Thinking Bridge
By Eddie Kantar
kantarbridge.com
Consider both your bidding and defense as West on the following deal:
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | |||
| 1♠ | 2♦ | Pass | 2♥ |
| 3♣ | 4♥ | All Pass |
Opening lead: ♠A (Ace from A–K in unsupported suits at trick one only)
Bidding Commentary: One way to handle a major-minor two-suiter with opening bid values after RHO opens is to bid the major and then the minor (hopefully) at the three level. Playing “Michaels,” if the opening bid is 1♥ or 1♠, a cuebid of opener’s major shows five cards in the other major along with five or six cards in an unknown minor. To discover the unknown minor, partner bids 2NT.
The Michaels range is 7–11 or 15–17 HCP. When responding, partner assumes the minimum count. With “tweeners” of 12–14 HCP, as West has, bid both suits. A takeout double with a two-suiter requires 18+ HCP. It is a rarity.
As for your rebids, with the minimum range, pass unless partner makes a forcing response. With the maximum range, bid again even if partner makes a minimum response.
Defensive Commentary: East plays high-low in spades, so West knows East can ruff the third spade. However, when giving partner a ruff with a choice of cards, the size of the card returned is suit preference and asks for a particular return. A low card (♠4) asks for the lower-ranking side suit (clubs); a high spade (♠J) asks for the higher-ranking side suit (diamonds). As West wants a diamond return, he returns the ♠J. It is not for East to reason why, it is for East to do or die. East ruffs the ♠J and returns a diamond which West ruffs – the only defense to defeat the contract.
Play Commentary: As declarer, you have to hope that they don’t find this defense! Also, if you and partner somehow managed to land in 3NT, you have just won the gold medal.
North would have to bid 3♠ over 3♣, showing spade strength, and South would have to bid 3NT. It is so much easier to get to the best contract when you can see all four hands.
Eddie Kantar (1932–2022) was an accomplished player with two world championships and 17 NABC titles. Kantar is probably best known as a teacher and author of over 35 bridge books. He wrote his first article for The Bridge World in 1954 and was a longtime contributor to the ACBL’s Bridge Bulletin.
