The Bridge Column

DOUBLE NEGATIVE?

East-West vulnerable, South deals

North’s three-club bid was natural and showed some values. Two no-trump, instead, would have been a double negative, showing 0-3 points and fewer than three spades. This is a far more sensible approach, in our opinion, than using a three-club bid as a double negative. Some people object to this, saying that using a two notrump bid as a second negative would wrong-side a potential notrump contract. This would be true if a player that opened two clubs and rebid in a suit wanted to play in three no-trump opposite a terrible hand with no fit for his suit — a near impossibility.

South won the opening diamond lead with his ace. A singleton king of spades would solve all his problems, but that was well against the odds. Dummy’s eight of spades was intriguing, as it might become an entry to dummy if West held the king of spades. South, an imaginative player, also saw a route to success if West held a singleton six of spades.

South cashed the ace of clubs at trick two and led the seven of spades from his hand. The appearance of the six from West ended the suspense. South overtook his seven with dummy’s eight and East was helpless. Should East duck, South would be in dummy to take a discard on the king of clubs. East would then get finessed out of his king for an overtrick. East won with the king and shifted to a heart, but South rose with his ace, crossed to dummy with the five of spades, and discarded his low heart on the king of clubs. A club ruff later, South drew trumps and claimed his contract. Well done!