Bridge By Phillip Alder

RESPONDER’S RANGE HAD HIGH-LEVEL EFFECT

If you have a bid that can have two ranges, it is better if they are not contiguous. For example, 6-9 or 13-plus is better than 10-12 or 13-plus. That cost the Zimmermann team points on Board 22 of the Spingold Knockout Teams final.

At both tables, the first four calls were the same, including East’s ugly overcall (admittedly at favorable vulnerability).

When Piotr Pawel Zatorski held the South hand, his partner had announced game-forcing values, so he jumped to four hearts to indicate a minimum opening. Then, when West competed with five clubs, North passed and South doubled. The defenders took two spades, two hearts and one diamond for down three, minus 500. That would be worth 3 international match points if their teammates bid and made four hearts.

The auction at the other table is given. Here, North’s response was game-invitational or more. So, when East intervened, Pierre Zimmermann (South) passed. He judged his hand not worth game opposite the weaker holding. Then, after West inconsiderately jumped to five clubs, Fernando

Piedra (North), with such a distributional hand, felt he couldn’t pass.

Paul Street (West) led the club king. Nicolas L’Ecuyer (East) overtook with his ace, cashed the diamond ace and club queen and then played another diamond.

Declarer, expecting his opponents to have shapely hands for their high-level bidding, cashed the heart ace and played a heart to the 10 to go down two. That was 12 IMPs to the Street team, making the score 55-36 to Zimmermann.