All News

Running or Staying Still?

Today, we feature one further successful board for the winners of the Loveblock New Zealand Wide Pairs. It features a difficult situation when one’s opening weak no trump is doubled for penalties. What would you do as West in this situation?

 

1NT was 12-14 and the double was not for take-out.

There are arguments both ways here. At least, East-West were not vulnerable and if they escaped for down 1 and the opponents could make a part-score of greater than 90, then East-West could still get a reasonable score.

“Running” will be a fair option when they find a fit, probably in a black suit or indeed when the opponents either do not get their doubling right (more of that shortly) or where an opponent chooses to bid a suit.

Passing is probably a better option when East-West have no fit, when North is about to pull the double (they are a passed hand) or where 1NTx has some chance of making or going just one down. West does have some useful cards though maybe not enough of them!

So, it is not clear. What is clear is that if you choose to run, you have an agreed method of doing so. Where John (South) had doubled 1NT, West redoubled, clearly asking for a rescue. East chose to bid 2 which John and West both passed.

It is a good idea to play the first double of a naturalish suit, when the opponents run from 1NTx, as take-out. Then, a penalty can be obtained no matter which opponent has length in the trump suit.  John’s pass gave West some hope but Rona was there as North with a take-out double and John did not take it out. Perhaps hoping their partner had a 5-card suit, West passed.

 

This was a day for West to pass. Rona, North, would also have passed and 1NT x would have been the final contract. 2x and 2 x should both be at least 2 down. 

Against 1NTx, South would start with a high diamond. The best East could hope for by ducking trick 1 is to score 2 diamond tricks and then take the right view in hearts (low heart to 10). 3 heart tricks, and 2 diamonds and 1 trick in each black suit would give East a very pleasing result. That could happen.

In running, East might have tried 2 first. That does give South the option of bidding 2 and again East-West would have survived. Of course, if South doubles for take-out, a possibility, and North passes, also possible, then East-West are back in trouble.

The actual result could not have been worse for East-West, -1100 or down 5. At least playing Pairs, that is just one bottom. In Teams or Swiss Pairs, or indeed Rubber Bridge, the cost would be much more severe.

Many pairs did not have this problem either because East opened 1 and South overcalled 1NT or because North-South bid, often 2 by South, where declarer could be held to 8 tricks (+90). However, there were some 300 and 500 penalties from 1NT or 2 failing though in at least 2 cases, 1NT x  by East made, once with an overtrick!

Many pairs do not realise that a double of 1NT is not a take-out double. In this case, North would be very happy to pass that double and the defence should prevail, though not without some anxious moments.

Richard Solomon

An apology to Darrell Sidon and Theo Jordens of Oamaru. In referring yesterday to Board 4 in the Loveblock NZ Wide Pairs where North had the freakish 6-7 in the majors, I commented that no East-West pair found the 7 sacrifice holding between them 25 hcp.

That was incorrect as Darrell and Theo did buy this board in 7 X down 2 for – 500 which earned them 73% of the match-points. That was a great vulnerable sacrifice to find. The unlucky North-South pair were Jane Windle and Peter O’Boyle.

This was the bidding sequence and the four hands:

 

 

Commiserations to Jane and Peter. The bidding was reasonably self-explanatory with 3 showing an opening game-going hand. Jane’s vulnerable jump to 6 convinced Darrell that the sacrifice was the right thing to do. Very well bid.

Go Back View All News Items