I won't say what happened next at our table. (Young children may be reading this blog!)
I think West should bid 5♣, leaving North and East with difficult decisions.
I have at last managed to get the North hand to print in the correct place, but seem to have lost some formatting in the process.
North
♠ J 10 6 2
♥ A J 10 9 6 3
♦ -
♣ 8 4 3
V
West
|
Board
7 |
V
East
|
D
V
South
|
6
16
11
7
|
West has a very offensive hand now but partners double could be on a wide range of hands. South passed as dealer and north made a weak jump overcall so it looks like we have game values. 5 clubs is justified and you could make an argument for 6 clubs asking partner to chose as a diamond fit is also possible. East seems sure to have tolerance for both minors on the bidding. So 5 or 6 clubs by west.
ReplyDeleteI agree with 5 clubs for the reasons Paul says, although it is possible 5 of either minor might go down when 4H is not making, as East does not have to have nearly so good a hand. Since East did not bid spades directly over 2H he is likely to have values and some length in one minor or the other. And if West is able to bid 5C vulnerable missing AQJ, then not too difficult for East to raise(Q of diamonds also being a big card).
ReplyDeleteI would treat East's double as Sputnik with strength and both North and South's bids as weak with length in Hearts. 5C is then an easy bid by West over 4H. From East's position with the length in Hearts shown by North and South there is a good chance that West is void in hearts and the clubs are probably solid, so East is left to contemplate the probability of high cards in Spades and Diamonds. East knows that West cannot have more than the King in Clubs and so there have to beat least 8 HCPs in Diamonds and Spades. That is at least AKJ and almost anyway they are arranged it looks like a good chance at slam. By the time he gets here he can be certain that the CK is in West's hand or there needs to be SA and DAK in West's hand instead and it is still a good slam try.
ReplyDeleteAt our table, Colin Elliott opened his favourite Lucas 2H as South, which we play as showing 5-5 in hearts and a minor, 7-11 points. West doubled, and I think I probably should bid 5H here, but tried to buy it with 4H. East bid a normal 4S, and I viewed to go to 5H as North. This was about an average, although I am reluctant to go to the five level at the Woodberry. -620 or -650 would have been dreadfull however, so this turned out to be the winning action.
ReplyDelete