Getting into the action
Last week I looked at some good hands, those with lots of high cards that qualify for a strong and artificial two-club opener. Of course, good hands are not really measured in high-card-points, they are measured in tricks. That means you may have one and not know it. This deal occurred in a recent Gold Cup match:
| Game All Dealer North | ♠ Q1065 | ||
| ♥ K72 | |||
| ♦ 108 | |||
| ♣ Q1094 | |||
| ♠ --- | ♠ J42 | ||
| ♥ QJ643 | ♥ A1098 | ||
| ♦ K965432 | ♦ AJ | ||
| ♣ 8 | ♣ 7652 | ||
| ♠ AK9873 | |||
| ♥ 5 | |||
| ♦ Q7 | |||
| ♣ AKJ3 | |||
| West | North | East | South | |
| Pass | Pass | 1♠1 | ||
| Pass | 2♦2 | Pass | 3♣ | |
| Pass | 4♠ | End |
1) Five card major
2) Four card spade support, 8-10 HCP
A glance at the diagram reveals that south had no trouble making four spades however, it is equally apparent that east-west have no difficulty taking twelve tricks in either red suit. It was surely the vulnerability that kept west quiet but what should he have done?
West's first pass is understandable - though many would overcall two diamonds or even some two-suited gadget - but once the opponents announce their fit, action was called for. The best approach is for west to bid four no-trump over four spades, converting his partner's five clubs to five diamonds. This would be an excellent description of the west cards combined with an initial two diamond overcall.
Both tables in our match allowed south to play four spades, the second west did bid two diamonds but gave up when they weren't supported. We should not be too hard on them for even experts have difficulties in these situations. This is a deal from the 2008 Spingold final, one of the top events in the United States:
| Game All Dealer North | ♠ 93 | ||
| ♥ Q652 | |||
| ♦ AQJ98 | |||
| ♣ K2 | |||
| ♠ AJ1076 | ♠ Q854 | ||
| ♥ 7 | ♥ 943 | ||
| ♦ 2 | ♦ 754 | ||
| ♣ J97543 | ♣ AQ8 | ||
| ♠ K2 | |||
| ♥ AKJ108 | |||
| ♦ K1063 | |||
| ♣ 106 | |||
| West | North | East | South | |
| 1♦ | Pass | 1♥ | ||
| 1♠ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 4♥ | |
| End | ||||
Here not only did east-west 'sell out' they compounded their timidity in the auction by leading the spade ace. A switch to a club still meant -620 that left them with an uncomfortable wait to see what happened in the other room. There, after a similar start, east raised more aggressively to three spades and west bid four over south's four hearts. Things didn't stop there as north bid five hearts. West again led the spade ace and received the queen from east… Eventually west played a diamond and south had +650 and a one IMP gain.
Published Saturday 31.Jan.2009