The Old ROPI-DOPI

None Vul
IMPs
Dealer: South
Lead: 5

	icewater K 10 9 8 8 2 9 7 5 Q 10 6 5
ralphm J 4 3 A K 10 7 4 J 3 8 4 3		docent A Q 7 5 2 Q J 6 3 10 A K 2
	Maestro 6 9 5 A K Q 8 6 4 2 J 9 7

A common difficulty in bridge is to determine the meaning of a bid from its context. Difficult, that is, for the Small Time Club Player™; a mere bag of shells for the expert.

Gee is South today. He opens a gambling 3NT, showing a long solid minor with no outside ace or king. West passes and North, with his weak hand, makes the standard 4C bid, asking partner to pass or correct. East doubles with his excellent major holdings.

Gee passes.

On the actual layout, of course, North will correct to 4D if West passes; but had North held, say, two dead in both minors, amusing results might ensue. But with nothing in clubs West can’t pass. He bids 4H, which makes a rather dull 5.

Turns out 4C was supposed to be Gerber. (Hence the alerted pass.) Well, I should have known.

icewater: 3n is gambling and you pass 4c?
G: why not leave it in 3nt?
G: yes i pass…DOPI
[ROPI actually, but that’s the least of our worries. —Ed.]
G: i have one ace
G: if i have a solid minor how can it be clubs anyway since you have the Q?
icewater: it’s just pass or correct, isn’t that normal?
G: i thought it was gerber
G: 4c over any NT to me is gerber
icewater: i can’t pass 3NT with no heart stopper
[Not to mention no tricks. —Ed.]
G: no problem water…i really enjoyed it :)

It sure was gracious of Gee to forgive icewater like that. I wish all of my partners were so indulgent. Essay question: if you show a solid minor with no outside ace or king, how many aces do you have? Discuss.