♠K6532
♥J10742
♦Q7
♣2
LHO rebid 2♣ and it was passed around to me. I hated to sell out, so I considered my options. The main argument against bidding was the vulnerability--unfavorable. On the other hand, we probably had close to half of the points based on the bidding. I liked my diamond holding and my club shortness. Where are the majors, I wondered?
They must be evenly divided around the table. Can we find our way to a major suit part-score? What would a double by me mean? Takeout for the unbid suits--the majors?
I couldn't bear to pass and let them play at the two-level, so I hazarded a double. Partner, to my relief, bid 2♥! I was pleased when everyone passed. A club was led.
NABC 11/28/2012
| Board 2 East Deals N-S Vul |
♠ K 6 5 3 2 ♥ J 10 7 4 2 ♦ Q 7 ♣ 2 |
||||||||||
♠ Q 10 4
♥ 9 6 3 ♦ A 10 5 3 ♣ K 10 4 |
|
♠ A J 8
♥ K 8 ♦ 6 4 ♣ A J 9 8 7 3 |
|||||||||
| ♠ 9 7 ♥ A Q 5 ♦ K J 9 8 2 ♣ Q 6 5 |
|||||||||||
| West | North | East | South |
| Jenn | Larry | ||
| 1 ♣ | 1 ♦ | ||
| 1 NT | Pass | 2 ♣ | Pass |
| Pass | Dbl | Pass | 2 ♥ |
| All pass |
| 2 ♥ by South |
| Made 3 — +140 |
Partner managed to make 3 for a great score of plus 140. This was worth 36.5 matchpoints out of 39. As it turned out, any plus score our way would have been a big score as the opponents could make 2NT (W) 4NT (E) or 4♣.
As you can see, the opponents' bidding left something to be desired. East could certainly have passed 1NT. West would have played it there and probably taken a lot of tricks. On the given auction, West should have competed to 3♣ over 2♥.
Unwilling to sell out over 2♣, I competed with an unusual balancing takeout double and it paid off. I tell my bridge students: Don't just sit there! Find ways to get into the auction. Good things can happen.
See partner's comments on the auction following this post.
See you at the table!
1 comment:
In discussing this bid my partner had this to say:
Hi Jennifer,
Although this is never discussed in literature as far as I can see, this sure felt kind of like a balancing responsive double. 1C - 1D - 1Nt - P - 2C - P - P - dbl
with no attempt at bidding a Major, responder should have some support for his partner.
Matchpoint Style says we should not allow the opponents to play on the 2 level, unless we have a trump stack or we feel the opponents are highly underbid.
With opener rebidding C's, the opponents have a high probability of an 8+ card fit. 2 suits remain unbid. One of the opponents has my suit covered.
How could you have enough of a trump stack to beat this contract at the 2-level, when I'm looking at Qxx?
Bridge bidding is not a formula, but rather a conversation using the language available and trying to interpret the conversation.
Interesting auction.
Larry
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