Free Weekly Instant Tournament - October 7 - Board 7

Board 7
Both vulnerable

♠ --  ♥ 9 3  ♦ A K Q J 7 6 5  ♣ K Q 10 4

I have seven tricks in diamonds and a trick and a half plus in clubs--just shy of nine tricks in total. One diamond followed by three diamonds shows seven and a half to eight tricks, so this hand is too good for that sequence. It isn't worth a game force, however. So my plan is to start with one diamond and rebid two clubs.

I open with one diamond, LHO passes, partner bids one heart, and RHO doubles. Two clubs may not be my best choice anymore. LHO is probably about to bid some large number of spades, so I want to get as much information across as possible with this call. Perhaps an underbid of three diamonds is best now. At least it lets partner know that I have excellent diamonds and a good hand, a message two clubs would not convey.

One problem with three diamonds is that it both understates my offense and overstates my defense. If I bid three diamonds and partner doubles three spades, I would have to pull. The whole point of a limit bid is to leave further decisions to partner. If I'm not willing to do that, then perhaps the limit bid is the wrong choice.

Another problem with three diamonds is that it forces the opponents to act at a high level. I won't be sure whether they are happy to act at that level or whether they are stretching because they are under pressure. Often that's a good thing. If you are want the opponents to make the last guess and are willing to make them live with their decision, then by all means take as much bidding room away from them as you can. But if you might be making the last guess yourself, you want as much information as possible. With this hand, I may find myself considering a sacrifice over four spades. So I want to give the opponents room to tell me what they think they can make.

Perhaps, then, two clubs is the right bid after all. It avoids surrendering captaincy, and it keeps the auction low.

I bid two clubs, LHO bids two spades, and there are two passes to me. I'm glad I chose two clubs. Had I bid three diamonds, LHO probably would have bid three spades. This way, I know West doesn't have a hand worth jumping to three spades voluntarily. If the opponents bid game now, I'm not sacrificing.

I bid three diamonds, LHO bids three spades. Two passes to me. I might make four diamonds opposite as little as the jack of clubs, so I have to compete. I bid four diamonds and buy it. West leads the diamond three.

	NORTH Robot ♠ Q 10 7 6 ♥ J 10 6 5 4 2 ♦ 9 ♣ 7 2
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ -- ♥ 9 3 ♦ A K Q J 7 6 5 ♣ K Q 10 4

West	North	East	South
Robot	Robot	Robot	Phillip
			1 ♦
Pass	1 ♥	Double	2 ♣
2 ♠	Pass	Pass	3 ♦
3 ♠	Pass	Pass	4 ♦
(All pass)

Partner's hand isn't much help. I'm probably going to lose two hearts and three clubs for down two.

I play the nine of diamonds from dummy, and East plays the four. Well! Now I have a dummy entry to hook against the club jack. If East is smart enough to duck his diamond ten holding ace-empty fifth of clubs, he's entitled to his good result. I underplay the nine and lead the deuce of clubs--six--ten--ace. West shifts to the deuce of spades--ten--jack--diamond six.

The opponents can't possibly mis-discard, so I will have to lose a club trick in the end. I play it out anyway just in case. I run all the diamonds but one, then exit with a heart. Nothing good happens, so I finish down one.

	NORTH Robot ♠ Q 10 7 6 ♥ J 10 6 5 4 2 ♦ 9 ♣ 7 2
WEST Robot ♠ A 9 4 2 ♥ Q 8 7 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣ A 9 3		EAST Robot ♠ K J 8 5 3 ♥ A K ♦ 4 2 ♣ J 8 6 5
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ -- ♥ 9 3 ♦ A K Q J 7 6 5 ♣ K Q 10 4

Three spades should go down. (Three rounds of diamonds, partner pitching both his clubs. Now declarer doesn't have the entries to pick up the spade suit.) But, of course, almost everyone competed to at least four diamonds. Some reached five diamonds. And some in four failed to take advantage of the favorable opening lead and went down two. Minus 100 was worth 82%,