CHAPTER ♣4

Making a bid without pause after a STOP from Right Hand Opponent

Slick Leo was the happiest man in the world. He had just been promoted by his boss, and his wife Loes was expecting their second child. Sly Linda on the other hand had had a disastrous week, with a stupid car accident on a parking lot and a brutal burglary in her appartment. She had headed for the club early to escape her sorrows, and saw a joyful Leo rush in at the last moment with a measure of irritation.

E/-	♠ Q J 9 6 ♥ 6 4 ♦ K 5 2 ♣ A 10 7 5
♠ 10 8 7 2 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ K 6 2	N W         E S	♠ A K 4 3   ♥ K 7   ♦ A Q J 3   ♣ J 9 8
	♠ 5 ♥ A Q 9 8 5 2 ♦ 8 6 4 ♣ Q 4 3
West Bea -   pass   2 ♠	North Daphne-Jolijn -   pass   pass	East Piotr 1 ♦   double   pass	South Diederik-Jan 2 ♥ *   pass   pass
* weak jump overcall

In the first round Leo and Linda faced a surgeon from Rotterdam and a lawyer from Amsterdam, who had both had to move to the secluded countryside of Groningen following some improper conduct in their respective practices.

They shared the boards with another table, where Timid Bea and Piotr played against the youthful twins. On the second board Bea had reached 2♠ after a competitive auction. The charming Daphne-Jolijn had led ♥6, and her twin brother had cashed ♥AQ and continued with his singleton spade. This trick had run to the ♠7, ♠9 and dummy's ♠A. Bea had also cashed ♠K, on which Diederik-Jan had thrown an inspired ♥9! Bea, disappointed by the 4-1 trump break, had exited cleverly with ♠3 and Daphne-Jolijn had cashed her ♠QJ (South throwing hearts).

Daphne-Jolijn had paused for a while. She did not have much ringcraft yet, but she could tell a Lavinthal signal when she saw one. Diederik-Jan's ♥9 clearly requested a diamond continuation. Since he did not have any diamond values, this had to deny ♣K! The intelligent sixth former had consequently played ♦2, which Bea had run successfully to her ♦10. In her hand at last Bea had cashed ♥J, throwing a club from dummy. She had then repeated the diamond finesse and cashed all dummy's diamonds. In the end however she had had to open the clubs, losing two tricks in that suit. Piotr, wistfully recollecting his beautiful 18-count, had entered a miserable 2♠ -1 on the score sheet.

>>>

When this board moved to the other table, Mr. Pleiter also opened 1♦ as dealer. Leo, like Diederik-Jan, placed the red STOP card on the green baize, followed by a weak 2♥ overcall. He threw a hostile glance to his left when Dr. Snijder passed within one second. The shrewd surgeon obviously had a very weak hand. Mr. Pleiter came to the same conclusion, and produced the heaviest pass of the year.

E/-	♠ Q J 9 6 ♥ 6 4 ♦ K 5 2 ♣ A 10 7 5
♠ 10 8 7 2 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ K 6 2	N W         E S	♠ A K 4 3   ♥ K 7   ♦ A Q J 3   ♣ J 9 8
	♠ 5 ♥ A Q 9 8 5 2 ♦ 8 6 4 ♣ Q 4 3
West Dr. Snijder -   pass	North Linda -   pass	East Mr. Pleiter 1 ♦   pass	South Leo 2 ♥ *
* weak jump overcall

<<<

Dr. Snijder started with ♦10, ducked around the table. The next diamond was for East's ♦J, who also cashed ♦A. Mr. Pleiter pondered for a moment, and continued with ♥7. Leo played ♥Q successfully, cashed ♥A and then led a spade to dummy's ♠Q. Mr. Pleiter won with ♠K and had nothing better than his last diamond to continue. Leo ruffed, and Dr. Snijder discarded ♠7. This did not help her very much however, because Leo promptly threw her in with ♥J. She now had to play a black card, and eventually chose the ♣2. Leo happily ran this to his ♣Q, and soon conceded a very satisfactory 1 down. He had played 2♥ in the best possible way by losing one spade, one heart, three diamonds and just one club.

The scoresheet rudely destroyed his euphoric mood, showing an appalling 2♠ -1 in the East-West column.
"Darn", grumbled Leo, and addressed Mr. Pleiter suspiciously: "Why did you pass out my 2♥ with so many points?!"
"Because I expected exactly this scenario based on the bidding", answered the experienced solicitor in carefully chosen words...

>>>

Dummy playing a card on own initiative

In the next round Leo and Linda played against Joep and Joeri. The young internet entrepreneurs had come to the club in their new Audis, and sported fashionable shirts. Leo, whose euphoric mood had been scratched a little by Dr. Snijder's and Mr. Pleiter's trickery in the first round, picked up his cards expectantly.

N/NS	♠ A J 3 2 ♥ K 6 ♦ A 10 8 ♣ J 6 4 3
♠ K 9 7 ♥ J 9 4 3 ♦ 4 ♣ K 9 8 7 2	N W         E S	♠ Q 10 8 5   ♥ A Q 5   ♦ J 7 6 3   ♣ Q 10
	♠ 6 4 ♥ 10 8 7 2 ♦ K Q 9 5 2 ♣ A 5
West Joep -   pass   pass	North Leo 1 ♣   1 ♠   pass	East Joeri pass   pass   pass	South Linda 1 ♦   1 NT

<<<

Leo opened 1♣ as dealer, and a few moments later Linda arrived in 1NT. Joep led ♥4, and the defence smoothly pocketed four heart tricks. Dummy and East discarded spades, and at trick five Joep continued with ♣2. Linda played low from dummy and ducked Joeri's ♣10, but had to take the next club with her ♣A. She saw that everything hinged on the diamonds, and she steeled herself to handle the suit in the best possible manner.

Linda continued with ♦K, and at that moment a waiter asked whether she would like a drink. She turned around to order a cola, and when she turned back to the table she saw to her horror that Leo had played ♦8 and that Joeri had followed to the trick. With a deadly glance across the table Linda led ♦2, and her worst nightmare came true when Joep discarded a club. In desperation she took the trick with dummy's ♦A and played back ♦10 in the vain hope that East would cover this card. Joeri knew exactly what was going on however, and followed suit with an uncooperative spot card. Linda played small from her hand, and Joep after some thought threw ♠7.

Linda paused in frustration, but forced herself to think. After some soul searching she led ♠A followed by ♠J. Joep won with ♠K, cashed ♣K, and conceded the last trick to dummy's ♣J.
Linda had to enter a disastrous 1 down just the same. If Leo had kept his hands behind his back in the first round of diamonds, she could have unblocked dummy's ♦10 and make an easy seven tricks for a fair score. All that was left now was another frigid bottom...

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Keeping a card ready before Right Hand Opponent has played to the trick

Halfway through the evening Leo and Linda met Daphne-Jolijn and Diederik-Jan. Leo sat down shaking his head, inwardly moaning about all the injustice in this world. He perked up a little when he picked up a juicy 17-count, and straightened his back.

E/all	♠ A 7 5 3 ♥ 10 8 2 ♦ J 8 7 5 ♣ Q 6
♠ J 10 9 8 2 ♥ K 5 4 ♦ 6 4 3 ♣ 7 3	N W         E S	♠ Q 4   ♥ A J 9 6   ♦ A 10 9 2   ♣ J 5 2
	♠ K 6 ♥ Q 7 3 ♦ K Q ♣ A K 10 9 8 4
West Daphne-Jolijn -   pass   pass   pass	North Linda -   1 ♠   3 ♦   pass	East Diederik-Jan 1 ♦   pass   pass   pass	South Leo double   3 ♣   3 NT

<<<

Diederik-Jan opened 1♦, and Leo, judging his hand too strong for a straightforward overcall, doubled. When Linda asked for a diamond stop he confidently bid 3NT.

Daphne-Jolijn led a self-centered ♠J. Assessing the hand in a flash, Leo seized the trick with dummy's ♠A and played a small diamond. Diederik-Jan, taken in by Leo's feverish rythm, hesitated for a moment, uncertain what to do. His twin sister meanwhile pulled a card from her hand, and smiled mockingly at the young waiter. Diederik-Jan concluded from this little pantomime that she had nothing in diamonds, and decided to rise with his ♦A! His diagnosis was confirmed when Leo produced the ♦Q, and he retreated into a huddle.

It looked as if declarer had ♠K, ♦K and six good clubs. In that case he would have at least nine tricks as soon as he gained the lead. If he also possessed ♥K the contract was unbeatable, but what if he had ♥Q...?
Suddenly Diederik-Jan saw the light. He checked his calculations and then placed a determined ♥J on the table! Leo looked at this card as if it were some slimy toad, and covered it reluctantly with his ♥Q. Daphne-Jolijn won with ♥K and continued with ♥5. Leo tried dummy's ♥8 but Diederik-Jan took the trick with ♥9 and cashed two more hearts to put the contract 1 down.

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"Did you see that!", he exclaimed exultantly to his sister. "Taking the ♦A immediately and playing back ♥J is the only way to demolish 3NT. If I duck the first diamond Leo is home straight away, and if after taking ♦A I lead a small heart Leo can stop the suit by playing small from his hand, even scoring an overtrick."

Leo listened to all this raging with anger. His good temper had completely gone. How on earth could Linda and he be bamboozled like this with their own methods...

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Consulting opponent's convention card or asking questions out of turn

The evening was well through when Leo and Linda, engaged in a furious debate, joined Paul and Pauline at the table. The second-hand car traders watched their opponents in amusement, and innocently inquired whether they were having a good run.

W/EW	♠ A 5 4 2 ♥ Q J 8 3 ♦ 7 6 3 ♣ 10 4
♠ 8 6 ♥ 7 ♦ Q 8 4 2 ♣ Q 9 6 5 3 2	N W         E S	♠ 10 7 3   ♥ K 9 5 4   ♦ A K J   ♣ A J 7
	♠ K Q J 9 ♥ A 10 6 2 ♦ 10 9 5 ♣ K 8
West Gertrude pass   3 ♣   pass	North councillor pass   double **   pass	East Gert 1 NT   pass   pass	South mayor 2 ♣ *   3 ♠
*   Multi-Landy: At least 4-4 in the majors ** Choose a major

<<<

The boards were shared with another table, where the mayor had just just reached a sharp 3♠ via the multi-Landy convention. Gertrude had led an unproductive but understandable ♥7, and the mayor had played a swift ♥Q from dummy. Gert had contemplated for a while and then played ♥4.

The mayor had paused for a while, unpleasantly surprised by the proceedings at trick one. He had realized that playing on hearts or clubs was dangerous because West's ♥7 could well be a singleton. Therefore he had played a trump to his ♠K and also cashed ♠Q. Relieved that trumps split 3-2 he had crossed to dummy's ♠A, and once more paused for thought.

East was likely to have ♥K and ♣A for his 1NT opening bid, and the mayor had realised that he should continue with a heart rather than a club. Hoping that this suit would also break 3-2 he had tried a subtle ♥8 from dummy, but Gert had covered this card with a studious ♥9. The mayor had won the trick with ♥10, and viewed Gertrude's club discard with distaste. In the vague hope for a defensive error he had exited in diamonds. But Gert, reading the hand like an open book, had cashed his three diamond tricks and ♣A and then played a small club to declarer's ♣K. Stuck in the closed hand, the mayor had been forced to cash ♥A, subsequently concede a trick to the ♥K, and finally enter an unwelcome 3♠ -1 on the score sheet.

"Mmm, bad luck that the hearts broke 4-1," he had complained. "Anyway, 3♣ is on for East-West so we should still be OK."
The councillor had frowned but remained silent...

>>>

When Leo and Linda played the board, Linda also opened 1NT third in hand. Paul and Pauline did not play the multi-Landy convention, but they had other methods to compete for the partscore. Paul passed, and when Leo bid 2♠ Paul started an extensive study of their convention card. Pauline took notice of this, concluded that Paul might well have something good in spades, and doubled! It was not difficult anymore for Paul to bid 3♠, and Leo too led an unproductive but understandable ♥7.

W/EW	♠ A 5 4 2 ♥ Q J 8 3 ♦ 7 6 3 ♣ 10 4
♠ 8 6 ♥ 7 ♦ Q 8 4 2 ♣ Q 9 6 5 3 2	N W         E S	♠ 10 7 3   ♥ K 9 5 4   ♦ A K J   ♣ A J 7
	♠ K Q J 9 ♥ A 10 6 2 ♦ 10 9 5 ♣ K 8
West Leo pass   2 ♠ *   pass	North Pauline pass   double   pass	East Linda 1 NT   3 ♣   pass	South Paul pass   3 ♠
* Transfer to clubs

<<<

Contrary to the mayor, Paul took his time to study the hand, and then called for dummy's ♥8! Linda was powerless against this superior dummy play. She eventually covered with ♥9, and Paul won the trick with ♥10. He drew three rounds of trumps ending in dummy, and continued with ♥Q. Linda played low hoping for a mistake by declarer, but Paul was not to be distracted from the winning line. The ♥Q held, and the ♥J that followed was covered by the king and ace. Paul then cashed ♥6 and exited in diamonds. Linda took her three diamond tricks and ♣A, but had to concede the rest to declarer.

"3♠ bid and made is a shared top", Paul announced proudly. "Thanks to the heart lead of course, because on any other lead I have no chance."
Leo groaned inwardly, realizing that their cunning opponents had found their 4-4 spade fit in a way that was not totally unfamiliar to him...

>>>

Holding a hand above the bidding box while thinking

The last round saw Leo and Linda opposite the mayor and the councillor. Leo cast an eye on his scoresheet and estimated their score below 40%. It seemed as if the whole world was against them!

E/-	♠ A 8 5 2 ♥ K 9 5 4 2 ♦ A K Q 4 ♣ -
♠ 9 4 ♥ 6 ♦ 10 9 6 5 ♣ Q J 10 9 6 2	N W         E S	♠ K Q 10 3   ♥ 7 3   ♦ J 8   ♣ A K 8 5 3
	♠ J 7 6 ♥ A Q J 10 8 ♦ 7 3 2 ♣ 7 4
West mayor -   3 ♣   pass   7 ♣   pass	North Linda -   4 ♣   6 ♥   double	East councillor 1 ♣   5 ♣   ...pass   pass	South Leo 1 ♥   pass   pass   pass
West Joep -   5 ♣   pass	North Mathilde -   6 ♥	East Joeri 1 ♣   pass	South Constance 1 ♥   pass

<<<

They shared the boards once more with another table, and on the first hand the sparks flew around immediately. The bidding took off slowly but then accelerated towards 6♥ like a rocket. The councillor first considered a double and then a sacrifice. Her hand hovered over the upper part of the bidding box, before losing altitude and finally selecting a green PASS card. The mayor had spotted this, and pressed on with a disgraceful 7♣. Linda doubled, and saw Leo lead ♥A and another heart. Dummy ruffed, and a few moments later the councillor conceded 4 down for a score of -800.

"A good bargain against 6♥", said the pompous mayor loudly.
Linda opened her mouth, but a fierce look from the councillor silenced her. Leo meanwhile mourned over his 6♥ contract that could not be, and incidentally wondered how it could be made...

The board was soon transferred to the other table, where Constance reached 6♥ after an aggressive auction. Joep led ♣Q, which was ruffed in dummy. Constance went into deep thought, causing growing anxiety with Mathilde. She had bid 6♥ because that required no more than ♥A plus either three clubs or ♦J or ♠Q in the south hand. Did Constance really not have any of these three assets next to her supposed ♥A?

Constance suddenly moved into action. She drew two rounds of trumps, cashed ♦AKQ and ruffed dummy's last diamond. She then ruffed her last club and continued with ♠2 from the dummy. Joeri hesitated for a split second but then played ♠K and proceeded smoothly with ♠3. Constance was not to be denied however, and played a determined ♠J. When this card held the trick she faced her hand with a thin smile and claimed the contract.

>>>

"Beautifully played", congratulated Joeri. He wanted to say something more, but Joep interrupted him.
"I know, 6♥ goes down on a spade lead, but that is pretty hard to find."


Later at the bar Leo told anyone who would listen about all the injustice in this world. Linda however was sipping her wine thoughtfully, realizing that they were beaten with their own weapons. Perhaps it was time to adapt their style...


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