From Wednesday 27/07/2016
Board 18 Dealer E NS Vul
Sometimes some hands can be better than others. Most Easts did open the bidding though there was ONE very strange contract: ONE CLUB by South. If you are a very new learner and have been taught to open only with 12 or more points, that could happen. Also, if you are taught not to respond with fewer than six points. So, strictly speaking, I suppose South playing in 1C is possible. I'm pleased to say it only happened at one table.
At other tables, East was aware of the value of not just points but also distribution. Those Easts opened 1S and all Souths felt they were good enough (indeed they were) to overcall with 2C. After that, West, with 11 HCP, made the 'book' bid and raised partner to 3S. I note that two Easts did play in 4S, so either they up valued their hand or somehow misinterpreted West's jump raise. But then again, could WEST have jumped to 4S after South overcalled? It is sometimes very easy to revalue one's hand in the light of opposition bidding. South's vulnerable overcall surely almost guarantees that the king of clubs will take a trick, so should it not be valued at more than the three points kings are normally assigned? Not only that, West's king of DIAMONDS could well be potentially useful as well, should EITHER East or South have the ace, so West's hand is, effectively, worth closer to 13 points, and if East has opened the bidding, if you remember that “opening bid opposite opening bid equals GAME” then as West you might take a shot at 4S. Interesting how ONE EW pair did not even bid on either hand, and TWO EW pairs bid to game! The irony of it all was that the two pairs who did bid game in spades found a declarer who was not quite up to the job and failed to make the best of it after South made the opening lead of the jack of hearts.
To just reinforce the bidding part, even EAST has enough to go to game after South overcalls 2C and partner jumps to 3S. Why? Because partner has shown 10-11 points with the jump raise, and these points are likely to be made up of the ace of hearts and, if two points are in the queen of trumps (hence NO trump losers), at least one minor suit king. So East, also, can make good inferences about the value of partner's hand. It pays to try and work out where partner's points could be when partner has told you he has a certain number. But usually it is quite sufficient to be conservative in the bidding as long as declarer can play the hand better than others. How, and why, would YOU play this hand in 4S with the jack of hearts opening lead?
Q
Q8764
J863
964