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Answer You are not strong enough to double 1NT and should raise the diamonds. If you bid only 2D you will let North mention his spades on a relatively weak hand. The opponents may then go to 3S over your second-round 3D. It is better tactics to raise to 3D straight away (you cannot be strong or you would have doubled 1NT). Now the meaning of 3S by North may be unclear to South. Awards: 3D - 10, 2D - 7, Dble - 5, 2C/Pass - 4. David Bird — Knight Features |
THE
deal comes from the Australian National Open Teams, with Matt Mullamphy
sitting South. The opening bid of 2NT showed a 6-10 point hand
containing both minor suits (with 20-22 points he would have opened a
Multi 2D and rebid 2NT). North responded 3NT, closing the bidding, and
West led the jack of hearts. Suppose you had been South. How would you
have played the hand? Mullamphy won the heart lead with dummy’s king
and saw immediately that the diamond suit might become blocked. A 2-2
break would not assist him. If he played ace and another diamond,
capturing a doubleton queen with South’s king, the third round of
diamonds would have to be won in the North hand. He therefore called for
the ten of diamonds. East played low, hoping to put declarer to a guess,
and Mullamphy took his only chance by running the ten. When the card
held the trick, he continued with ace and another diamond, claiming the
contract. East could have beaten the contract by covering the 10 with
the queen. South would have to win with the king and the diamond suit
would then be blocked. This was not an obvious defence, from East’s
point of view, since South might well have held the club ace. He would
then have no blockage problems and might well need to guess the diamond
suit correctly.
What would you say now
on the West cards?