Dubious Logic

Tactics in the auction

As I have often mentioned in the past, the most common form of bridge played is duplicate, whether matchpointed pairs, teams scored with IMPs or a few rare variants. There's social bridge of course; friends gather and play for pride or pennies. I'm not underestimating the pain of losing (again!) in a small circle or ignominiously having to stand and deliver loose change, but both are a world away from rubber bridge as was.

Played for serious stakes, that now resides in a few London clubs and in Agatha Christie dramatisations that feature the twenties, thirties and forties. It was a cut-throat world; true, no gadgets had been invented yet, let alone licensed in or out of the game. Problems had to be solved by low cunning and a hand such as this could make or break an evening:

• K1065
• 2
• ---
• KQ1097532

Opponents were vulnerable, we were not, partner dealt and opened a spade, next hand passed; what, oh what, to do?

You know you must be in the midst of deal where it's possible both sides can make a slam. The money players know they must declare and make their contract, especially when the opponents compete. You must do anything to avoid helping them. It's easy to imagine a hand with both black aces opposite where seven spades will depend on which ace they lead. But surely you won't bid that far? You may have to – if each opponent holds a black suit void, then they may make seven of a red suit. With my head spinning with possibilities, I did not make a good job of this:

We do have gadgets and partner's re-double showed three clubs. As the table absorbed my vault to slam I realised I had done a foolish thing. South would most likely double – that would be based on a club void and a debacle would ensue. I patched an alibi. I would convert to seven clubs and wait for the lead of the diamond ace. But… no double, no trouble. Six spades was passed out and North led the diamond ace. South apologised – her head was spinning with possibilities too and she forgot to double.

I was fortunate this was a club pairs – it would be very dangerous at teams too - but what should I have done? Well, it's possible a real tactician might still have started with 2♣ but after that I think I should have control bid hearts – keeping my diamond void secret. Alternatively I might have tried an immediate four spades but there are some hands where partner could have enough to keep the opponents quiet yet insufficient to move on to slam. In this day and age there was one more possibility, a leap to 5♦ – asking for aces outside diamonds – that's one call they would never have made in the old days.

Published Saturday 4.Jun.2005