Hand of the Week

06/26/19

This hand illustrates some of the differences between playing a weak 1NT and a strong 1NT.

Board #17
North dealer
Neither side vulnerable

	North ♠ —— ♥ A K 6 9 2 ♦ J 8 5 2 ♣ J 8 5 4
West ♠ A Q 9 7 5 3 ♥ 7 6 ♦ Q 9 7 ♣ Q 9		East ♠ J 6 4 ♥ J 4 3 ♦ K 10 6 3 ♣ 7 3 2
	South ♠ K 10 8 2 ♥ Q 10 5 ♦ A 4 ♣ A K 10 6


South	West	North	East
		P	P
1♣	2♠	Dbl	P
P	P

At most tables South opened 1NT. West then made a 2♠ bid if it was available. North bid 3♥ either directly or indirectly through a transfer, and the final contract would be a very comfortable 4♥.

My wife (North) was playing with a new partner. They had decided to play stolen bids if the opponents interfered after a 1NT, but they did not get a chance to establish if transfers were on at the three level. So, when North bid 3♦ to transfer to hearts, South interpreted the bid as showing a diamond suit. Their bidding then went off the rails.

Many people play that a double of an interfering overcall means that the responder wanted to make that bid. This approach goes by several names — stolen bids, shadow doubles, and mirror doubles. Anyone who plays this approach must make sure that there is an agreement as to whether responses at the three level are transfers. After a 1NT opener Jacoby transfers are ordinarily in effect only at the two level and Texas transfers at the four level.

In this case West had a solid overcall, but some crafty defenders will check to see if their opponents are playing stolen bids. If so, they think that they have a license to bid 2♠ with virtual impunity because their opponents probably have no way to make a penalty double. It happens.

None of this is relevant to what happened at our table. Our no-trump range was (except on the hand on which I forgot) 12-14. So, South opened 1♣. If the opponents had cooperated, this should have produced an elegant auction. As North I would bid 1♥. South would bid an alertable 1NT to show a balanced 15-17. North would then bid 2♣, a so-called checkback bid asking about the major suits. South would bid 2♥ to show three-card support, and the final contract would be 4♥.

West, however made a preemptive overcall of 2♠. With only nine points, I chose a takeout double over a direct bid of 3♥. This was a close judgment call. East passed, and South was left in a very difficult position. He pondered for at least a minute and then passed. We were able to set the contract by two tricks when West neglected to finesse me for the ♦J. We were lucky to score +300 on a hand that we can make a grand slam in clubs!

I don't blame South for his decision. None of the choices were attractive. The club suit is certainly not rebiddable. Bidding hearts with only three pieces is almost never right. Bidding 2NT is also risky. If East can get in to lead spades through the K-10, it could be disastrous.

I hate it when my partner bids no-trump after I have doubled to show distribution. Nevertheless, if I were in South's chair, I would have tried 2NT. We both knew that West was a fairly solid bidder who would not be likely to make a jump overcall without some values. Likewise, North would not have doubled 2♠ at unfavorable vulnerability without a pretty good hand — if not ten points then very close to it. The deciding factor for me would have been the rule of nine.* South has four trumps with two honors. West bid at the two level. That's only eight. I would have found a bid, if not 2NT then a cue bid of 3♠ to indicate extra values and force partner to pick the place to play.

After a 2NT bid North could then place South with a strong no-trump opener with a spade stopper. In that circumstance I think that a 3♣ response by North would be checkback, not an invitation to play in clubs. South could show the three hearts, and we could play in 4♥. Yes, we would have missed the "granny" in clubs, but I sincerely doubt that many experts would chance a 25-point slam in a 4-4 minor suit fit missing the queen of trump.

I said that "I think that a 3♣ response by North would be checkback." I am not sure. The most difficult thing about playing a weak 1NT is deciding what your agreements are when the opponents overcall after you or your partner has opened one of a suit. Ken and I have been using a rather detailed write-up of how to play the weak no-trump opening, but it is completely silent on this extremely important topic. We definitely need to firm up our agreements in that area.

* Rule of 9: Add the number of trumps to the number of honors (including tens) in trump. To that add the level at which the opponent bid. If the total is 9 or more, it is OK to pass a takeout double. With less you should stretch to bid something. For this purpose negative doubles are considered "takeout."