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A “Five Level Leap”.

The opposition are not vulnerable and have bid or implied the possession of three suits. We, have suggested game in the fourth. The Panel have a choice of action in what is likely to be the “pass out” seat. There are two further questions which I wish I had posed:

 

The game is Teams. Double shows 4 spades. 2 is a game try with at least three hearts. Yet, it is South who bid to game. What now?

Let’s establish one thing first of all. With only our side vulnerable, is West’s pass of 5 forcing as it can often be when non-vulnerable opponents bid to the 5-level and your side is vulnerable?:

Nigel Kearney “Double: We are not in a force but things don't seem to be lying well for them. Declarer has at least one spade based on the double by North and no Michaels from partner. Our four clubs are going to be at least a nuisance for declarer. Also, it sounds like partner has some diamonds, since North prefers clubs.”

Then, we do have the option of bidding 5. Let’s address that:

Bruce Anderson “Double: Partner could not bid 5 and I can see no good reason for my doing so, but I do have good defence for a penalty double. And I will double again if North now bids 5. Obviously, South has a lot of shape but partner must have something for a vulnerable overcall.”

Although aces are good cards were we to play 5, a trump suit of 1083 is not. This must be the least attractive of our three options. Summarising both the above points is:

Stephen Blackstock “Double: If West had opened, the pass over 5 would be forcing, but I would be hesitant to assume that after a 1 overcall. Regardless, the poor trumps and the worst possible diamond holding do not suggest that pressing on to 5 is the right thing to do. Bad breaks for us would be no surprise after South's auction either.

If West has strong hearts (likely), we may be able to tap declarer to good effect. Even if not, my defensive values are good - and any number of different club singletons with West will strengthen my holding a lot. +500 would be no surprise, even more if we can force declarer off.”

The Panel are in an optimistic mood. Here’s another doubler:

 

Andy Braithwaite “Double: North’s pass is unexpected so West must have a club void and not much defence.

So in 5 we have two diamond losers and surely a major loser or two. I take the money and double - hoping for a heart trick or two spade tricks or both for one or two off.”

 

Not a word yet as to why South may have jumped to game. Wayne offers a possible reason:

 

Wayne Burrows “Double: I have two aces. I should always at least consider doubling a five-level contract with two aces. Here partner made a vulnerable overall and I have AQ sitting over the effective spade bidder. That is I might have three tricks in my hand and partner will often produce something defensive.
South must have at least one spade as the doubler should not have five and partner started with 1 and not Michaels so is unlikely to be 5=6. 

At these colours there is also the chance that South is bidding 5 semi-pre-emptively. I think +300 or better is more likely than -550 or worse so I double.”

 

Let’s here it then for the passers:

Peter Newell “Pass: There seem like 2 options, pass or double.  I wouldn't consider 5 an option vul against not with partner overcalling at the 1 level and the North hand likely something like 4414, or 4423. We likely have diamond  and heart losers, and my A may be opposite a void. 

 I would have expected South to be at least 6/5 so I do not see many defensive tricks. We may not even have a spade trick on a heart lead if North has the ace.  So I expect 5 to go close (though South could be making an advance sacrifice rather than bidding to make). I do not think there is much to be gained by doubling. We gain 50 by doubling if it goes one down and lose 150 if it makes 5. If I thought South was an aggressive bidder, I would consider doubling.”

 

Leon Meier “Pass: routine pass here as we've mostly shown our hand with 2 already and even though the cards are nice and sharp, and likely to all be working, I don't think we have enough offence to freely bid to the 5 level on what could be an 8 card fit(though likely more) nor enough defence to double them when South seems to have an ultra- distributional hand. e.g. 
-
Kx
AKxxxx
KQxxx
and partner can't be that ultra distributional or else they would have bid on themselves. It is possible to construct hands they're making and we are 1 down or even that we are making but I generally like to try for a plus score  in these high level auctions. I do imagine since you asked the question it is the situation we are making 5.”

Second-guessing the problem-setter is a dangerous and oft fruitless task! The passers seemed to give more thought to the South hand than the doublers. The final “passer” poses an interesting question:

Michael Ware - “Pass: If double asked for a spade lead (it doesn't) I would definitely do that. But now I just pass.”

I sympathise with the passers because they seemed to be more aware of what South might hold. However, my first unanswered question ( one has to pose the question to get an answer!) is what is West likely to lead when the contract is doubled or say when there is no double? Also, would East be less likely to double if their major suit ace was the A?
Michael thinks the double would not suggest a spade lead. Even so, I would think East is less likely to double if one of the aces was in hearts. If South as is likely, has 11 cards in the minors, then there are likely to be at least 4 hearts in dummy. With no double, West would need to be inspired. Would the double have talked West out of leading their own suit?

 

 

 

 

There was no double and there was a heart lead. South took their free finesse and very soon, there were no spade tricks for the defence. Declarer took a diamond finesse and West belatedly led a spade. South lost just a diamond and A though when in with A, East could have still beaten the contract by continuing a major forcing South down to 3 trumps, one less than East.

Bad lead? Certainly but it was probably the lead (with no double) East anticipated and not particularly welcomed. Had the contract been 6, then double would have suggested a spade lead (dummy’s implied suit). Unless East had unexpected trump tricks, the double above may suggest tricks outside hearts though this point was not made by the doublers except perhaps Wayne Burrows. I feel our doublers got this one right by default.

Richard Solomon

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