Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Monday, February 28th, 2022


5 Comments

jim2March 14th, 2022 at 12:02 pm

In BWTA, I am having some difficulty in postulating a West hand consistent with West’s bidding.

Specifically, West neither doubled for takeout nor used Michael’s, yet overcalled in one major and jump-supported the other.

bobbywolffMarch 14th, 2022 at 1:51 pm

Hi Jim2,

Random semi-legitimate answers to your justifiable query in what I think is a more likely descending order:

1. West was a professional player and East a sponsor, so West wanted to be declarer.

2. West preferred (against those specific opponent(s) to prefer obfuscation of distribution, rather than immediate clear cut description).

3. West was 6-5 in spades and hearts and didn’t want to worry about the eventual choosing of the shorter combined major suit as trump.

4. West was 6-4 in the majors and shied away from hearts.

5. Always a possibility that Michaels was not on their CC, or at least thought it might not be and didn’t want to non-ethically look.

6. West forgot he was playing Michaels.

7. Similar to #2, West was 6-6 and he wanted to walk that dog.

8. Finally, West was color blind and sometimes fell victim to that malady.

9. West suffered from TOCM TM and knew it made no difference whatever he did, since it would not wind up well.

10. Next 9 reasons only by appointment.

Iain ClimieMarch 14th, 2022 at 6:26 pm

HI Bobby, Jim2,

Assuming that East’s 1S is at least constructive on LWTA and perhaps a 1 round force, could West have (say) J9x KJ10xx Ax Kxx and East holds something like KQxxx xx Kxxx AJ? HA then gets followed by a club switch then take SA, C ruff, heart ruff although declarer ruffs the next C high and is one-off. That would give partner a VERY sportign double, mind you!

Regards,

Iain

Iain ClimieMarch 14th, 2022 at 6:31 pm

Sorry, brain fade – declarer just ruffs the 3rd club in hand with whatever is needed.

bobbywolffMarch 14th, 2022 at 6:49 pm

Hi Iain,

Not really a brain fade, only a reality, when one plays around with the queen and jack of what might be trumps.

Small differences sometimes offer huge winner swings with rubber., IMPs and even matchpoints.