Bridge COME ON PARTNER, HAVE SOME GOODIES

A Venezuelan proverb says: “A good friend will fit you like ring to finger.” A good bridge partner will have cards in your long suit, giving you a good fit and allowing you to ring the scoring bell in that deal.

Look only at the West hand in the diagram. With both sides vulnerable, your righthand opponent opens two notrump. What would you do? How high would you bid without a squeak from partner?

At the time, West overcalled three hearts, which was Cappelletti, showing at least 5-5 in hearts and a minor — perfect.

Then North doubled, a transfer to spades. This is called “stolen bid,” meaning that if West had passed, North would have bid three hearts herself. I am not a fan of this agreement unless an opponent intervenes over one no-trump with two clubs, natural or showing a one-suiter somewhere. Higher than two clubs, stolen bid varies from debatable to crazy! However, any agreement is better than none.

When North announced five or more spades, East passed, and South leapt to four spades, a superaccept.

I can’t help thinking that if I were West, I would have bid five diamonds or, if I had this partnership agreement, doubled, saying that I wished to go to the five-level unless East felt sure that that was an error. Here, East could bid four notrump (which is your minor, partner?) or five clubs (pass or correct).

Four spades made easily, West taking one diamond and two hearts, then collapsing her tent. But five diamonds would have made, with an overtrick if North led anything but a club.