Mark Granovetter tells me of an amazing
bidding hand from the Houston Nationals. North opened a multi 2D,
usually based on a weak two in one of the majors. East was using a 2H
overcall as a conventional take-out of spades, so he decided to
overcall 3H. South, Bruce Rogoff, thought that his partner’s long
suit might be hearts too! He passed and West found himself in an
unusual situation. What would you have bid on his cards? West decided
to raise to 4H. Two passes followed and the players reached for their
scorecards to write down the contract. South, however, could now
deduce that his partner’s suit must be spades. ‘I still have a bid’
said Rogoff, who proceeded to bid 6S! East doubled, as players do.
There was little point in the double, however, as South was surely
void in hearts and could only be bidding 6S because he thought he
could make it. West led the jack of diamonds and the contract was
easily made. ‘Can’t you lead a club for a ruff?’ demanded East.
‘I didn’t have a club,’ West replied, ‘and if my spade had
been a club I wouldn’t have had a trump to ruff with.’ East-West
conceded 1660 when they might have scored 170 their way, had West
passed 3H.
Answer
Partner’s redouble has
told you that he is interested in taking a penalty. On your hand you
are more interested to play in hearts at some level. Nevertheless, you
should not rebid your hearts now. A rebid of 2H shows a weak, minimum
opener. A rebid of 3H shows a hand with more playing strength but
again a minimum hand. You should pass and bid hearts later.
Mark Granovetter tells me of an amazing
bidding hand from the Houston Nationals. North opened a multi 2D,
usually based on a weak two in one of the majors. East was using a 2H
overcall as a conventional take-out of spades, so he decided to
overcall 3H. South, Bruce Rogoff, thought that his partner’s long
suit might be hearts too! He passed and West found himself in an
unusual situation. What would you have bid on his cards? West decided
to raise to 4H. Two passes followed and the players reached for their
scorecards to write down the contract. South, however, could now
deduce that his partner’s suit must be spades. ‘I still have a bid’
said Rogoff, who proceeded to bid 6S! East doubled, as players do.
There was little point in the double, however, as South was surely
void in hearts and could only be bidding 6S because he thought he
could make it. West led the jack of diamonds and the contract was
easily made. ‘Can’t you lead a club for a ruff?’ demanded East.
‘I didn’t have a club,’ West replied, ‘and if my spade had
been a club I wouldn’t have had a trump to ruff with.’ East-West
conceded 1660 when they might have scored 170 their way, had West
passed 3H.
Partner’s redouble has
told you that he is interested in taking a penalty. On your hand you
are more interested to play in hearts at some level. Nevertheless, you
should not rebid your hearts now. A rebid of 2H shows a weak, minimum
opener. A rebid of 3H shows a hand with more playing strength but
again a minimum hand. You should pass and bid hearts later.