Most Flexible

4th August – Board 19. East/West Game. Dealer South.

If you have an overpowering wish to bid in a competitive auction it should not be surprising that ‘double’ is so often the answer. For example, take a look at the hand below….

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

West	North	East	South
			No
No	1D	3S	No
No	Dbl	No	4D
End

North really does not want to sell out to 3S but to bid 4H on just a four-card suit would be highly dangerous and to repeat the diamonds would show a much longer suit. The answer of course is to double, the most flexible bid available, implying a good hand with hearts and not just for penalties. With a fit for diamonds South has an easy bid of 4D and although this would be defeated by one trick it is a ‘save’ against 3S which is cold the other way.