Come Christmas

18th August – Board 13. Game All. Dealer North.

The featured hand was no doubt much more exciting at many tables than it had any right to be and that was probably because North felt compelled to open 3D as dealer. Sorry, but that is in fact a dreadful bid with a four-card major on the side and first round control in hearts. But doubtless it led to some excitement….

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

West	North	East	South
	No	No	1H
No	2D	No	2H
No	3D	End

The main reason that 3D is so wrong as an opener is that chances of a spade game must be on the cards (sorry) if South has that suit and yet would not be able to bid over 3D. In fact if you swap South’s major suits around that is exactly what would happen when 4S would be an easy make and yet you would languish in 3D. Of course there is no justice in bridge, as in life sometimes, and sitting West it would not be unreasonable to compete with 3H after East and South pass an opening 3D. Now when it came round to South he could stand on his chair and double and probably still be taking tricks come Christmas.