High-level competitive bidding
North-South have reached a very poor contract. As so often, each of the two players considers that his partner is responsible for the accident. And you, what do you think?
This month we will be looking at:
High-level competitive bidding.
Problem 1
E/W Vul.
| W | N | E | S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | 1♠ | 3♥(*) | |
| 4♠ |
The facts
5 Hearts goes down one, but 4 Spades is laydown. Did one of the players misjudge their hand, or was it simply bad luck?
Arguments
North: “I only have 13HCP, so there’s no chance of making a contract at the five-level, and practically three defensive tricks, which are strong reasons to believe that 4 Spades will go down. I know that my pass is not forcing but it must encourage you to bid on in defense if you have no hope of beating them.”
South: “Thank you for this lesson but I don’t agree with you at all. With my jump to 3♥, I have said what I had to say and I have no reason, or even the right, to bid again. As Michel has explained to you a hundred times, stop counting your points and learn to evaluate your distribution. This lesson is more useful than yours.”
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