”I had to bid partner. I had 13 points!” is an oft-repeated excuse after an unsuccessful foray into a competitive auction. Aggressive bidding is often rewarded, and the belief is that if it’s okay to overcall with some 8-point hands, then it’s surely right to bid with opening count. There are many situations, though, where even the most active bidders recognize the danger or futility of trying to describe these “good” hands.
Judging whether to compete involves listening to the opponents and making assumptions about their suit lengths, combined high-card strength and the location of their honors. That picture can help you predict how your hand will take tricks on offense and defense, which will alert you to potential problems.
Here are some common situations where you should see red flags:
Sandwich-seat actions. The sandwich seat – between two bidding opponents – is one of the most dangerous positions in a bridge auction, especially when they’ve bid two suits. After the auction 1D-Pass-1S, there’s little to gain by making a takeout double with a hand such as ♠Q54 ♥AQ8 ♦KJ6 ♣Q865 . The opponents’ non-fitting auction doesn’t give you reason to expect that you have a fit, and even if you find one, there won’t be many tricks. Partner rates to be close to broke, and your diamond and spade honors may take no tricks.
If you double and happen to find a safe landing spot, you’ll probably be outbid and outplayed. Declarer will have no problem guessing that most the missing high cards are in your hand.
The safest strategy in this position is to have full values and the “right” suit length – at least 4-4 in the unbid suits for a takeout double, a 6-card suit (or very strong 5-carder) for a 2-level overcall.
Penalty doubles of 1NT. High-card points shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision to double a strong notrump opener. A 15-count with a good suit -- ♠AJ7 ♥762 ♦KQJ106 ♣A8 -- is a much better candidate for a double than a “top-of-their-range” hand such as ♠KJ43 ♥KQ5 ♦Q102 ♣AQ7 . With the second hand, you can foresee awkward problems from the opening lead on. Every time you win a trick, you’ll be endplayed and have to lead back into declarer’s hand.
A double of 1NT should promise either a monster (19+ points) or a hand that has a good opening lead and a source of tricks. Partner can comfortably pass your double with most hands, even when he’s very weak.
Two-suited overcalls. “But I had perfect distribution” is another post-mortem refrain, usually in defense of a Michaels cuebid or Unusual 2NT overcall that backfired. These overcalls are among the most abused of all conventions, and it’s not just because they’re so often made with weak suits or at the wrong vulnerability. More frequently, the damage occurs when the opponents declare.
Neither side vulnerable, RHO opens 1H. It’s precipitous and probably pointless to overcall 2NT with ♠J3 ♥5 ♦AJ842 ♣Q9654 . If the opponents have majors, they aren’t going to let you play a making partscore, and your hand is wrong for a 5-level sacrifice. The likely outcome after 2NT is that the opponents will bid on in hearts and take advantage of your helpful overcall. When you don’t lead your singleton, declarer will have a perfect picture of your pattern.
A better approach with this hand is to pass and see how the auction develops. If the opponents stop at 2H, you can balance with 2NT, knowing that partner has some strength.
With borderline 5-5 hands, lean toward a pass if you’re at equal or unfavorable
vulnerability, if your two suits have four or more losers and/or if you don’t
have spades. Ask yourself if you have a realistic hope of outbidding the
opponents or finding a profitable sacrifice. If not, your wisest course is to
conceal your hand.
© 2015 Karen Walker