January 2013 - 37

It's Your Call

a contract than to get the maximum
number of tricks on defense."
"I wouldn't pass unless I expected
to beat them two tricks," says Walker.
"With this hand, I can't even be sure of
a one-trick set."
While defending 3 doubled could
be right, Meckstroth likens it to "playing with fire."
Kennedy agrees: "I don't believe we
have enough defense to convert the
double to penalty."
"Partner's hand should be fairly
solid, with all his points outside of
spades," the Joyces say. "We do have
the four hearts he was hoping for, so
we'll try to make a game."
Colchamiro explains his 4 call:
"At IMPs, I gotta bid even though the
K is likely wasted. At matchpoints,
I would pass and hope for a plus opposite something like:
x A K x x K x x x x J x x
in partner's hand."
The Sutherlins believe that "4
rates to have a play even if partner has
less than an opening bid. And because
we are playing IMPs, we are looking
for safety. Passing could work, but we
could go minus 530."
5. Matchpoints. Both vulnerable.
- A K 7 4 K Q 10 9 5 4 J 9 4
West

North

East

2

Dbl

Pass

Call
3
2
2
3
4
3

Votes
11
5
1
1
1
0

South
1
?
Award
100
70
50
50
40
30

Traffic jam on the low road
Opposite a partner who may or
may not have four hearts, most of the
experts take what they believe to be
the low road.
Eleven low-roaders bid 3.
"This hand definitely has a lot of
potential, but I don't want to bid

anymore," says Meckstroth. "Partner
could have the one-suiter in spades, in
which case we are too high already."
Weinstein describes 3 as showing
"a distributional hand with some extra
values. That's what I have. It's possible
partner has a weak hand with just
spades, but I'm really against making
a negative double with just spades and
a weak hand. I hope my partner is on
the same page as me."
"We are taking the low road and only
inviting since we are playing matchpoints," say the Sutherlins. "Spade
values in partner's hand are wasted
values. If he doesn't have extras, then
4 is probably a poor contract."
The Coopers are prepared for
partner's expected 3 call. "We have
tremendous playing strength in hearts.
Partner, however, has not promised
both majors. When he bids the expected 3, we will retreat to 4."
"Would I be disappointed if the auction ends here?" asks Sanborn, who
also bids 3. "I don't think so. We are
not even guaranteed an eight-card fit."
Stack calls his cards "an excellent
playing hand. I will bid 4 if partner
advances with 3 or 4. There could
easily be a slam and we will cooperate
with any slam try."
According to Boehm, "If North made
a one-suit negative double with long
spades, this may not fare well, but
as long as North has hearts (or diamonds), game prospects are bright.
Partner will know to promote club
shortness and a fit."
Cohen rates the hand as "worth
more than 2. 3 is not a jump shift.
It is like raising hearts."
Slower low-roaders bid 2.
"It's wise to take it slow in this
particular auction," says Walker, "as
partner doesn't have to have hearts.
I'm not sure this hand is worth a jump
anyway, as the spade void is likely to
be a wasted value, and the club holding is a liability."
The Joyces make the same call,
phrased a little differently. "On the surface, 2 seems like an underbid, but
it is worrisome that RHO didn't raise

clubs. Partner might have a significant
portion of his resources in spades."
"If I bid more hearts immediately,
partner may expect a much better
hand," says Falk. "Also, partner may
not have hearts. With:
K Q 10 x x x Q x J x x x x,
North would make a negative double,
planning to bid spades next. So I'll
start slowly and see what happens. I
can bid aggressively later if I have not
overstated my values at this turn."
Kennedy also chooses 2. "It is possible that partner has spades, in which
case I have an opportunity to bid 3."
Robinson queries partner with a 3
cuebid. "I have to find out if partner
has four hearts. If he doesn't, then I'll
play in diamonds."
Colchamiro out-lows all of the other
low-roaders. "2. Partner is about to
bid 2, so I go low. I'll follow up with
2NT (two places to play) and correct
3 to 3 to bring hearts into the
picture."
Lawrence, on the other hand, takes
the high road. "4. My partner won't
know what is working if I bid just 3,
and bidding less is feeble. If he has
some kind of spade hand, I will end up
in 5."
r
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January 2013 Bridge Bulletin

37
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2013
