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                              Don’t Go Chasing Rainbows.

We all like to look for any way possible to beat a contract, to find partner with a key card, to force a wrong move out of the declarer. Sometimes, though, we just have to sit back and wait, and hope, give the declarer no help…and, just maybe, you will get rewarded for your patience.

Two questions for you to ponder during the week-end. Do you agree with West’s take-out double on this deal?

2 showed 3 card heart support and 10-11 high card points, Bergen style. What is your choice of lead?

You are soon to be on lead to the opposition’s game. You did not know that at the time you doubled 1. Our first question to the Panel was whether they approved of our take-out double, considering our club shortage:

Michael Ware “approve of x: Yes, I agree with double. 1/2 is terrible in comparison.”

Bruce Anderson “approve of double:  a spade fit will not be missed and the hand is strong enough to bid diamonds if partner responds2/3 .”

Matt Brown “approve of double: even better when playing a system where correcting clubs to diamonds doesn’t promise extras.”

Nigel Kearney “approve of x:  It won't work well if partner has long clubs and not much else, but often partner will have spades and I may not get a second chance to bid them if I overcall 2. A 1 overcall could work but puts all the eggs in one basket and is not my style.”

I was surprised at the number of references to 1 being an option.

Mildly in disagreement was:

Kris Wooles “prefer 2:  but double is not so bad on this hand as I can bid again over 2/3 . “

Michael Cornell “prefer 2: I am not excited by X but I have made worse bids!

I do believe it has a lot of downside when partner bids clubs virtually at any level. Obviously, I am forced to bid diamonds but neither the suit nor the hand is really strong enough. Imagine if after X, the bidding simply goes 2 p p. Presumably I now bid 3 and if that gets whacked, I may need an ambulance! Especially so when partner runs to his weak 6 card club suit.

My preference is to overcall one of my suits and not vul, I think I will try 2 and hope to get the spades in later.”

What intrigues me is when one pulls clubs to diamonds, does that show just a strong diamond hand or strong with diamonds and spades? I am not sure it guarantees spades except where in Matt Brown's wish list, 3 does not promise extra value.

We have two more in the “double dislikers group” though their solutions are not mainstream.

Pam Livingston “prefer 1: Not a fan of double. After partner bids 2, I would have to bid 2 and I like a “double and bid” suit to be much better than this. Prefer to bid 1. If partner raises with only 3, then at least the short trumps are likely with the short hearts.”

Stephen Blackstock “prefer Pass: West’s double is rather odd. What would have happened if East tried 3? A retreat to those flimsy diamonds? I don’t like 2 either on that suit, and this is just the hand not to make the 4-card 1 overcall. If East raised, you have the values to move but not the trumps! Four card overcalls work best with hands with no offensive ambitions.

I prefer to pass and can back in with 2 later if the auction sounds like it can end below that level. Partner won’t expect long spades (no 1 overcall) and hence I am sure to have a longer minor he can move to if he wants.”

United against the double but with very different alternatives. A mixture of views all round, especially about the worth of our diamond suit. If you overcall 2 and South makes a re-opening double, you can offer a choice of suits with 2. It is not as though you have a hand of which you are ashamed! Moving on, as the bidding progressed as explained and it is our lead to 4.

Matt Brown “K: Leading a club seems pointless when partner is likely broke and we could just be picking up his Jxxx or similar. K seems right - if it goes round to the ace with the jack in dummy then, oh well. Second choice would be an even more passive low heart.”

Michael Cornell “K:  despite having a short club. I don’t think partner will have an entry and I don’t want to rip up the club suit. Declarer may have to play for a ruff in the dummy so I could get a ruff myself anyway and the diamond lead could be profitable in some cases e.g. a doubleton with partner or even the J.”

Aggression is just not the name of the game as your club lead could work out disastrously. Most of the Panel go completely passive or ruff reducing.

Stephen Blackstock “2: Maybe declarer will need some ruffs on dummy (a black 2-suiter would not be a big surprise). Everything else looks dangerous; a club is pointless given East hasn’t room for A or K. Leading the K at least looks at a straightforward way to defeat the contract, but is low percentage: both opponents need to have 3+ diamonds unless East has an unlikely overruff with say the J – and it’s not a given that East has two trumps either.”

Pam Livingston “2: I’m leading a small trump.  My partner has almost no points.  Let declarer do the work.” 

Bruce Anderson “2: Partner has little or nothing and so a lead that will reduce ruffs in dummy and gives nothing away in side suits is called for.”

Kris Wooles “2: cannot see any point in leading a club as partner will have nothing and I could open the suit up for declarer.  I’m aiming to stop ruffs in dummy.”

And then we have those who are sure they are being lured into a trap!

Nigel Kearney “K: seems like the obvious lead. I assume it didn't work or the question would not have been asked.”

Michael Ware “K: easiest lead in ages - must be a trap. Partner too unlikely to have A or quick entry to make singleton club lead higher percentage winner when we could have 2 diamonds to cash or a diamond ruff, or declarer is on club guess we have just given away.”

It would be good to be able to report two nice big catches but, in fact, the contract was cold on any lead. So, what’s the fuss?

 There is a difference in a contract being cold and declarer making that contract!

K lead was completely passive as long West did not continue with a second diamond when in with A. Declarer can win and must play a club to the ace and a heart towards dummy. West can win or win when the second trump is played and exit a third trump. A spade to the 10 leaves West in a hopeless position, unable to play a diamond and thus left to cashing A.

One and only one round of clubs must be played. Not so easy. (If a second club is played early, West can ruff and still eventually score two spade tricks and A.)After a trump lead, declarer must play a high club and a diamond to the Q and ace at an early stage.

The trick for the defence was to do nothing flash. At the table, West led their club and when in with A, tried to find their partner with K or 10, giving declarer an overtrick! Don’t chase the impossible. If South makes this contract, they will have done very well. K or a trump gave nothing away. Even the club lead did not “give”South the contract. South had still to time the ending right though it was easier for South once the J had been played at trick 1.

Are you any more successful than I am at reaching the tip of a rainbow? If so, I will be rubbing shoulders with you soon for good luck!

A decent dummy 

Indeed, it is! It is likely declarer’s hand is not quite as good!

Your partner leads 3 with their diamond suit not really being up to scratch! South calls for the Q from dummy and you win the ace and continue clubs. South puts up 10 and your partner discards 2 (low encouraging!...yeh, right!).

Next comes 7 to the 4, dummy’s queen and your king. What next?

Richard Solomon

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