Bridge - The Scotsman, 30/3/2012

MOST bridge magazines contain a feature where a panel of experts are polled on bidding problems. When confronted with what action to take over an opening pre-empt the experts often admit to a sneaking urge to bid 3NT either without a stopper, or without real values. On this deal from a BBO match Ireland’s John Carroll did bid 3NT. Sabine Auken sat West, and decided against a speculative double, a decision she came to regret.

She led the king of hearts, on which partner played the queen, indicating a strong sequence. Declarer ducked, but had to win the second heart. The contract was not yet hopeless: if he could make five club tricks he would have seven winners, and if West had both black aces and the king of diamonds she might come under pressure. He led the jack of clubs, hoping to see an honour, but when West played low without a tremor he went up with the king, losing to the singleton ace. On the subsequent avalanche of hearts declarer discarded four diamonds and a club. West threw her spades, so when West finished his hearts he played a diamond. The finesse lost, West cleared the diamonds, and declarer made two tricks, the red aces, for -700.

This was not a real disaster. Team-mates Mesbur-Fitzgibbon bid 3H-4H and made ten tricks to lose just 2 imps. A better guess in clubs holds the loss to -400 for a 6-imp gain; discarding clubs rather than diamonds for a mere six down gains 1 imp.