Amour Propre

13th July – Board 15. North/South Game. Dealer South.

A cardinal rule is never to bid over an enemy preempt with a weak hand although this sound advice is usually disregarded when the machismo factor is added. On the featured hand both East and West should have stayed silent.

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

West	North	East	South
			3D
End

Maybe you wouldn’t have opened 3D with that South hand holding only six trumps but just look at them! And nobody is going to be able to double you for penalties unless you are very unlucky indeed. It may seem hard to pass with the West hand but it is the right thing to do. Even if 3H is the right contract partner will feel compelled to bid thinking you are stronger than you are and now you are in real danger of going seriously overboard and doubled to boot. Amazingly the correct contract is found in just one bid!