Bridge Game, Bridge Lessons at RonKlingerBridge.com

Try this problem:

East dealer : Both vulnerable

West	North	East	South
- - -	- - -	1	?

What would you do as South with:

(Solution later)

Our results yesterday were a 13-17 loss, a 24-6 win and a 14-16 loss, 51 VPs on the day to be lying ninth. The last two matches are on this morning and this afternoon. We have 214 Victory Points and need above 240 VPs to qualify for the National Open Teams final. Full results are on the www.abf.com.au website.

Back to today’s problem:
This was Board 10 from Round 9:

The auction at both tables in our match went like this:

West	North	East	South
- - -	- - -	1	2 ? ?
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Lead: K
West continued with the A and East signaled suit-preference with the 3. Then came Q, taken by the K, spade ruff, J, club to the ace, spade ruffed low, over-ruffed. South made the A, diamond ruff and two top hearts for four tricks, four down –1100.

I think you have rocks in your head to overcall 2 on these values when you have three cards in opener’s suit, a great sign of danger. South’s 2 got what it deserved.

In another match it went:

West	North	East	South
- - -	- - -	1 *	2
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

*Did not notice the fifth spade

Here 2 is more reasonable since South has a void in opener’s suit, but the result was the same.

If 2 is an unsound overcall over 1 with these values and hand pattern, you can imagine what I think of South’s action here:

West	North	East	South
- - -	- - -	1	3 (1) ? ? ?
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

(1) Weak jump overcall

That bit of lunacy cost a mere 1400. Datum on the board was E-W 550.

This particular South player is unlikely to be cured of his folly since his team gained 12 Imps on the board!! How could that happen?

At the other table N-S had an even worse sequence and ended in 4 doubled for –2000. It might be fun, but it isn’t bridge.