The bidding problem is a true horror!

Partner is surely void in diamonds and, even if holds four hearts, then that suit is split either 1 – 5 or 0 – 6. Even if partner has five hearts (happy day!), then they are split 0 – 5.

Where are the spades? If East has five hearts, then can hold no more than four spades. If E-W are playing Flannery, then East can hold no more than three spades.

The North hand that seems to make the most sense to me is something like:

J10xxx xxx – J10xxx

Thus, the bidding could end eventually in 3C doubled. That could still be a disaster, if either (1) West started with a singleton heart and they opponents start off with a heart to the ace and a ruffing finesse through declarer, or (2) the defense starts off with trump, getting in three rounds before South can ruff spades.

Of course, if North holds the above and the East – West hands are something like:

Kxx —— AQxx

x ——— AQJxxx

KJ10xx — xx

Axxx —– x

Then South’s best hope is if they are playing for low stakes.

Hi Bobby,

Sometimes bad things happen to good people and we go down. Maybe the opps can make three NT and you only go down one or two. I do not play the redouble/escape system. For those of us who do not play this, should north should bid his best suit, assuming he is void in diamonds, and hope it is better than two diamonds doubled? Probably won’t be in this case, especially if north’s best suit is hearts. As Jim 2 states, the hand is a horror, no doubt.

Hi Jim2,

Yes, the auction above is just about as ominous as you make it sound.

However, if bridge is like all other numerical endeavors, concerned with the law of averages, all one can do is take every hand as it develops and do the very best one can with it. On this one, possibly a final contract of 2 heats or eventually 3 clubs might be the one which offers the lesser minus which then wound become a worthwhile goal.

Remember the law of averages is always there, thick or thin (meaning sometimes our side will be on the fortunate end and perhaps our opponents will not search out their due diligence of lessening their misfortune as well as we will).

Thanks for your always appreciated comment, whether it is about upside or its ugly twin notso. Both are equally important to deal with on our yellow brick bridge road to improvement.

Hi Jane,

Yes, in bridge sometimes unlucky things happen to both good and alas, not so good people, as well. Fate seems to trump good intentions and we, as bridge players, need to learn, from the famous inscription on the locker room walls of Wimbledon which state, (with victory and defeat and….”treat those two imposters just the same”.

Your worthwhile task then should delve with discussing with your partners the advisability of treating an out of the blue redouble (especially as the last to speak), as a vehicle of searching out a better, less disastrous contract, since redouble would almost never be needed to be used as an aggressive positive action, but has much more utility as a warning to try and look for greener bridge pastures in the form of a more desirable contract.

All the above is offered only as a learning experience and not meant to even imply that such new agreements are vitally necessary to be incorporated.

Good luck, especially to not have to deal with pangs and arrows of such outrageous fortune.