Here is a deal from a
duplicate pairs game. It is tricky to bid no matter which direction you are
seated - both sides risk a potential top or a bottom with their bids. Try
bidding it from both NS and EW directions, and see where you end up. East-West
were vulnerable and North dealt.
S: K
H: A1095
D: AJ1083
C: 1053
S: 10874 S: AJ9632
H: KJ72 H: Q64
D: K D: 2
C: AK82 C: Q76
S: Q5
H: 83
D: Q97654
C: J94
At the table where I sat
North opened the bidding with one diamond. With three of the high card points
being a singleton king, many might not open this minimum hand. East made a weak
jump overcall to two spades. South, with a truly dreadful hand but encouraged
by six card support of partner’s bid suit and favourable vulnerability, raised
to three diamonds. West, with the best hand at the table, raised his partner’s
spades to game. North, with five good diamonds and a strong suspicion that four
spades would make, raised to five diamonds as a non-vulnerable sacrifice. This
was passed around to West.
Now what would you bid?
The choices are pass, double or five spades. One of these bids gets you an
average, one gets you a near top, and one gets a bottom. But how do you work
out which is which?
North East South West
1D 2S 3D 4S
5D P P ?
At our table West
eventually passed. Five diamonds is not a pretty contract. There are no
diamond losers, but the best you can do outside the trump suit is to lose a
spade and then throw a club loser on dummy’s queen. This way you go down only
two: losing one spade, one heart and two clubs. This gets an average for both
sides.
Double would have been a
better result for East-West, but not as good as making a four spade game. A bid
of five spades, instead of double, converts a top to a solid bottom. East-West
are bound to lose one top spade and the two red aces - making game, but going
down one in five spades.
So how would you have bid
it - a near top, a bottom or a middle?
If you have bridge
questions, or to send me your interesting hands, please contact me at:
[email protected].
