Dubious Logic

Suffolk v Bedfordshire

It is a while since their last home match but last Sunday Suffolk teams were hosts to Bedfordshire. Continuing what has been a patchy season, Suffolk emerged the worse from what were scrappy matches: the 'A' team lost 5-15, the 'B' team 8-12 but the 'C' team salvaged some pride with a 13-7 win.

There were several deals that centred on pre-emption and the response thereto and I had a brief correspondence about deal below. The years I have written pieces like this have taught me to avoid statements like, "Surely everyone opened three spades…" and that was true here:

Where North did open three spades it was passed round to West who bid three no-trump. North led a low heart, knave, king, low. South switched to a spade and the Beds declarer appeared to think one off would be a good score, cashing the next eight tricks and conceding. Even a pessimist convinced that South held both top hearts might have risked another fifty points after seven black winners by exiting with a low diamond.

At my table there was less action:

Suffolk's Peter Gemmell was well aware that North's earlier inaction with spades implied a heart holding and was never troubled. For what its worth, I considered two no-trump at my second turn – perhaps it is the better call. The real action happened at two tables (against home 'A' pair, by home 'B'):

It is clear that double works well here but both Wests bid five clubs which had no play. My informal test in these circumstances is to mentally swap the unknown hands, here East and South. If double is 'sufficiently takeout' it would work (there are making slams) but I suspect many would pass. Perhaps double is the better call but it is close.

Suffolk v Bedfordshire
'A' Team lost 5-15 VPs (-37 IMPs)
Peter Sutcliffe / Rick Hanley
Chris Chambers / Peter Gemmell
Jeff Orton / Graham Beeton
Karen Pryor / Malcolm Pryor

'B' Team lost 8-12 VPs (-11 IMPs)
Andrew Moore / Jane Moore
Pauline Hanson / Con Hanson
Roger Tattersfield / Jill Tattersfield
Debby Sutcliffe / Maria Allnutt

'C' Team won 13-7 VPs (+22 IMPs)
Norman Less / Helen Mason
Bim Wilson / Sam Wilson
Richard Evans / Celia Jeal
Fleur Waters / Rick Waters

Published Saturday 22.Nov.2014