Quite Wrong

8th January – Board 8. Love All. Dealer West.

I have always been opposed to the notion that if a hand vaguely corresponds to a gadgety type bid then it must be used no matter what. Judgment is what it should really be about.

	North: S J 4 H 7 4 2 D A 10 6 5 2 C A K 7
West: S K 7 3 2 H A J 9 6 5 3 D 8 C J 3		East: S A Q 9 8 H none D K J 4 C Q 10 9 8 5 4
	South: S 10 6 5 H K Q 10 8 D Q 9 7 3 C 6 2

West	North	East	South
No	1NT	2D	No
4S	End

It is quite wrong to open that West hand with a weak 2H because the hand might play well in a spade contract that could never be found after the opening. And that is surely the case here! 2H would be passed out and one of the cardinal sins of bidding has come to pass – the opponents have more trumps than the declaring side! After a disciplined pass North would surely open 1NT allowing East to wade in with an Asptro type bid of 2D showing spades and a minor leaving it easy for West to bid 4S. Maybe it needs a bit of luck to make but the contract is sound enough and at any rate is so much better than 2H!