With them all, go all the way

Charles Bukowski, a German-american poet, novelist and short story writer who was primarily influenced by life in Los Angeles, said, “If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.”

In bridge, as we saw yesterday, usually it pays to go all the way immediately. As an example, look at the West hand. East opens two hearts, and South makes a takeout double. What should West do?

At four Bridge Base Online tables, West passed! North advanced three clubs, which promised some values. (With a weak hand, he would have bid an artificial two no-trump, the Lebensohl convention.) The Souths needed no second invitation, driving into six clubs.

Most Wests jumped to four hearts. Then North should have bid five clubs, but they all passed. South should have doubled again, but they all rebid five clubs, and surprisingly each North passed, strangely refusing to go all the way.

At one table, West settled for three hearts. North weirdly passed, South rebid four clubs, and North raised to five clubs. Now West sacrificed in five hearts. This would have cost only 300 if doubled (losing two spades and two diamonds), but after two passes, South went all the way, bidding six clubs.

The contract was unbeatable. After a heart lead and a diamond shift, South put up his ace, drew trumps and ran the spades, discarding two diamonds from the board. Ruffing the heart 10 in hand was the 12th trick.

Bid the limit of the hand — or more — immediately, especially when weak.