Partner Causes Fatal Attraction
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday January 22, 2002
High level competitive bidding is one of the toughest areas of the game. Here is an example from the final of the 2001 Bermuda Bowl.
With Norway North-South:
West North East South
-- -- Pass 1C*
1H Dble 2S Dble
3H Pass 4H Pass
Pass Dble Pass Pass
*Artificial, strong
With his huge support for hearts, Alan Sontag, West, aimed to muddy the waters for North-South with a psychic (bluff) fit-jump of 2 spades, supposedly showing a spade suit plus heart support. When South doubled 2 spades, ostensibly for takeout, North-South had little chance to reach 4 spades. North did well to double 4 hearts and declarer lost the obvious five tricks for
minus 300.
With USA North-South:
West North East South
-- -- 2H Dble
3D Pass Pass 4S
5H 5S Pass Pass
2 hearts was a weak opening and, too strong for an immediate spade bid, South began with a takeout double. West bid 3 diamonds to suggest a lead to partner if North bid.
A sensible approach after a weak two opening is to play the jump to 4-of-a-minor as lead-directing with support for opener's major. Rather than risk being left in diamonds, West could jump to 4 diamonds as a raise to 4 hearts with high card values in diamonds.
South's jump to 4 spades strongly suggested more than five spades and so when West bid five hearts, it was not easy for North to resist the fatal attraction of five spades. It is true that North's diamond king was a likely defensive trick but it seemed to North as though North-South had 11 or 12 spades.
With no certain fit in spades and with four likely red suit losers, South might have bid just 3 spades. If West then bids 4 hearts, North will bid 4 spades and leave any further action to South. If West pushes on to 5 hearts, South has an easy double.
Declarer had to lose a heart and 2 diamond tricks for minus 50 and 8 Imps to Norway, but USA went on to win the final.
Problem for tomorrow:
North dealer; both vulnerable
West North East South
-- Pass Pass 2H
Pass 3H Pass ?
*Acol two, strong
What would you do now as South with:
' 9
? AKQ983
? 10
? A9763
Bridge daffynitions: Lead-out-of-turn: attempt to prevent partner from making the first mistake.
© 2002 Sydney Morning Herald