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BOARD 13: BID BOLDLY, PLAY SAFE!

Hand played on	04/01/2007
Board number	13 (Red Section)
Dealer	North
Vulnerability	Both
Submitted by	Alaric Cundy

The Hands

	North ♠J653 ♥9742 ♦974 ♣J2
West ♠AQT97 ♥K85 ♦J53 ♣T7		East ♠2 ♥JT ♦K62 ♣AK98653		The Bidding
	South ♠K84 ♥AQ63 ♦AQT8 ♣Q4			North No 1♠ End	East 1♣ 3♣	South x No	West xx 3NT

"Bid Boldly, Play Safe" is the title of a book published many years ago by a great exponent of the game, the late Rixi Markus. That is a maxim that I still try to follow in my day-to-day play (Sorry about my awful overcall, partner!). And it is a maxim that aptly describes what happened at the table when this hand cropped up.

The first two bids are routine, but perhaps West's redouble is a topic for debate. There is certainly merit in the redouble - which most players would take to show values and an inclination to penalise at least some of the options that the opponents might choose to run to. Certainly had the opponents been left to play in a spade contract I would have enjoyed myself had I held the West hand! On the other hand, if your partnership understanding is that a simple change of suit over an intervening double is natural and forcing, then there is something to be said for bidding a straightforward 1♠: partner may have 3-card support, and even if the suit does break 4-1 - as the opponent's double suggests could be the case - at least it will be on-side. Anyway, redouble it was, and as the cards lay, that was probably the best choice. In the modern style, though North has paltry values, he / she is forced to bid in this situation, unless he / she genuinely has no clear-cut suit preferences. I think that East must be a devotee of Rixi's maxim too, as I suspect that few players would be bold enough to try 3♣ on that hand. The bid gave West few options, and 3NT looks like the obvious stopping off point.

As it turned out, North's lead of the fourth best spade was quite friendly from Declarer's perspective, but actually the contract can be made on any lead. The spade lead allowed West the luxury of practicing the second bit of Rixi's maxim - he played safe by ducking a club into the South hand at trick 2 in order to (more or less) guarantee six tricks in the suit. Obviously, the play of the top two cards would yield only two tricks if the suit divided 3-1 - as is likely given South's double. After ducking the club. the contract can now be beaten if South continues with spades and if North switches to a diamond, but reading Declarer for a 5-card spade suit, South switched to top hearts, and the contract was secure - 6 clubs, two spades, and a heart.

An initial diamond lead to the Queen, followed by a switch to the Ace then Queen of hearts would put Declarer under some pressure, and after that start West has to forget Rixi's advice, hope for a 2-2 break in clubs, and so cash the clubs from the top, as a loser in that suit can no longer be afforded. As the cards lie, that approach would have succeeded.

At most tables this hand was played in a club part-score, so well done to East for choosing to bid boldly, and well done to West for playing safe!

POSTSCRIPT

I have received these comments on this board on events at another table.

"North passed and I (East) decided that with the shortage of major suit cards 3♣ would be a reasonable shot here. So, second in when vulnerable, I bid 3♣ and it continued: North East South West No 3♥ No 3♣ No No 4 3♦1 4♥2 No No3 As someone once said, a pre-empt that is always (very) weak is a blunt weapon. Fishbein. Equivalent to a take out double - which would be the more usual bid Not recommended - if partner has values for game he will bid it himself. Might double as partner should be reasonable Might double - could take a penalty or encourage 5♣ if it's right Two top clubs were cashed. A spade to the queen followed. ♠A and then a spade ruff by East. Next came ♦6, which was won by West with the Jack. Declarer finished four off when the K♦ was allowed to score at the end."

Some Lessons - pre-emptive bidding:

• First and third in hand: be willing to open a weak two or weak three with minimal values; this should be a destructive approach. There is twice the chance the hand belongs to the opponents than to your side.
• In second position: be much more cautious. Weak twos should be constructive (good suit) and weak threes should show a good suit.
• Not vulnerable: be more willing to bid, especially when the opposition are vulnerable.
• Vulnerable: be more cautious, especially when in second seat, and when the opposition are Non Vulnerable