Page 16 - ABF Newsletter June 2025

BRIDGE INTO THE
21st CENTURY
Paul Lavings, plavings@gmail.com
YOUR LHO 2{ OVERCALL IS PASSED BACK TO YOU What would you call on the following hands, neither
side vulnerable?
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1]
2{ pass pass ?
1. ]AJ872 [J102 }KQ3 {82
2. ]Q109542 [AQ2 }K108 {2
3. ]AKJ1097 [1093 }Q87 {5
4. ]AQJ43 [K7 }A109 {632
5. ]AQJ1082 [A107 }AQ7 {5
6. ]AK876 [8 }KQJ9 {K82
7. ]K109872 [KQ96 }Q42 {–
8. ]AQJ10763 [4 }A76 {83
9. ]AQ8762 [6 }52 {A1096
10. ] K Q J 5 4 [ A Q J } 10 9 { K Q 4
SOLUTIONS
1. Double. Experts are always on the lookout for penalties, especially when opponents overcall at the two-level. Imagine your partner sits over the 2{ overcaller with {AQ107. That should give your side four club tricks plus your hand has at least two tricks in defence and possibly three.
With the clubs so well-positioned, hopefully partner will pass your double. At Matchpoint Pairs +300 for two down doubled will be a clear top board and at teams it will be a swing of at least 5 imps.
I recommend, and have always played, that opener must reopen in fourth seat on any hand with 0-2 in the opponent’s suit. That way if your partner holds
] 5 2 [ K 10 4 } A 10 6 5 { A Q 10 7
they can pass in comfort knowing that you will not pass out 2{ with 0-2 clubs, even with a minimum. On this hand you figure to collect at least 800, or possibly 1100, when partner passes your double. If opponents are vulnerable the penalty is at least 1100, and possibly 1400.
2. Double. You must do something, and the tempta- tion is to bid 2]. However you have good defensive
cards, and it is likely partner is waiting to pass your double and collect a juicy penalty.
3. 2]. With most of your points in spades your side may not do well in defence, so with such a strong suit just rebid 2] and warn partner you have a min- imum opening with 6+ spades.
4. Pass. You have an attractive hand, but it is still a minimum opening. Your agreement is you can only pass out 2{ with 3+ in the suit, so you stick by that and pass. Keep in mind partner couldn’t rake up a raise to 2] or a negative double, so he either has a weak hand or 3+ clubs as well.
5. Double. With such a powerful hand your first move should be to double 2{ for takeout. If partner passes, prepare for a bloodbath. If partner takes out your double, then you have plenty of space to follow up with a strong bid.
6. 2}. You have a solid hand and it looks like partner has passed over 2{ through lack of high cards. Even so, your side could make any number of diamonds, and you don’t want to make a takeout double with only one heart.
7. 2[. I would steer clear of double since your hand may have little defence against 2{ doubled. Partner could have up to four, five or even six hearts, and 2[ is a far better choice than 2].
8. 3]. The jump to 3] is more a matter of quantity than quality. With a good hand you would double as in Question 5. Preserving space is a virtue in bridge, and jumps on strong hands don’t make a lot of sense.
9. Pass. The choice is between pass and 2]. Keep in mind that partner chose to pass 2{. I suspect oppo- nents have lots of points, but clubs is not their best trump suit by a long way.
10. Don’t know. With 18 balanced you are too strong to open 1NT, but to bid 2NT now when partner may have very little could be very expensive. Then again, partner could pass over 2{ with as many as 8 or 9 HCP, so if you pass out 2{ you could be missing a game or a winning partscore.
Over a very long period I have found passing here to be a losing option. Perhaps double is best?
Page: 16
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: June 2025