Sunday, March 21, 2004

BRIDGE

WHAT would you bid on those North cards? It is a poor method to use 2C as a rescue bid, on a weak hand with long clubs. Nowadays, most players treat such bids as constructive, investigating whether a game is possible. On this occasion South held only 6 points and the bidding came to a halt in 2S. How would you play this contract when West leads a heart to the jack and East switches to a trump? Realising that he would not be allowed a heart ruff, declarer drew trumps and played a club to the 10 and jack. East cashed two more hearts and played a fourth heart. South ruffed in hand and tried a diamond to the king. East won with the ace and played the diamond queen. Declarer ruffed and played off all his trumps, reducing everyone to just two cards. West had thrown one club already, to retain his diamond guard. When declarer led a club at Trick 12, he had to guess whether East had started with K-J bare of clubs, or the bare jack of clubs along with A-Q-J-x of diamonds. Surely with such good diamonds East would have rebid 2D instead of 2H. Declarer rose with the ace and dropped the bare king offside. Contract made.

What would you say on the West cards?

The hand is too strong for a INT overcall, which shows 15-18 points. You should start with a take-out double, intending to rebid in no-trumps. Over IS you will rebid INT. Partner will then place you with a hand that was too strong to overcall INT directly. Over a response of 2C or 2D you will rebid 2NT, conveying the same meaning. Most players use an immediate overcall of 2NT to show the minor suits. Awards: Double — 10, 2NT (if played as natural) — 10, 2D/2C — 3.

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