The heading to this blog was defined by Willie Rushton on Just a Minute as "A sports-car-hire firm", but those with some basic Latin know that it means an event that will almost never occur, such as a Spurs trophy win.
I remember posing at a Camrose evening "Which contract is most rarely doubled?" A bit of thought will give the clear answer "2NT". There is not much point in doubling it - usually game has been declined and the opponents have the majority of points. Also, they may run to three of their best suit, and finally beating it one is usually a fine result. But if it makes ....
Stefanie Rohan and Chantal Girardin scored a top here when West injudiciously doubled the final contract of 2NT and failed to find the winning defence. After 1H-Pass-Pass-Double-Pass-1S-2H-South bid a natural 2NT. West, Phil Mattacks, thought this would not make, expecting more values opposite, and indeed Ken Rolfe's competing with 2H on an 11-loser 0-count left something to be desired. The auction concluded 2NT-Double-All Pass.
West led a top spade, and declarer won the second round and won a diamond trick at some point. However, West then fatally switched to a heart after cashing the third and fourth spade. The defence has to be careful, as ducking even one round of diamonds would have allowed declarer to succeed as West would have been strip-squeezed.
The real culprit was not the mis-defence, however, but the double. Beating 2NT by one would have been 11 matchpoints out of 12, so double stood to gain little. The only other plus score was the pair who defeated NS in 2S by one after a struggle.
The moral is "2NT is not for doubling". Terence Reese would have said, "If you are going to double, partner, you should at least pay attention in defence."
and as you can see That was not the sequence. It went 1H - Pass - Pass - x - Pass - 1S - 2H - 2NT - x - Pass - Pass - Pass. My bid of 2 H was perfectly reasonable and to the level of the fit in this sequence. I discouraged H on the third spade and the contract should fail
ReplyDeleteI agree that 2H in your sequence does not show the earth but I would pass on the first and second round. South will rebid 1NT, showing 16-18 and then you can bid 2H on the THIRD round. Now you really are showing no values at all. Playing in hearts would get a good score.
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