Calls that lead to lively auctions

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 13

Calls that lead to lively auctions

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

Making a pre-emptive bid is the bridge equivalent of firing an arrow into the air and hoping it lands in the right place. Anything may happen, and indeed often does. This deal front the Dunhill Masters Interprovincial Teams caused much heavy breathing «iil round the table:

s. A Q 953 V 5 ♦ KJ86543 *2 ■ Showing a fine disregard for the principle that a pre-emptor should not hold a four card suit (in case his partner also holds length there), South chose to open proceedings with three diamonds. After all, he was not vulnerable whereas his opponents were. When West passed, North raised the ante to four diamonds, and East came in with a double. The full auction was: S. W. N. E. 3 0 No 4 0 Dble No 4 V No 5 V All pass West certainly struck gold when he chose to bid his shabby heart suit rather than his longer clubs. Who can blame him, however, for passing when

East made an aggpressive effort to reach a slam by raising to five hearts? With the void in spades in one hand and the void in diamonds in the other, the only trick for the defenders was made by the queen of hearts, and the contract rolled home with an overtrick. North, who had given a passing thought to doubling, was glad he had refrained. At another table, the auction went along entirely different lines: S. W. N. E. No - No 1 NT 2 A 2 0 4 V Dble All pass This time both South and West declined to preempt. holding a major side suit, so it was left to North to open. Possibly he had a couple of spades mixed up with his club, possibly he miscounted his points, or perhaps he experienced a slip of the tongue. Whatever happened, his opening one no-trump was overcalled by East with two clubs, a conventional call showing at least nine cards in two suits, one of which was hearts. This was quite enough to provoke West into jumping to four hearts,

ignoring completely South’s two diamond call. This time North did double, but two overtricks later he regretted his decision. At a third table North, after a hectic auction, became the declarer in six spades doubled. It would seem that he should be able to confine his losers to a couple of spades and the aces of hearts and clubs, for a 500 point penalty, not a bad save against the vulnerable slam for East-West. In some way, however, he lost control and went down five tricks to concede 900. On a different hand, a number of pairs found it difficult to reach the optimum six no-trump contract, but at least one was helped or rather pushed by a pre-emptiye bid. West was the dealer, with neither side vulnerable:

The auction was: W. N. E. . S. No 1 3 0 3NT No 4NT No 64b ' No 6NT All pass Had South been able to double East’s brazen overcall of three diamonds, he would have held the declarer to. four tricks in trumps to collect a 900 point penalty, but partly for reasons of system and partly for reasons that are still obscure to him, South bid three no-trumps. When North took a good view of his cards by making an invitational raise to four no trumps, South quickly accepted. His bid of six spades offered a choice of slams, and was converted to ’ six notrumps. After the lead of a heart, the blockage in both red suites was a bit of a nuisance, but with East holding the king of spades there were 12 easy tricks. As happens- sometimes the play was rather more straightforward than the bidding.