Dubious Logic

2NT… 3NT

A decent while ago, all right, when I first learned the game, a maxim did the rounds; having all your side's strength in one hand harmed your chances.

In the classic example, opposite an opening two no-trump, showing around 20 HCP, even with four or five points players would pass; "you won't be able to get to my hand" they'd say, "to lead up to your honours". These days we are less inclined to pass borderline responses: we'll risk finding a major fit and if that fails, hope that opener has a source of tricks, a five card suit or even a six card minor.

Of course suits with no small cards – for getting from hand to hand – or bare honours are a liability. So are hands with no points; here despite his three honours (so no Yarborough) North was not in the least tempted:

In a recent Gold Cup match the auction was effectively the same at both tables; East passed, South bid two no-trumps (once after an artificial 2♣ – 2♦ start) and no-one had any more to say. Actually West, after the direct 2NT opening, gave the game away somewhat with a huddle and questions – which was somewhat naïve, bad form and only harmed his side. The diamond seven was led at both tables.

Where West had tipped off his strength, declarer rose with the ten, subsequently he lost the lead to West in spades who, to defeat the contract, invested a trick by continuing with diamonds: down two, NS -200. At the other table declarer ducked the diamond lead in dummy. This would have been good against East's king-low or knave-low but was not successful against his actual holding or eight-low. He was down three for -300 and a 3 IMP loss (which really occurred at the other table).

The high card points were 20-20 and the side with the greater concentration scored fewer tricks as expected but does anything else strike you about the deal?

East-West are 'cold' for 3NT in their direction. Even with the choice of lead, North-South cannot prevent nine tricks regardless of who declares. The fortunate position in the club suit gives three tricks and an entry, moreover the lie of the spade suit allows overtaking an honour with the king. The net result is that despite their own imbalance, the East hand has enough entries – or South has to concede them – to lead towards the red honours.

Before you write in, had West led a top spade or the club ace, with the vulnerability, they could have had +400 on defence. But that doesn't take away the ability of the game to surprise us: South opens 2NT to pre-empt the opponents out of their no-trump game – who would have thought it?

Published Saturday 23.Jan.2010