3rd November – Board 14: Love All. Dealer East.
It’s all to easy to go quietly at times when really one should be more pro-active, and if you are in the ‘pass out’ or protective position you should be really sure that you are not being bludgeoned into submission. That was the case for North on the featured hand when in fact he had a sound alternative to staying quiet.
West
|
North
|
East
|
South
|
|
|
1H
|
No
|
4H
|
Dbl
|
No
|
4S
|
5H
|
5S
|
Dbl
|
End
|
West might have considered a
splinter bid of 3S at his first go but it does tend to give a blue-print of the hand if you are not the declaring side and maybe a simple raise to game is enough. (Not showing many points of course because there are so many other options available if that is the case.) Instead of going quietly North should double, essentially for take-out but with high-card points should his partner choose to pass for penalties. South would be charmed to bid 4S and I dare say but West would surely up the ante. At equal vulnerability North is also likely to have one more go and East would close proceedings with a double. OK, I know that E/W can make 6H if they are in it but it is anti-percentage and they won’t bid it anyway! 5S will go one or two off depending how declarer views the club suit, but even two down doubled would show a profit.
If I was south I'd take a double over 4H as penalty and remain silent. Furthermore, because my hand is pretty much rubbish!
ReplyDeleteBut that South hand isn't rubbish. After all if North had opened 1S you would be wondering as South whether to bid 3S or 4S - or I hope you would. It really does make sense to play that a double of 4H in these situations shows a good opening with (at least) four spades.
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