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Are You Listening?

The opponents open one suit you do not hold and then bid another. You have 5 cards in each of the other two suits, some nice controls and the potential for a lot of tricks if you fit with your partner in one of those suits. What is more is that the vulnerability is very much in your favour for taking action.

 

A hand with plenty of potential. What action will you take? The opponents are playing Acol. You are playing Teams...and the vulnerability is in your favour.

Let’s call in our Panel.

Michael Cornell “2: at this vulnerability go the big way with 2.

It is unlikely to be our hand but we could have a club fit suitable for diving.

In any case, an honest description of my hands gives partner a chance to participate in the auction.”

The same bid (showing at least 5-5 in the unbid suits) but with rather a different view about finding a club fit:

Peter Newell “2:  I think it is important to get both suits in particularly at this vulnerability as they may bid up quickly in spades. However, I think it is close to 2 as I have a fair bit of defence if partner fits clubs. So, he could end up misjudging and bidding 5 when we should be defending. I’m assuming we don’t have specific agreements on the range.”

No specific range was given for the 2 bid. Let’s just say “common bridge sense”.

Nigel Kearney “2: Knowing my shape may help them if they declare but at this vulnerability that's outweighed by the chance of a good sacrifice.”

One has to wonder how good the sacrifice will be when you hold two aces and a possibly cashing king. Helping the opponent know the shape of your hand when you are defending, not really wanting to bid on to the 5-level in clubs…these could be reasons for not bidding 2 at this point.

Matt Brown “2: and decide later if I want to do any more. Bidding 2 could be better if partner has many clubs but I think the downside of forcing to the 3-level or telling them how to play the hand is too great."

“Forcing to the 3 level” …it seemed some panellists were possibly heading for the 5 level. Matt is concerned that even the 3 level is maybe too high. The texture of our suits is average at best.

Welcome to our new Panellist, Christchurch’s Kris Wooles:

Kris Wooles “Double: Partnerships may have understandings for 2 or 3 but this hand isn’t strong enough to get too carried away and there is a risk we may have no fit.”

Yet, we are not vulnerable, Kris, and they are? Surely, we are safe enough?

One opponent opened the bidding and the other showed 10+ hcp…but they had not yet found a fit. Did they have one? While we certainly want to take an active part of this auction, we would really only want partner to participate if they had four card+ support for one of our suits. Our partner is probably quite weak in high-card strength.

“Double” may not achieve a sacrifice when we do have one but when we do not, it is certainly the best action to take. As Peter Newell said, even when we have a fit, our honour cards are such that we may simply wish to defend.   

Let’s look at the two auctions from the actual match:

West              North            East                South

1                   Pass              2                   2

Pass                2NT                X                       3

Pass                Pass              3NT                All Pass

Without the double and without the fact that the opponents had shown at least half if not more than half the high card strength, 2NT would be constructive. However, South was still not listening.

Yet, East decided that their side could do best by bidding game. They were vulnerable. South started with a high heart:

 

A change of suit for South (both North and East followed to trick 1)! The 5 brought K, 4, 2. .. and then a heart to declarer’s J (North discarding a spade).

South had two courses of action…win and hope to cash four club tricks or duck to break communications and hope that would not be declarer’s 9^th trick..5 diamonds, AK, a heart and a club. South guessed wrong – 600.

 Other Table

West              North            East                South

1                   Pass              2                   2

Pass                Pass                x                      3

Pass                Pass                x                      All Pass

Whether or not Matt Brown was going to bid 3 (he was not at the table), he was in big trouble with his 2 overcall as was South above. South here was in even bigger trouble when he offered his partner a choice of suits:

 

With hearts well under control, West did very well to pass their partner’s values, penalty style double. A diamond lead and trump switch saw South staring at large numbers. They would have done best to have won their ace, cashed AK and reduced East’s trumps by trying to ruff a heart in dummy.

That would have given South 5 tricks. In the event, they managed just two trumps and two hearts….-1100. Not vulnerable!

Favourable vulnerability, as well! Is there such a thing on a board like this? Let’s look how Kris Wooles’ auction would have gone:

West              North            East                South

1                   Pass             2                   x 
2                   Pass             3NT                All Pass

and after a low club lead, +100. (duck the first heart lead and win the second). Welcome to the Panel, Kris. Well picked. You did listen to the bidding.

4 is the contract for tomorrow and it looks like there are 4 losers. “Un4tunately, that means 1 down.” They made it at the other table. Can you?

 

2 was 5 hearts and 4+ minor, less than opening strength. West leads 8. (Trumps break 2-1). The answer will be here tomorrow.

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

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