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Michael’s Fun: an “obvious bid?”

You pick up a nice- looking hand, only a 10 count but with lots of potential. Our partner opens the bidding and not, for a change, in our void suit. Indeed, it is the opponents who bid and support that suit. Our first bid seems obvious. Is our second so obvious?

 

It’s Pairs. Your partner’s 1 is natural while 2 promises at least 5-5 in spades and another suit, presumably not diamonds. What now?

The words “too easy” meaning “obvious” ring out from one of our Panel:

Nigel Kearney “4: This seems too easy. We don't know what RHO's other suit is but we have a pretty good hand and after my 4, partner should have a fair idea whether we belong in hearts, diamonds, or clubs. 

Nigel has identified part of the problem because we know that our left-hand opponent has at least five cards in one of our two suits. That may mean that the hand will not play that well for us with our right-hand opponent being just about as short, if not shorter, than our partner in whichever suit that is. That may not be a problem if we have a fit somewhere but do we? Our partner could have supported hearts with a fit there.

Despite these possible drawbacks, I find this view a little negative.

Stephen Blackstock “Pass: Guessing that West’s second suit is clubs and not hearts. If it was hearts, he might have been reluctant to venture 3. We know that South has four spades (it would be unusual for West to have six, or East to bid so little with five), and he must have five plus diamonds so we don’t have much of a fit. With three hearts, he will have raised. It’s possible we might make nine tricks in our best contract and thus have a save against 3, but that is an extremely narrow target. In any event, I am not confident we can defeat 4 so I’m not keen to add any momentum to the auction.”

Bruce Anderson “Pass: I have shown 10+ points and a good heart suit and partner did not want to bid over 2, meaning it is likely he/she has a doubleton heart at most. And presumably West has spades and clubs so bidding my second suit is not an option. 4 could still be a make but a bad break is all too likely.

 An action double risks partner passing with three trumps but a perverse distribution means we cannot defeat 3. In fact, 4 could be making, so a cautious pass is my call.”

Pam Livingston “Pass: Partner for sure doesn't have 3 hearts and almost certainly has 4 or maybe even 5 spades.  What is West's second suit?  It is one of my suits.  This is looking like an ugly misfit hand.  I could double but I don't really want partner to bid 3NT.  Seems a shame with this nice- looking hand.  The auction isn't over yet though.  If partner doubles 3, it will be for penalties.”

At least Pam is slightly more optimistic about prospects. We do have some more bidders:

Andy Braithwaite “4: I cannot pass with this monster so bid 4 hoping partner can deal with 4 if they bid on.”

And others for the “obvious”:

Julie Atkinson "4: Surely this gives partner a good picture of my hand. Also, the old adage 6_5 come alive. Pass cannot be right with partner at best 4 spades on this auction. And while West has 5 of one of my suits, I still have confidence that we want to defend at a higher level. Once more but partner will be in charge of the auction after this.

Peter Newell “4: Why not? I have a great club suit and strong playing strength. Partner will not have more than 4 spades so could still fit clubs and it describes my hand which will make it easier for partner to judge when East more than likely bids 4.

 I think it is almost certain that East will bid 4 as they seem to have 3 spades possibly 4, and very likely a shortage in West’s second suit. Am I worried that clubs might be West’s second suit? A little. However, partner knows West has a second suit too.  4 may struggle with the bad breaks but could easily make if partner has bad spades and cannot stop a cross ruff.  Over the likely 4, partner will be in a better position to judge than if I simply bid 4.

While there is another way:

Michael Cornell “Double: Take-out but a strong hand. Partner has less than 3 hearts so that the hand looks a misfit. RHO might even have hearts though clubs are more likely. If partner has a spade stack, he will pass and my opponents will be in serious trouble.

If he bids 3NT, I will probably pass. We should have 4 club tricks so we are almost there!

Whether or not this would be an all-round winning action, it was certainly the winning action on the day:

 

or would have been. However, having passed 2, South would have been well-placed to double 3 for penalties.

At the table, the “obvious” 4 was made. Neither panellist who chose this bid indicated how forcing this was. Indeed, South passed and 10 tricks were duly made.

Meanwhile, 3x would not have been a happy place for the declarer after Q lead. There are 6 top tricks for the defence but plenty of work to be done to escape with that small a loss: surely, more tricks for the defence.

A good description of the contract… overboard!

The passers can feel happy, assuming South used their “red card”. North’s double does seem a little extreme for a take-out double, though without it and a slightly different hand, South would be unlikely to try 4 with a doubleton. Thus, North’s double kept most of the favourable options open which “the obvious bid” did not.

 

Knee-Jerk

 

South became declarer in 3NT with what seemed a more than ample dummy. West led 6. Over to you. The K is not singleton.

Richard Solomon

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