The bidding contests in The Bridge Bulletin and Bridge World always seem to feature preempts. This hand shows how much pressure a simple preempt can place on the opponents.
Board #14
East dealer
Neither side vulnerable
| | North
♠ Q 10 8
♥ A K Q 5
♦ A 8 5
♣ 8 7 6
| | West
♠ K 6
♥ J 10 4
♦ Q J 10 4
♣ J 10 9 5
| | East
♠ A J 9 7 5 3 2
♥ 7
♦ K 9 7 3
♣ 3
| | | South
♠ 4
♥ 9 8 6 3 2
♦ 6 2
♣ A K Q 4 2
| |
|
The first thing to notice is that North-South would be cold for 6♥ if clubs had split 3-2. However, it is questionable whether they would have tried 6♥ or 6♣ even without the interference. Most likely they would settle in a very easy game in hearts. The second thing to notice is that East-West can make 4♠ if the declarer can find the ♠Q
East's bid puts South in a horrible bind. The experts claim that the person who is short in trump should make the decision as to whether to act. Unless South's quiver contains an arrow that shows hearts and clubs and allows his partner to sign off short of game, South has little choice but to pass. If he did decide to bid, he almost certainly would choose his elegant club suit over the ragged heart suit with the same number of pieces.
The LAW dictates that West also pass with only two spades. His chunky values are not likely to be of much use to partner, but it does not appear that the opponents have much. Both of these conclusions, while erroneous, are imminently reasonable.
So, what is North to do? I would have passed and taken my medicine. Unless you are the type that introduces four-card suits at the four level, there are only two other choices – double and 3NT.
If you double, you will end up in a perilous 4♣ contract. Maybe you can make it, but I do not want to play it. On the other hand, even if you go down two, it is better than defending 3♠.
What happens if you bid 3NT? Well, the instruction books say that you should count your winners when declaring a no-trump contract. You have five certain tricks in hearts, three in clubs, and the ♦A. Unfortunately, if East leads fourth-best, you will be forced to discard three of those winners on East's spades for down three. On the other hand, even that turns out to be better than the result if East-West can score ten tricks in spades.
Of course, if anyone doubles, all bets are off.
My partner and I did not play the hand. Two of the three teams that did ended up in 3♠. One made three, and one made four. At the other table East elected not to preempt, and North-South, even though they missed bidding the game, gathered in eleven tricks and recorded the only positive score.