THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 102, 27 October 1934, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

TWO DO ÜBLES

The two hands.illustrated below were played recently, both, occurring in one rubber, North and South being successful in both cases, making a handsome profit on the rubber. , The first hand was as follows: — A 6.2. if X.6.5.4.3. ♦ 5- - + Q. 0.5.3.2. 4 A.io.s.:. -SortiTl' ♦ K-5-4-3----9 A.10.9. a - 8.7.2. 4 K.Q. £ ■ X ♦ 8.7.6.3. Jf, KJ.10.6. South 1 Jf, 4.3. Q.T.9. A.J.10.0.4.2, * A.7. Dealer, South. Score, Love all. Both sides vulnerable. The bidding:— South. West. North. East. 1 Double No bid 1 £ No bid i 4 Xobid No bid Double No bid No bid After West's double of one diamond, East made a minimum response of one spade. Such a response is. always a definite warning to the that the hand is weak, possibly even trickless. West, holding four honourrtricks, knew that he and South held at least seven honour-tricks between them, leaving very little to be divided between Korth and East. Only if the whole of the remaining strength, or a very long suit of spades was held by East, was a contract of four spades possible. In that case, East would have responded with a bid of,, not one spade, but two spades, to show that Ms hand had possibilities.

West's hand was very powerful, with sound support for spades, but as the bid was'forced, the only meaning that "West was entitled to take from it was that his partner had four spades, possibly of no value at all. He had compelled East to- call his longest suit, and should have taken into account the fact that, after the great honour strength already shown by the first two bids, his partner's hand might possibly be trickless. West had sound support for a spade response, but should have been satisfied .to raise' the bid to two spades. A part'score was the most the partnership could hope to make on the bidding. Eight tricks were made hy East-West, which would have been a valuable part score, instead of which the double of four spades cost them a,penalty, of 500 points. Even if not vulnerable the four-spade response was dangerous, but when vulnerable it simply invited trouble, and a good hand was turned into a loser.

For West to call game after a minimum response from his partner his hand needed to be almost as strong as that required for an ■ immediate overcall in the opponent's suit, viz., five fibnour-tricks, with a practical 'guar-

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I antee of game in any suit his partner might call. ■ .... -. The second hand:— :: ';' '.-,'■?' 4 9.7.5.2.' :■•■-■.■■•' ■ - 9 A.8.6.5. .- . '.-■ A.7 A.2. ■'■•■• ' ■* •• :•■ ' "•' ♦7- : ':••,.> , T, ■ -Q.J.10.4. ~K^thT ♦ X.6.3.. |2. S S ¥ K.Q.10.3.1.5. ▲ K.Q.J.10.6.5.3. g 4 ■ '♦'■9>B- ' i*■ * South ' j^'A.6..;. ;' * a.B.- ■ ■■• ■■■■■■■■:•*■ . ■ . • j.t. .. ■ ■. -. ■.; ■ ' :- ' Dealer, East. Both, sides vulnerable. Score, East-West 30. The bidding;— East. South. West. North. ]V .. 4* ■■■ *•♦■.'■■.-.'b-.*': Double No bid No, bid : ■ No bid East dealt and opened the with one heart. South made a jump defensive overcall of four clubs. His hand, though really powerful at a-elub contract, was almost worthless in defence, the probability being .that. on* of the opponents would have either co club in the hand or the ace'of;the fiuit. With clubs as trumps South; could make nine tricks in his own hand. • Even if his partner's hand was \ triekless,. s four-club contract could .fail ly two tricks only—at the most 250-points, oiy if doubled, 500 points, which it would be worth while losing to save the/.rubber. At the same time, the four-club' overcall shut out'any further bidding by the opponents eicept:at:aivery:higli contract, which North might :-possiWy be ablo to upseti West,'however,'bid four diamonds. North, who knew that' his partner's shut-out overcall- meant (being vulnerable) that he would ■ not be short of his contract by;:morethaa two tricks, raised him to fivo clubs, being prepared to- fail by- one trick .to save the rubber, or to double any further bid by ; the. " opponents, v East doubled the five-club^ bid. -..'.-

Over tho openirig'fone-heart bid, South would have been justified in bidding five clubs outright with only .ttra losersin the hand, but by bidding ons under game he gave his^ partner '.a chance to enter.the bidd^g.if. he.hid. any support. At the same .time he' .w,as prepared, failing a response: from his partner, to bid five clubs himself if the opponents made any further bid. . It was not'necessary in this instahea for South to show the-full*strength of his hand, and he had an opportunity of hearing from his partner if he called just .under game. Over West's fourdiamond bid, North raised his partner to game and East doubled. West led his singletpn heart (Ms partner's.bid). The ace was played from dummy,' fend then the ace of diamonds, on -whicli South ' discarded ■ his remaining heart, making his contract., of, five' clubs doubled.

Though West's hand' was- practically useless.in defence against,the club contract, he could, not risk any 'further bid in his own suit/ as North was- «• possible source of danger 'to him. Souths. high shut-out overcall had prevented East and West, from giving one another information, which !wonld=l>*T» been possible over, an. ordinai-jy.sorer* call.