January 2013 - 35

It's Your Call

Action!
Double gets the edge because 4
breaks the tie between bidding on and
passing.
"I don't imagine any panelist views
this double as anything other than a
takeout double, so that's not really an
issue," says Falk. "The issue is pass or
double. I'd like to have another heart,
but unless left-hand opponent passes
or redoubles, partner will not have to
do anything unless he wants to."
Cohen wishes he had "a small red
card to mix in with the hearts when I
table the dummy in a heart contract."
As does Meyers: "I would rather
have four hearts, but I am not going
quietly."
"Double is a bit less unilateral than
repeating our clubs," say the Joyces,
"but we're hoping partner won't have
to bid a four-card heart suit. The hand
is just too strong to go quietly, and the
opponents will likely bid on anyway."
Weinstein isn't so worried about
that fourth heart. "Double should be
a takeout of spades and diamonds.
I think the ideal shape for this is
1=3=3=6 since I didn't slip in a 3 bid
over 3. If we buy the hand, it's very
possible we get the smallest minus by
declaring."
The Sutherlins' hope: "As little as
K-x-x-x-x-(x) in partner's hand
gives us a reasonable play for game,
and he won't bid unless we show extra
now."
The Coopers double, knowing "partner has next to nothing. But maybe he
has heart length or club support. We
just can't bear to pass, and 4 is too
unilateral."
Nearly half the panel can bear to
pass, and do so easily. "Partner's pass
over 1 is a huge warning," states
Colchamiro. "I can't bring myself to
bid 4. With the diamond fit bid in
front of me, clubs could easily be
stacked behind me."
Robinson, too, notes the resounding
thud of partner's pass. "Partner didn't
make a negative double, so he doesn't
have hearts. He didn't raise clubs, so
he doesn't have four. If he has clubs or

hearts, he has a very weak hand."
Lawrence calls attention to the lack
of a negative double as he passes.
"Partner did not double, showing
hearts, and you have too weak a club
suit to be bidding that at the four
level."
Walker adds another worry to the
list. "I can't think of a single sane way
to show these values - or any reason to try. If partner is as broke as it
sounds, bidding again might just push
them into a cold 4."
"A great hand, but at this point, it
doesn't look like we have a game or
partscore," says Stack. "It's dangerous to bid 4 before LHO bids, as
we may take a minus score when we
have a positive score coming. If the
opponents stop at 3, we can reevaluate, but the die has probably been cast
by passing now. Also, the opponents
have made a fit-showing bid without
the A K, so they are very likely to
misevaluate and get too high."
Meckstroth likes living dangerously.
He bids 4 because, "I'm not going
to pass, and double sounds like I have
diamonds. Perhaps I should bid 3,
but that might work out very badly."

3. Matchpoints. Both vulnerable.
10 A Q 9 8 A K 8 4 2 Q 9 5
West

North

2NT (1) Pass

East
1
3

South
Dbl
?

(1) Limit raise or better, four or more
spades.
Call
Pass
Dbl
4

Votes
18
1
0

Award
100
50
10

Seeing red
Acutely aware of the vulnerability, the panel is nearly unanimous in
choosing to pass.
The green cards have been restored
to Rigal's bidding box, and he puts
one on the table. "The vulnerability is
wrong for action - and who knows
what LHO will be doing? Partner had
an opportunity to act and a safe position to get a call in. And he didn't."
Sanborn echoes, "No reason to
think partner forgot to act at the three
level."
"Bidding begs to go minus 200 versus a partial, or lots more versus
➤

Panel's answers
August Boehm
Larry Cohen
Mel Colchamiro
The Coopers
Allan Falk
The Gordons
The Joyces
Betty Ann Kennedy
Mike Lawrence
Jeff Meckstroth
Jill Meyers
Barry Rigal
Steve Robinson
Kerri Sanborn
Don Stack
The Sutherlins
Karen Walker
Steve Weinstein
Bridge Baron

1
1
1
1
1
1
Pass
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Pass
1
1
1
1
1

2
Pass
Dbl
Pass
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Dbl
Pass
4
Dbl
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Dbl
Pass
Dbl
Pass

3
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Dbl
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

4
Pass
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
4
4
Pass
4
4
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
4
4
Pass
4

5
3
3
2
3
2
2
2
2
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3

Total
460
500
400
500
470
460
460
410
430
450
490
460
400
450
490
490
450
500
480

January 2013 Bridge Bulletin

35
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2013
