You can mislead during the auction

I hope all of my American readers have a very happy Independence Day.

Today, let’s look at a very clever auction by Richard Freeman, a three-time world champion who died in 2009. With that West hand, what would you do after partner opens one heart, and the next player passes?

The deal occurred during the 2005 Bermuda Bowl World Team Championship.

At the first table, West responded three hearts, which was preemptive. Eric Rodwell (North) made a takeout double, East raised to four hearts, and Jeff Meckstroth (South) bid four spades.

East found the winning defense. He won the first trick with his heart queen and shifted to a club to dummy’s jack. South played a spade to his jack, ruffed his last heart and led the spade queen. East won with his ace, cashed the diamond ace and played another club to strand declarer in the dummy. South took dummy’s club winners, then tried to cash the diamond king, but East ruffed to defeat the contract.

At the other table, Freeman (West) responded with a forcing one no-trump! North made a takeout double, Nick Nickell (East) redoubled to show a strong hand, and South advanced with two spades. Now Freeman passed! He knew that his partner would act again given his redouble. East rebid two no-trump, South competed with three spades, and finally, kicking and screaming, Freeman bid four hearts. Since his opponents had shown their values, this was passed out.

Nickell won the trump lead, drew a second round and conceded one spade and two clubs.

Minus 50 and plus 420 gave the United States 9 international match points.