While many might say (and may be right) that today’s hand has only a pedestrian interest
in playing our beautiful game, it, at least to me, cries out in favor of the boldness necessary to say, instead of (“It is just too dangerous to bid”, rather than the other extreme, “It is just too dangerous not to”).
If East would have opened a NV 3 clubs, unless South immediately makes the light vulnerable overcall of 3 diamonds, West should raise to 4 clubs as a basic continuation of partner’s intent to steal the hand and at many tables at tournament bridge or home games of rubber bridge, EW will go down one or two, while 5 diamonds, especially without the double dummy lead of a trump will have little trouble with scoring it up and will anyway against a trump lead and proper declarer play.
No more, no less, except when faced with a close choice between aggression and conservatism, choose the former and assign the devil an obligation to try and stop me.
I can already hear the echoes of.one’s partner (after getting doubled and down 500 or more) giving me the blame for their unfortunate horrible result by being too bold, but, if so, at least your side has died with their boots on, not off, which to me, when faced with a close choice, is the winning way to decide, especially when one improves his or her game by playing more difficult hands than earlier.
Also, when being aggressive, your partnership will cause the opponents much more anguish and more often than suspected will further compete, giving your side a much better opportunity to go plus, on just a normal hand, by pushing those dreaded opponents to have to bid one more to get to be, what they want, being declarer for the sake of naming trump.
Robert LiptonAugust 22nd, 2023 at 4:48 pm
If I were to bid 3 Clubs, I would have bid it at my first opportunity rather than give the opponents a chance of getting together. Yes, yes, if partner has spades, we may belong in Spades, quite possibly at the game or even the slam level. He can always hold AKxxxx Axx x Axx.Partner, however, is not barred from bidding, and with that hand, I would have responded to 3C with 3 Spades.
Once the opponents have begun to bid and the hand is likely going to be played by one of them, bidding just gives them information on how to play the hand. So either get your calls in early, or STFU.
And, yes, at this vulnerability, I would have opened 3 Clubs.
Bob Lipton
bobbywolffAugust 22nd, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Hi Bob,
And yes, so would I.
Robert LiptonAugust 23rd, 2023 at 1:20 pm
Nonetheless, should I not open 3 clubs, and then it comes back to me and I pass…. do the opponents get much past 3D?
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Hi Everyone,
While many might say (and may be right) that today’s hand has only a pedestrian interest
in playing our beautiful game, it, at least to me, cries out in favor of the boldness necessary to say, instead of (“It is just too dangerous to bid”, rather than the other extreme, “It is just too dangerous not to”).
If East would have opened a NV 3 clubs, unless South immediately makes the light vulnerable overcall of 3 diamonds, West should raise to 4 clubs as a basic continuation of partner’s intent to steal the hand and at many tables at tournament bridge or home games of rubber bridge, EW will go down one or two, while 5 diamonds, especially without the double dummy lead of a trump will have little trouble with scoring it up and will anyway against a trump lead and proper declarer play.
No more, no less, except when faced with a close choice between aggression and conservatism, choose the former and assign the devil an obligation to try and stop me.
I can already hear the echoes of.one’s partner (after getting doubled and down 500 or more) giving me the blame for their unfortunate horrible result by being too bold, but, if so, at least your side has died with their boots on, not off, which to me, when faced with a close choice, is the winning way to decide, especially when one improves his or her game by playing more difficult hands than earlier.
Also, when being aggressive, your partnership will cause the opponents much more anguish and more often than suspected will further compete, giving your side a much better opportunity to go plus, on just a normal hand, by pushing those dreaded opponents to have to bid one more to get to be, what they want, being declarer for the sake of naming trump.
If I were to bid 3 Clubs, I would have bid it at my first opportunity rather than give the opponents a chance of getting together. Yes, yes, if partner has spades, we may belong in Spades, quite possibly at the game or even the slam level. He can always hold AKxxxx Axx x Axx.Partner, however, is not barred from bidding, and with that hand, I would have responded to 3C with 3 Spades.
Once the opponents have begun to bid and the hand is likely going to be played by one of them, bidding just gives them information on how to play the hand. So either get your calls in early, or STFU.
And, yes, at this vulnerability, I would have opened 3 Clubs.
Bob Lipton
Hi Bob,
And yes, so would I.
Nonetheless, should I not open 3 clubs, and then it comes back to me and I pass…. do the opponents get much past 3D?
Bob Lipton