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When Reality Strikes.

Back from the perfect holiday? It could be the dream world you have just lulled yourself into. It could be that you are playing a board of bridge. The dream world you are in may be just wonderful but suddenly, unpleasantly, you are brought tumbling down to earth.

It could also be that we give you a bidding problem…not much of a one, really. You are East and watch the following auction begin with:

West              North            East                South

2NT ¹              Pass                ?

¹ 20-22 balanced

With no-one vulnerable on Board 14, you hold:

 7643

 AJ943

 3

 T63

What do you call? You have 1 and a half seconds to think of your answer. Ready?

You are going to show 5 hearts with a transfer bid of 3 and then bid your robust spade suit to give partner a choice of games, 3NT, 4 or 4. Excellent …but not the best action on this particular evening.  “3 stayman sounds fine,” West was heard to remark afterwards....

“Why, you ask in disbelief?”

“It’s obvious” quipped your partner….”because your clubs are better than your diamonds.”

“What? So your 2NT opening was for the minors?” reflected East.

“What opening” asked a slightly bemused West?

This was the bidding sequence which ended with no game chosen (surely you know who is dealer on Board 14?):

 West             North            East                South

                                                                        1 (5 + hearts)

2NT ¹              Pass                3                   All Pass !

Reality struck for East! They cast their eyes leftwards….to see who had shown five hearts!

These were the four hands:

 

The results on the board were quite interesting in that both East and West tried to play a diamond partial and both failed by three tricks. The same fate befell North who also tried to play 3, a popular contract all round! West and South also tried to play no-trumps and failed by three and five tricks. The only making contract was 3 played by West!

So, the moral of the story may be that in deciding between Stayman or a Transfer to hearts after your partner “opens” 2NT in second seat, choose your longer minor and bid that in case partner passes as you discover partner had not opened the bidding…

…. or else, get a better pair of glasses!   

    I see...

 

Do not take the moral too seriously but the facts of the case were entirely true!

Richard Solomon who saw the above unfold....from which seat you may ask....but you may not discover the answer!

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