Bridge Tip # 9
by Mark Blumenthal on
January 26th, 2009
When you realize your partnership is in trouble as the opponents have been doubling you for penalties at a low level, you and your partner should pass any undoubled bid rather than trying to run to what you think might be an hereto undiscovered better strain.
You and your partner should bid bid suit bid four card suits up the line in an attempt to find a fit as opposed to bidding a higher five card one. For example, say you have QJ, 75 , KJ762, AKQ4 and decide to open one no trump1NT. The bidding goes double, pass, pass to you. Partner may have from 0 to 8 points. If near the lower number partner almost certainly lacks a 5 card or greater suit to run to. You feel the opponents may be able to take the first ten tricks so you decide to run. You should bid 2C instead of 2D. If your partner has a fit the opponents may not double that. If they do, and it is passed around to you, you can still decide to bid 2D without raising the number of tricks you need to take make your contract. If you indeed have a club fit and you had bid 2D you would have had to go to the three level to bid it. In 1963 my partner , Steve Rzewski and I played against Canadian soon to be expert Joe Silver and Steve Reiter in a 50 – 80 MP pair regional Obviously at that time none of us were known as good players. Joe, with whom I later became pretty friendly, did not know each other. Every contract Steve or I bid bid was getting doubled, and we knew we were in danger of going for a big number. Steve bid something. It went pass and I passed. Then it went pass! Both Steve and I audibly let out our breaths. The contract went down a few, but the result was not a disaster. That was the first regional I won. Joe and Steve were second. Had they had doubled us they would have won the event.
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Great minds think alike. I always smile when I recall Norman’s poetic admonition: “No double — No trouble!”
My mother regularly played auction bridge with a group of ladies for many years. They didn’t allow doubles so I guess they had no troubles.