Show Your Shape
From Wednesday 26th
Board 5 Dealer N NS Vul
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A965
T95
Q7
8542The EW hands would provide a perfect example for a bridge teacher when teaching very basic bidding to beginners.
I would have thought so anyway, yet NOT ONE EW pair in this session was in the correct contract. When East opens 1S, I cannot imagine any South doing anything other than passing, but even if South misguidedly doubles “because I also have an opening bid” (UGH!!!) that should make no difference to the bidding.
West's response is 1NT: West does not have enough points to go to the two level, but has enough to afford a response. There is no other bid for West than 1NT. East has something more to offer partner. Beginners have been taught that they can rebid a five card suit, but to rebid 2S would be manifestly wrong. East can tell partner the same thing by rebidding 2H. This says they have five spades and at least four hearts. This rebid costs nothing and gains a lot, because if West prefers spades, West can return to spades at the lowest level.
A new suit is NOT forcing in this situation. West's bid of 1NT has ensured that - as long as the new suit is at a lower level than the first bid suit. Generally, a response of 1NT to a 1H or 1S opening should be a warning to opener to slow down, or even pass. But East's hand is not suitable for a pass and therefore a bid of 2H is best. West is now happy to pass because he or she knows they have found a perfect trump fit. There is also no need for West to go any further, with just eight high card points. But what did we see at the Hutt club on this Wednesday night? TWO Easts played in 2S (not successfully), two Wests in 1NT, ONE West in 2D (this must have been some weird and wonderful system that they were playing), and TWO Easts were in 3H (when the Wests must have thought it was necessary to keep bidding).
I must mention one absolutely awful opening lead against one of the Easts in 3H. South chose the NINE OF CLUBS. What does one have to do to convince people that they should not underlead aces against suit contracts, and that a third highest card does nothing but compress any possible potential tricks in the defender's hand. All I can do here is to suggest to all readers that they should find a basic book on opening leads and read it .. very carefully.
