Better to Underbid and Overplay
We're now back to our match point sessions at the Hutt Bridge Club junior's night. The following deal was could have been handled way better by nearly every EW pair.
Board 19 Dealer S EW Vul rom Wednesday 28th June
| ||||||||||
|
| |||||||||
|
QT97
QJT9
QJT4
7After a pass from South, West opens 1H. North passes and East bids 2C. That is a 'two over one' response and should guarantee at least 10 HCP. There is no need for East to do any more, because West has guaranteed a rebid after having opened one of a suit. That is a very basic social contract! West has a clear next bid: 3C. The whole idea of bidding is to discuss options with partner and to locate where there is a FIT. West has excellent club support and therefore tells partner so. What should East do now?
This is a MATCH POINT session. East knows that GAME is certain, having heard West open the bidding and support clubs. East should also realise that, with every suit covered plus a known club fit, the hand should be played in 3NT rather than 5C. Every person playing in any grade should know full well that 3NT making three equals 600, 5C making five also equals 600, BUT tricks in No Trumps score far more than club tricks. Eleven tricks in clubs thus equals 600 but even TEN ONLY tricks in No Trumps equals 630. I stress that NO TRUMPS is for balanced hands and hands which have all suits well held, but also for those with long MINOR suits of which use can be made.
Therefore, East should opt for 3NT once West raises the clubs, rather than 5C. But if East is considering FIVE clubs, Confucius say .. "Why not SIX?" There is only one trick difference, and East has FIFTEEN high card points plus club support from opener. Plus: you're on a loser otherwise. SLAM must be very close, but NOT slam in No Trumps. Why?
Because with a SINGLETON in partner's main suit, and with a BIG trump fit in the second suit, a CLUB contract will play much better.
Learn to appreciate your trumps and the reasons WHY you prefer to have a trump suit to work with when you have a FIT. Alas, one East did work out that there were sufficient POINTS for a slam, but did not appreciate all the facts and opted to bid the slam in 6NT. That met with the deserved result, down ONE. As you can see, in clubs it should not be difficult to make all thirteen tricks (nobody did!). Two other pairs played in No Trumps, both in game only. One made the obvious eleven tricks and the other somehow persuaded opponents to part with an extra trick and made six. That was a TOP, which reinforces my statement that “It is better to underbid and overplay than to overbid and underplay”.
