This
deal from the first round of the Higson Cup featured a
number of interesting bidding decisions.
First
the opening bid. John Holland decided that the West
hand was too good to pre-empt, and also with a side four
card major was not suitable. In the other room West
opened three diamonds, that ended the auction. After
East responded one heart South made a weak jump overcall of
three clubs. When this came round to East he doubled
for take out. West had a close decision, he chose to
repeat his good long diamond suit rather than introduce the
weak spades. North now raised to four clubs; a raise
on the previous round would have given the opponents less
bidding room and been more effective. East doubled
again for take out and West now admitted to his four card
spade suit. East now had a good picture of West's hand
since he had preferred to bid diamonds rather than spades at
the three level and decided that the strong diamond fit was
probably better than the weak four-four spade fit.
The
play in five diamonds was fairly simple, West trumped the
second club, cashed the diamond ace, came back to hand with
the heart king and drew trumps. He then played a spade
to the king and threw losing spades on the top hearts.
Four spades will make, but is rather more precarious on
continued club leads.
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