Board 19

Board 19
Opponents vulnerable

♠ 6 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ 9 8 6 ♣ K 7 5 4 2

I pass in first seat. LHO opens one spade, partner overcalls with two hearts, and RHO bids two spades. Without a fourth trump, I don't think this hand is quite worth a drive to game. On the other hand, I could bid three hearts with a lot worse. I decide to compromise with a responsive double. This is often a good move when you have a good hand but only moderate support for partner's suit. Even though partner doesn't know about your support, if the opponents keep bidding, he tends to do the right thing anyway. With a second suit, he bids on. With a balanced hand, he chooses to defend. That's pretty much what you want him to do.

Over my double, LHO passes, partner bids three clubs, and RHO passes. Three clubs was just what I needed to hear. My hand is now worth a drive to game, so I bid four hearts, which ends the auction.

	NORTH ♠ 6 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ 9 8 6 ♣ K 7 5 4 2
	SOUTH ♠ 10 7 ♥ Q J 10 8 4 3 ♦ Q ♣ A J 8 3

West	North	East	South
	Pass	1 ♠	2 ♥
2 ♠	Double1	Pass	3 ♣
Pass	4 ♥	(All pass)
1Responsive

West leads the five of spades. It appears that, unless both our suits split 2-2, the opponents have missed a game. Since West might have led a singleton club, I'm probably going to be playing for the drop in clubs rather than finessing. But I may change my mind. South did bid clubs, so West might well choose not to lead his singleton.

East follows with the jack of spades. Which card do you play?

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The ten and the seven are equivalent cards to East, since both are higher than the card West led. But, to create maximum ambiguity for West, you must play the ten, since East's play of the jack has marked you with that card. I have focused a fair amount on declarer's choice of spot cards in this blog. It may seem picayune, since the choice seldom seems to make much difference on the hand in question. But many declarers get these decisions wrong when it does matter. I think it's important to develop the habit of playing the right card. If you get to the point where you do so more or less routinely, you can direct your attention to other matters.

East shifts to the king of diamonds, you play the queen, and West overtakes with the ace. Was this really a doubleton? Does West have seven diamonds? West continues with the jack of diamonds, East plays the three, and I ruff, I draw trumps, ending in my hand. East follows up the line. West follows once, then discards the deuce and four of diamonds. My best guess is that West is 3-1-7-2 and East is 6-3-2-2. I lead the eight of clubs--nine--king--ten. When East's queen shows up on the next club, I claim, pitching a spade on the long club to make five:

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

The responsive double seems to have had the serendipitous effect of silencing East. With no reason to expect heart shortness in his partner's hand, he chose to go quietly. It still seems he should bid three spades over the double, if only to keep his LHO from introducing his minor cheaply.

At the other table, my hand bid four hearts over two spades. Now, practically expecting his partner to hold a singleton heart, East bid four spades and bought it. After the queen of diamonds lead, declarer took all the tricks. Making seven.

I do think double is a better choice than four hearts, but I don't think it's fifteen imps better. My opponent's punishment was out of proportion to his crime.

Me: +450
Jack: -710
Score on Board 19: +15 IMPs
Total: +54 IMPs