We used up about six month's worth of good luck in Wednesday night's game. This hand is a good example.
Board #11
South dealer
Neither side vulnerable
| | North
♠ A 5 4 2
♥ J 4
♦ 10 9 3
♣ 8 5 3 2
| | West
♠ 7 3
♥ 10 2
♦ A Q 8 4 2
♣ Q 9 6 4
| | East
♠ 8
♥ K Q 9 5 3
♦ J 7
♣ A K J 10 7
| | | South
♠ K Q J 10 9 6
♥ A 8 7 6
♦ K 8 5
♣ ——
| |
|
| | | | |
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♠ | 2♦ | 2♠ | Dbl |
| 4♠ | P | P | Dbl |
| P | P | P | |
I sat North. My partner opened 1♠. His hand has only thirteen high-card points, but its playing potential is just short of a 2♣ bid. West overcalled 2♦. I would not have done so. I like to have at least ten hcp for an overcall at the two-level. I eked out a raise of my partner's suit.
East doubled. This is a good example of a responsive double, which always shows two suits. Since two suits had already been bid, it clearly showed clubs and hearts, at least four in each suit. It also denied support for diamonds. South bid game in spades, which was followed by two passes.
East thought for a minute and then ventured a double. Is it takeout? Penalty? Something else? Pairs that have played every day for years have never discussed this. I think that most tournament players would consider this a DSI double, asking partner to do something intelligent. I think that East had a perfect hand for this.
The problem was that West had already overbid her hand. She had a fit for her partner's clubs, but it was difficult for her to believe that they could take eleven tricks in that suit. So, she passed, and we got to score 590.
If West had passed the first time (instead of overcalling), the auction would have changed in a subtle way. I would still have bid 2♠, but East would no longer have a responsive double available. He would be forced to bid his suits separately. If he chose to bid clubs first, they would have a very good chance of finding their best contract of 5♣. West would know for certain that they had at least a nine-card club fit. Furthermore, after South bid 4♠, she would think that she had a lot more to offer than her previous pass had indicated.
And if East started with 3♥? Who knows? Maybe he would later be emboldened to bid 5♣, which is the winning move.