Fair Enough

25th August – Board 16. East/West Game. Dealer West.

Sometimes holding a combined flat 26 count just isn’t enough for game, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be bid.

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

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

West is quite right to raise partner’s spades rather than bid 1NT and equally East is right to rebid 2NT showing 17 or 18 high card points in a balanced hand. This must not be confused with a 2NT rebid after a 2-level response in a different suit as this could be made with as little as 15 points – the difference being of course that a change of suit at the two-level shows a better hand that merely raising partner’s opener. So West has easily enough to raise to game which tragically is unlikely to make after a low diamond lead. Declarer does best to duck, win the continuation and play a low spade. He really needs the king onside and although South can win and play another diamond, clearing the suit, declarer could now play on clubs hoping for North, the hand without the diamonds, to hold the ace. Alas it is not to be and declarer will fall a trick short although the contract was fair enough.