.

The auction shown occurred in the Open Room. Things were a bit different in the Open Room.  Here the Herbst (who were playing weak notrump)  chose a different action over 2♦.  South bid 2♠ over the overcall and North bid 3NT ending the auction.

Ophir Herbst

Now which sequence do you like better?  I am not crazy about a negative double when you do have a five card spade suit.  I suppose you have to decide if you are good enough.  I think the yummy spots make it worth it.  And yes I am prepared for now to give up the club suit.

With clubs behaving 3NT was no problem.  But the Birman’s showed that they could just up and bid things too.  What do you do on this hand?

You are in fourth chair with nobody vulnerable and East on your left starts off with 4♥.  Partner bids 4♠. Do you try the scientific route?  What is the scientific route anyway?  In the Closed Room, Ophir started out with 5♥.  There was some speculation about what that bids means in this auction.  It seems likely it should be a slam try in spades.  Could it be anything else?  Somebody suggested exclusion.  I don’t think that really makes sense.   When partner bid 5♠ what should Ophir do now?  If you bid 5♣ is that a huge hand with clubs or is it a cuebid.  If it is a cuebid is it helpful anyway.  If partner bids 6♦ will that be the information you need for slam.  Maybe 5♥ should be support and demand a cuebid.  My preference is that 5♥ should bid taken as a slam try in spades and partner should bid accordingly.  But maybe 6♣ should be natural.  I realize I haven’t fully worked that out.   What could partner have where 7♠ doesn’t make.  Something like

It is hard to come up with a hand without the ♣A.  At the other table A. Birman just bid 7♠ to pick up a useful swing and stay in the match.  South held (and really could he have been all that much worse?)