13th September – Board 21: North/South Vul.
Dealer North.
It was strange that so many
pairs had trouble with the following hand because in the modern game and with
just a little science the deal is hardly noteworthy at all.
North should not be ashamed to open that hand, being as it is a six-loser and with two five card majors. The aim initially would be to open 1
♠ and hope subsequently to bid hearts twice, thus showing 5-5 and letting partner make the final decision. But when East wanders in with 2
♦ South has the ideal hand for a Sputnik double, showing either five hearts in a limited hand or basically any hand with four hearts. (Remember that a bid of 2
♥ would promise at least a five-card suit and would be forcing.) Now North’s hand looks even better! You can deduct a loser for having five cards in support of partner’s suit, making it now a five-loser hand and 4
♥ now becomes the standout bid. Spades behave but hearts don’t, but still there are ten easy tricks despite the points being divided 20-20 between the two pairs.
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