Who Dares Wins

18th August – Board 16. East/West Game. Dealer West.

The hand shown below was a test of nerve as it was hard to decide which side, if any, was sacrificing.

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

West	North	East	South
1D	1S	Dbl	3S
4H	4S	5H	No
No	???	End

I’m a great believer in the Ghestem convention myself because with a two-suiter in the overcall position it enables you to specify exactly what those two suits are. So playing Ghestem North would overcall 2D, showing the extreme suits, spades and clubs. (Why this is so good is because it enables South to bid 4S at his first go, knowing of the double fit.) Without that knowledge South would bid 3S, the level of the fit in a limited hand, but West would have an easy 4H bid. North would bid 4S and East should probably take the push because of the length in partner’s first suit. I’m not convinced I would bid 5S in the North position now but it is the right move. 5H is trivial, while 5S is only one down. Double fits are really marvellous!