09 March 2012

Softly Softly

Sometimes the slowest auctions are the best:

Q 4
A J T 8 6
J 7
8 7 4 2


Right hand opponent opened 1 and I passed. I know it's match points and we're not vul and blah blah blah. I'm not bidding.

This gets round to partner who bids 2, spade Michaels. Spades and one of the reds with intermediate values or better. Right hand doubles:

WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass Pass 2
X ?

Partner almost certainly has the pointy suits and if so we'd like to play in spades. However there is a small chance partner has hearts, how best to find out? Pass! Partner will pull the double to her red suit and then we'll know.

WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass Pass 2
X Pass 2 Pass
Pass ?

West thought for a long time before passing. If partner has spades, diamonds, a good hand and we have hearts sewn up they're probably not making this. Two down won't get us a good score but two down doubled will.

WestNorthEastSouth
1 Pass Pass 2
X Pass 2 Pass
Pass X Pass 2
Pass ?

Partner looking a little exasperated bids 2. That changes everything, we might have all twenty major suit points. I bid the game:

Q 4
A J T 8 6
J 7
8 7 4 2
A 9 3
K 9
T 6 4
A K Q J 5
7 6 2
7
A 9 8 5 3 2
T 6 3
K J T 8 5
Q 5 4 3 2
K Q
9

2 comments:

  1. To me, it looks like you'd have gotten to game even if you'd over-called.

    1C - 1H - 3D - 4H

    is one way it could have gone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're absolutely correct. Any time there's big fits and distributional shapes there's a wide range of possible auctions.
      Here both minor contracts are good sacrifices against 4H but you try talk a balanced 17 count into jumping!

      Delete