The Lesser Evil

2^nd July – Board 2. North/south Game. Dealer East.

No all bids fit snugly into a prescribed pattern and sometimes you have to make a choice between two slightly off kilter possibilities. The hand below was a case in point.

	North: S 7 6 3 H 2 D K 9 3 C K Q 10 7 6 2
West: S J 9 H K 9 8 6 4 D A Q 6 C 9 8 5		East: S Q 5 4 2 H Q 10 7 5 3 D 8 4 C A 4
	South: S A K 10 8 H A J D J 10 7 5 2 C J 3

West	North	East	South
		No	1NT
No	2S	No	3C
End

I think for several reasons that South should open that hand with 1NT. Opposite North will transfer to clubs, giving South the opportunity to deny a top honour by completing the transfer. (With a good holding in clubs he would bid 2NT.) As it happens ten tricks are an easy make and par is attained. So why 1NT instead of 1D? There are several reasons, with the main one being that over a response of 2C you are more or less forced to rebid that feeble suit as 2S would be a reverse and game forcing to boot. Also an opening 1D gives West the opportunity to come in at a low level with 1H. Not only that but should East/West eventually buy the contract in 3H North is likely to kick off with a disastrous diamond lead – the only suit to give away the contract.