Bridge - The Scotsman 06/07/2012

THE Weak NT seems to create uncertainty among European players unaccustomed to playing against it. This example comes from the match between Scotland and Poland in the Women’s Series of the European Championships. Fiona McQuaker opened a normal weak NT, and North doubled. She explained to her screen-mate, Yvonne Wiseman, that her double was ‘takeout’. There may have been some language problems – for most continental players the double shows 13 cards.

Weak no-trump players generally wriggle when 1NT is doubled for penalties; on the rare occasions when double means something else most play redouble to show strength, and System On (Stayman and transfers apply). Yvonne might have transferred to spades, but had she done so it is likely that South would simply bid 4H. Instead she passed, awaiting further developments. There were none. Did South think the double was for penalties? In that case her pass might work well, but was probably ill-judged at this vulnerability and with such a distributional hand.

Even three down is a save against a vulnerable game, but the defence was confused. North led ace and a low diamond, taken with dummy’s jack. The ten of clubs scored the next trick, and the suit was continued and cleared. The contract was in with a chance of making at this point, but when she won the king of clubs South switched to the ten of hearts, restricting declarer to four clubs, one diamond and a heart. +100 was not a great result compared with 650 for a vulnerable 4H+1.