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“FREAKY” DOUBLES -Part 1.

Our two boards over the next two days have a common theme where a player has five trumps to the ace, and in one case, decent cards below in that suit, and has a seemingly obvious penalty double as the opponents choose to play with that suit as trumps.

Yet, either one’s partner’s shape and or their previous bidding makes an obvious penalty double seem not so obvious. In both cases, the game is Pairs:

 

Yes, 3 is natural.

2 is a standard Weak 2. What action would you take?

Would it make any difference if 2 showed spades and another suit? (any other suit?).

No-one is vulnerable. Unless you can bid and make slam which must be at best dubious opposite an average “weak two”, then you need 7 tricks to outscore those who can make a spade game. It would be a sad day when you cannot make 5 of them from your own hand. Even with a 6-3 spade fit, it must be right to double.

I did not even ask the Panel. Seems obvious, doesn’t it? Meanwhile, East was observing the “great for the post-mortem but shame about the result stance of trusting partner”. I wonder if they were feeling a little nervous about passing the double. I would but then I would never be in that position with this particular Weak 2:

 

In case you are wondering, South could not bid 2NT to show both minors. That bid shows a strong no-trump. South has to choose which minor to bid. If they want to make just one bid, then maybe 3 is safer (they can then try diamonds if doubled) but if they want perhaps to bid twice, then start with the higher ranking suit.

To open a Weak 2 with a four- card major on the side is risky…but a five card one? The risk is far too great. So, what happened?

At the Table

East passed.

West did not help the cause by leading A although sooner or later, they will be forced to do so or lead hearts for a spade discard, though the non-spade lead would have eventually gained a trick for the defence. Declarer won the club switch in dummy to play a trump.

West won and continued with a spade to South’s king. South’s heart was played which West won to continue the suit, K winning. Declarer played on clubs. While West took three trump tricks and 2 aces, they eventually had to either concede a trick to dummy’s holding when the third round of spades was played or else play back a trump into Q10. The end result, therefore, was just one down.

East did not contribute a trick. + 100 was not much compensation in any form of scoring for the missed 450 from either major game.

It is hard to criticise West’s double but the damage was done by either East’s opening bid or failure to pull the double or both. East’s hand is not a Weak 2 but a Weak major 2 suiter. I am sure East could come into the bidding later, if appropriate, had they passed initially.

So, would West have doubled had they known East held a two-suiter? I think so because West would presume the second suit was clubs. When you have a weak two-suited hand with both majors, if you have not got a bid to show specifically both majors, then it is better not to open. Pre-empting is not right on all shapes on every hand. As you can see, the only one pre-empted was East’s partner.

So, East probably lost the post-mortem, too. They certainly contributed significantly to the loss on the board.

I hate television mini-series. You see part 1 and then there is a bridge night! Yes, remember what they are like? You soon will! (comments about recording and watching later can be addressed elsewhere. We don’t!). Nevertheless, here is your problem for tomorrow:

 

Again, Pairs and not just a 2-part theme but a 2-part question as well.

1. Do you agree with West’s pass of 4?
2. Assuming you did pass, what now?

We will be back on Thursday.

Richard Solomon

 

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