M A I) E I It A
BRIDGE
Double trouble
Andrew Robson
IT IS RARE to double the opponents in a contract that they have reached voluntarily, especially when your partner has not bid. That does not mean it should never be done. When the opponents have scraped into a game contract, both clearly stretch- ing — an auction such as 14-24-34-44 you know they barely have the values to make their contract. They are hoping that the missing cards are divided favourably. When you know from your hand and the bidding that their key suits are breaking badly, that your honour cards are sitting favourably (i.e., over the bid suits), then you should surprise them by doubling.
• The Bidding South West North East 1+ pass 14 pass 2+ pass 24 pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass double all pass North-South crawled into 3NT — both players had already made bids that could have been passed, so West knew his part- ner had some values. He chanced a double, knowing that the 4s were dividing badly, and hoping that his ♦s could be estab- lished. His opening lead was brilliant: loath to lead a ♦ and give up a trick to the king, he led 42. Declarer realised that •A was sitting over his king, so went for his only chance of making the contract — he rose with dummy's 4Q. East won 4K and South discarded •7. East switched to *6 and South played •9; West won •J and played 4J, deliberately blocking the suit. He then continued with a low 4 to East's ace, leav- ing East with no option but to play his sec- ond •. Because South had discarded a • on the first 4, West now had four winning • s and 410. The contract went down five 1,400 points to East-West! A less inspired West would have passed 3 NT and led •Q — South would take the first ten tricks and win the rubber.
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