Tollemache (2) - Double Trouble

We didn't have too many opportunities to revel in the opponents' misfortunes at this year's Tollemache Qualifier but it wasn't all doom and gloom. Several Suffolk pairs achieved good results in their own right and, best of all, some of the opposition did foolish things.

One of the largest sources of partnership disharmony is failing to understand each other's doubles. The usual disaster comes from misreading a take-out double as penalty resulting in a doubled contract making against you – worse still when you double them into game. But there are other traps:

NS Vul.
Dealer West
  • J96
  • KQJ76
  • K52
  • Q8
  • K
  • 109432
  • Q7
  • KJ763
N
W
E
S
  • AQ87543
  • ---
  • J84
  • 952
  • 102
  • A85
  • A10963
  • A104
West
North
East
South
Sussex
Chambers
Sussex
Gobert
Pass
1
2
3*
X
4
4
X
End

East's two spades was weak, South's cue-bid showed a high card raise to four, usually with only three trumps. Why West made a contribution is a mystery – "For the lead" he claimed, possibly he thought his partner had a suit good enough to bid but not to lead or he would underlead the ace – both remote possibilities. Though a 'phantom save' – North-South couldn't make four hearts, four spades was cheap at -100 but it had turned a plus into a minus.

And doubles can cause trouble if you don't know or trust your counter-measures:

  • KJ1075
  • KQ
  • K972
  • 76
N
W
E
S
  • A3
  • A10974
  • AJ1083
  • A
1♠2♥
2♠3♦
3♥4♣(X)
Pass4♥

There matters rested; the heart knave fell as did the diamond queen and all thirteen tricks were quickly gathered in.

West had passed expecting his partner to clarify the control in the club suit – redouble, first round control, other bids second. When his partner showed no more enthusiasm, his ace-less collection was not worth any more with partner's club holding badly placed. East for his part should have redoubled but perhaps he thought that was more forward (rather than neutral) and East's action less than encouraging – in these days of light openings he could have been facing ♠KQJ102 ♥KJ ♦963 ♣Q104 when prospects would not have been bright.

As East appeared to be declaring hearts, it is usually foolish to double when you are on lead but and there has been a vogue for doubles on length without high-cards to keep the opponents guessing. I wish I could say that was the case here but, with ♣KQ1052, it was honest.

Published Saturday 13.Dec.2008