Don’t Procrastinate

//Don’t Procrastinate

A postcard arrived in my mailbox informing me that the next meeting of the Procrastinators Club was last week. I don’t mind being a member they never get around to collecting dues but when it comes to competitive auctions at bridge, I believe in preempting, not in procrastinating.

In a Team Trials many years ago back in the days when two dozen pairs competed for a place on the United States team the players faced this deal:

Dlr: West Vul: Both

North
S A K Q 7 4
H A Q 8 3
D
C K 6 5 3
West
S 8
H 7 5
D A Q 9 8 7 6
C Q 9 7 2
East
S 10 9 6 2
H 9 4
D K J 5 3
C 10 8 4
South
S J 5 3
H K J 10 6 2
D 10 4 2
C A J
WestNorthEastSouth
2DDblPass4H
Pass5DPass6H
Pass7HAll Pass

North South brushed aside West’s weak two bid and rolled into the cold heart grand slam for plus 2210.

When West opened two diamonds, East knew his opponents could make a slam. He had many tactical approaches. Many players would have kept silent, as East did, not wanting to push North South to slam or offer them a “fielder’s choice” by taking a costly sacrifice. Other Easts might have tried an outrageous bluff bid.

My style in these situations, especially against expert opposition, is to preempt to the limit immediately. Here, East’s winning action was to bid six diamonds over North’s double. If they bid any fewer number of diamonds, South would bid hearts, and North South would still reach the grand slam. Over six diamonds, South might be tempted to bid, but I’d bet they would double in the end and settle for plus 1100 or plus 1400.

In July, the deal below turned up in IMP games on OKbridge.

Dlr: West Vul: E-W

North
S 2
H Q 10 8 2
D Q J 8 7 5 2
C J 10
West
S A 9 8 6 5 3
H 9 5 3
D
C K Q 5 4
East
S K J 10 4
H A J
D 9 4
C A 9 7 6 3
South
S Q 7
H K 7 6 4
D A K 10 6 3
C 8 2

Quite a few Wests opened a weak 2S. Despite my fondness for preemption, I consider that action too horrible for words except maybe “undisciplined” and “ridiculous.” West deserved to play at 2S opposite S 4, H AK864, D 876, C A8763 or a zillion other hands where game or slam in hearts or clubs was cold.

(In a recent issue of the ACBL’s magazine, a columnist wrote that almost all experts would open 2S as dealer on S QJ10864, H J864 D , C K83. If that assertion is true and the magazine published it as if it were fact, not opinion then I am reminded of a bumper sticker I saw: “Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?”)

Some Easts raised 2S to 4S for plus 680. They couldn’t quite imagine that their collection would produce 12 tricks at spades and 13 actually 14 at clubs.

At one table, East timidly passed two spades, and South innocently reopened with three diamonds, not dreaming the opponents were cold for a grand slam. East West eventually doubled five diamonds for +300.

They did better than the East West pair at another table. There, East raised two spades to four spades, and after two passes North chanced five diamonds. Everyone passed, and East West got 50 points in return for their slam.

At two tables, West was willing to open one spade and East responded intelligently with two clubs. After that, East West appreciated the power of their controls and bid to slam.

At the table I watched …

 

WestNorthEastSouth
PassPass1C1D
1S3D3SPass
4C5DPassPass
5SPass6SAll Pass

North’s procrastination was costly. They woke up in time to bid five diamonds over West’s four clubs, but East West were in command. East did well to push on to six spades with his good spade support, heart ace and fifth club. They inferred correctly that the lack of a diamond control was no problem — the bidding indicated that West had one. East West’s plus 1430 was enough for a big gain against the field.

Similar auctions occurred at several tables, with North displaying a strange reluctance to preempt to the max. At one table, North leaped to four diamonds over West’s one spade.

If I had been East, four diamonds would have shut me out. I wouldn’t have bid four spades when my hand had been worth only a raise to two spades. But the actual East tried four spades, West cuebid five diamonds, East saw it through with a five heart cuebid and West bid the spade slam.

At another table, North lifted all the way to two diamonds at his second turn, and East raised to two spades. Later, North South competed to five diamonds and East doubled, but West pulled to six clubs and played at six spades.

What would happen if, at the table I watched, North jumped straight to five diamonds at his second turn? I bet East West would still be sitting in front of their computer screens thinking.

Preempt! Don’t procrastinate!

2018-03-02T17:25:54-08:00By |Categories: Bridge Hand Review|0 Comments

About the Author:

Frank Stewart is one of the world's most prolific bridge journalists. He won many tournament events before devoting himself to writing. Frank has published hundreds of magazine and on-line articles. He has written 24 books, among them "Becoming an Expert," "Play Bridge With Me," "Who Has the Queen?" and most recently "Keys to Winning Bridge." In 2014, Frank Stewart received the International Bridge Press Association's Alan Truscott Award. He has been the senior analyst for ACBL-wide Charity and International Fund events since 1980. Frank and his wife, Charlotte, a pediatric speech pathologist, live in Fayette AL. They have a 17-year-old daughter.

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