September 2022 - 60

Intermediate Players
Boehm on Bridge
Remedies for double trouble - part 3
T
he most ubiquitous conventional
double is the negative
double, played throughout the
tournament world. Let's focus on how
to respond. In the following problems,
use the sequence below where partner's
double typically shows the unbid
suits, emphasis on the major, and
about 8 or more HCP at the two level.
LHO Partner RHO You
1
?
2l Dbl
Pass
1 A Q 6 3 2 kK Q 5 4 l8 7 'A J
2 K Q 8 6 2 k10 8 3 lA J 3 'Q J
3 A 10 7 3 2 k4 lK Q 10 5 'A Q 4
4 Q J 7 5 3 kA 8 2 l9 8 4 'A Q
5 A Q 8 7 5 kK Q 10 l6 2 'A K J
6 A K 8 7 2 k4 3 lA Q 'K Q J 2
7 A K J 10 5 4 2 kA l10 4 'A 9 7
8 A 5 4 3 2 kA 6 5 4 3 lA 'A 8
Answers
1 3k. Holding a mid-range opening
bid, it is important to jump. 2k
would confirm a minimum opening,
not necessarily promising four-card
heart support (see problem 4).
2 2NT. Shows a balanced hand, a
minimum opening (no jump), and
diamonds stopped.
3 Pass, a penalty pass. To convert
partner's takeout double to penalties
at a low level, you need a fierce
trump holding. This hand qualifies;
besides the trump quality, you have
good defense and a probable misfit.
On misfit deals, it is almost always
better to defend than declare if given
the option.
4 2k, by default. Any other call is far
more distorted; you don't have the ingredients
for a penalty pass, you lack
a diamond stopper for notrump, and
your spades are not rebiddable.
5 3l. Here, the game-forcing cuebid
shows a strong hand without a clear
direction and invites partner to
further describe his hand. If he holds
five hearts, he should bid 3k to show
The Social Networker
continued from page 21
demand for her classes. " They found
me, through the website, " Tuff explained.
" Most were looking for a social
outlet. They came in with masks
on and it went off without a hitch. "
Tuff hasn't just built her club; she's
turned club players into tournament
players by putting groups together to
travel. For about 10 years she chartered
a pink bus to bring players to
regionals and sectionals in Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island and New
Brunswick. Anywhere from 12 to 50
players would go on any tournament
60 | Bridge Bulletin | September 2022
trip. Tournament organizers loved
seeing a bus full of about 10 tables of
newer players show up.
Eventually the bus was destroyed in
a fire, but by that time, the players had
progressed and didn't need the security
of traveling in groups anymore. So
Tuff set her sights further. For nine
years, she arranged for smaller groups
to travel to the Bermuda Regional,
earning an award from Bermuda in
2015 for bringing so much tourism
from Canada.
The Teacher of the Year selection
committee consisted of chair
BY AUGUST BOEHM
the extra length. If he has a diamond
stopper, 3NT is expected. Without
either ingredient, he can bid 3 to indicate
a good doubleton, based on the
premise that he would have shown
true spade support rather than make
a negative double.
6 3NT. You have the values for game,
and a jump in clubs precludes what
is likely to be the best contract. Don't
worry about the heart suit - presume
partner has it covered.
7 4. A hand with an independent
suit and at least eight winners can
do no less. There are dozens of game
hands where partner with a small singleton
spade will pass an invitational
3 bid. Missing a game is a shame.
8 4k. On distributional hands, think
tricks, not points. Because partner
has at most a doubleton spade, one
loser there. Hearts could be solid or
contain two losers on a bad day, but
one loser is a realistic estimate. No
diamond losers and perhaps one club.
There is another reason to jump to
game: because partner is unlimited,
4k could pave the way to slam.
Patty Tucker, Barbara Seagram, Enid
Roitman, Mary Jane Orock, Richard
Braunstein and Betty Starzec, with
coordinator Kristen Onsgard.
Teaching in Halifax is not a
one-woman show. Tuff has developed
a program and trained other teachers
to run it. Her advice to other teachers
is simple: " Less is more, " she says. " I
tell them, 'I need you to stick to the lesson
plan. You hear a lull and you think
you need to fill it. That's the worst
thing you can do.' Don't think, 'My
beginners are the good ones, they're
ready for more.' They're not. "
September 2022

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