What’s your call?
| 2♥ | 2♠ | 2NT | ||
| 3♣ | 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
Republished from “Famous Bidding Decisions” by Terence Reese and David Bird
This hand would be far easier to handle if partner, at favorable vulnerability and known to be short in diamonds, had doubled rather than passed. Why, then of course, we’d pass! Unfortunately, partner couldn’t muster up the wherewithal for a double or anything else. What to do?
5♣ by Colchamiro. “I should have excellent chances. As for 6♣, even opposite the ♥A and the expected ♦ K lead, we’re not home yet, being at the mercy of dummy’s and East’s club spots.”
Ditto Robinson: “Hopefully partner will have a few clubs and left-hand opponent will lead the ♦ K.”
Meyers bids 5♣. She would have bid 4♣, except that IYC Standard says that 4♣ is leaping Michaels, showing clubs and a major. “Where are all the majors? I hope they are not all in partner’s hand along with short clubs.”
Stack is also wondering where the majors are. “I’m sure that partner and RHO have plenty of them. Partner is obviously short in diamonds, as is RHO. With the expected lead of the ♦ K, we should have a decent play for game, so I’m bidding what I think I can make. Could we be missing slam? Yes, but it’s a guess, and it’s possible that we cannot even make game.”
From the active to the passive:
“This is a crazy problem!” says Korbel. “Pass! I have absolutely no idea what to do. Pass, 3♦ , 3NT, 5♣ and even 6♣ are viable options. I’m going to pass for the shock value, just to see the look on partner’s face as I first show out of one major, then the other.”
Falk passes. “We could have a grand slam or not be able to make game. But 2♦ almost has to be going down at 100 a trick. Even if I were told we could make game, I don’t know what to bid.”
And Weinstein: “Did [insert name of Oscar-award winning bridge player here] forget Flannery again? At 100 a trick, I expect at least 200, and we might not be able to make anything. ”
Sanborn passes. “I think I remember this hand from real life. A very good player passed and it was right.”
And now back to the active …
Meckstroth, 3NT: “Bid what I think I can make.”
3NT by Boehm. “Unusual situation, unusual bid. Partner rates to have a lot of major-suit cards, and diamond overruffs could threaten a higher-level club contract.”
Lawrence doesn’t seem at all fazed. “3NT. Feels more likely to make than 5♣.”
Lee tiptoes in with 3♣. “I doubt this will be the end of the auction.”
The Sutherlins try the effect of a double. “We need to go slowly here and hopefully find out about partner’s club length. Even if partner is broke, we may be able to make 6♣. Knowing partner will not pass makes double a safe first action.”
