Even Honours
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday March 12, 2003
Most good results or poor results do not result from outstanding play. They come from avoiding or committing errors. This can be seen from this round from the Gold Coast Pairs Qualifying Session 2. On this deal cover all but the North cards and consider your action after the auction below.
West North East South
-- -- 1NT (1) 2C (2)
2S Pass Pass Dble (3)
Pass ?
(1) 12-14 (Fearless Fordham)
(2) Clubs and another suit
(3) For takeout
What would you do as North?
Thinking that South might be merely competing for the part-score, I wimped it by bidding only 3H, which was passed out. The error of my ways was clear eleven tricks later, as we wrote in +200 next to all the +450s. Top to Fordham-Nunn.
One of the questions a partnership needs to solve here is the location of South's second suit. A sound agreement would be that double shows hearts and clubs, and 2NT would show both minors.
Another item for discussion would be the meaning of 2NT in reply to the double. A sensible approach here would be to use 2NT to ask for South's 5-card suit to avoid guessing which suit to bid.
On the actual hand I have a clear-cut 4H bid in reply to the double (as long as there is certainty that the double promises four hearts). You can take South's DA away and 4H is still a good spot.
This was the next board. This time cover all but the West cards and decide on your lead after the auction given.
West North East South
-- -- -- 1C (1)
1S Pass Pass 3NT
Pass Pass 4H Pass
Pass 4NT All pass
(1) Artificial, 15+ points
What should West lead?
Curiously each side can make ten tricks in no-trumps provided that they have the first lead. If North-South declare, a diamond to the king and the club finesse gives South ten tricks. East-West have ten tricks via seven hearts and three spades thanks to the spade finesse and the SK dropping.
After the auction given, West had the lead. Starting with the HA would have taken 4NT seven down (at one table at least, North played 3NT and the easy heart lead from East saw East-West chalk up +600).
Here the HA lead is not so easy. Judging that declarer had SK-x and probably the same in hearts, West opted for a non-committal club lead. On another day this could have worked. This was not the day. Honour was even. (Fordham-Nunn went on to reach the final and finished fourth.)
'Even the best opponents should be given the chance to err.' (Victor Mollo)
Tomorrow's problem:
West dealer : Nil vulnerable
West North East South
Pass 1NT (1) 3D ?
(1) 12-14
What would you do as South with:
' J732
? J8752
? --
? AK87
Sunday, March 16: Workshop with Tina Zines at the NSWBA (9264 -8111) on Multi-Twos - how to use them effectively, how to bid against them.
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald
Share This