October 2021 - 42

IT'S
Colchamiro feels inspired to
YOUR
CALL
1. Boo!
IMPs. East-West vulnerable.
A K 7 6 5 kJ 8 7 2 l- 'K J 7 5
West North East
South
3'(1) Pass
1' 1l 1
3l ?
(1) Four-card diamond support, 6-10
points
Call
Dbl
3k
4l
4'
5'
3
Votes
7
4
4
Award
100
80
80
50
40
30
While Donn knows people hate to
double in this position with a void,
he finds nothing else satisfactory. " It
can still be quite good if partner has
four diamonds and passes. "
Weinstein doubles. " I'll almost
always have a fifth heart for 3k. The
real question is whether I'm pulling
3NT to 4'. (I am.) "
Meckstroth defines his double as " a
classic card-showing double. "
Sanborn doubles, " generally
accepted as takeout these days. A
necessary tool with game-forcing
hands. Partner will know the opponents
have at least nine diamonds, so
I'm not in fear of it going all pass. And
if it does, it's probably right. "
Molson agrees. " There are many
options but only one choice: double. "
Korbel: " I don't expect my partner
to pass my double very often in this
situation, as this is a DSI [do something
intelligent] double. So I am
42 | Bridge Bulletin | October 2021
DIRECTOR: SUE MUNDAY
SCORES: KAREN WALKER
going to risk it. 4l doesn't show this
hand. "
Rigal continues showing his shape
with 3k. " 4l as a cue for clubs might
lose hearts, and I cannot double
with a void ... can I? I mean, it might
go down if partner passes with his
2-3-4-4 hand, but I can't say I like
it. Let others more opinionated than
I (no, there aren't any) opine as to
whether this is forcing. "
3k is Cohen's choice. " If I raise
clubs now, it makes it harder to find
our eight-card major-suit fit. Partner
would pass 4' with, say:
Q x x kA x lQ x x 'A 10 x x x
or
x x kK Q 10 x lQ x x 'A 10 x x.
1 promised only four. "
Lawrence bids 3k, " expecting to
bid 4' next. 4l is possible, but I'd
rather be able to show club support
with a 4' bid later than have partner
wonder what 4l was all about. "
3k by Robinson. " I thought about
4l, but when you have a choice of two
calls and neither is clear, make the
lowest. "
Meyers uses 4l to show shortness
or a big one-suiter in spades. " Partner
should bid 4k with four. "
" For me, 4l is a bit of a prepared
bid, " says Grossack, " almost certainly
a club fit with some degree of slam
interest and almost certainly diamond
shortage. I could double, but
I don't want partner to even faintly
entertain the thought of leaving it in.
I will probably pivot from the slam
idea and just pass what partner offers
over 4l. "
write a book about this problem. His
preface starts out simple enough:
4l. " First, does 1 promise five
like I think it should? [No - just four
- which lets us skip the chapter that
starts, 'if so.'] If 1 could be four, then
a double by North, I believe, shows
extras with or without spade support.
Second, is 3k by us over 3l forcing?
I'm not sure it is. In fact, almost
30 years ago, Paul Soloway shared
with me his belief that on auctions
like this, all good hands start with
double. So maybe 3k isn't such a
good idea. As far as double goes - and
that's what I believe the big majority
vote-getter will be - count me out.
I'm not even comfortable doubling
in these situations with a singleton.
Third, picture the 3l bidder, holding:
J x x x kQ x x lA K x x x x '-
catching this dummy:
x kK 10 x x lQ J x x 'x x x x.
Would you want your partner
passing 3l doubled? Not me. And if
partner does have extras, we may be
on for as many as 12 or 13 tricks in
spades or clubs. So, my plan is 4l, and
if partner gives me 4, then 5l; and
if a 4k control bid, 6' by me. "
2. Spooked
IMPs. East-West vulnerable.
A 8 5 kA Q J 7 l10 6 3 '10 5 4
West North East
1' Pass
2l Dbl (1) Pass
South
1k
?
(1) Three-card heart support
Call
2k
3k
Pass
2
3l
3'
Votes
10
2
2
1
Award
100
70
70
50
40
30
Robinson and a plurality of pessimists
(a.k.a. realists) rebid 2k. " I
underbid because I don't see any
October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2021
