BRIDGE with Bob Jones

What would you bid with the East hand in this position? Today’s deal is from the semi-final of the World Championship Rosenblum Teams held in Orlando. We think expert support could be garnered for three different actions — five diamonds, double, and pass. One expert commentator reviled pass as being impossibly timid, but we think pass would get at least some support from experts. to At double. one table, West, East quite chose reasonably, in and South left scored the double two vulnerable spade lead overtricks. allowed South A to take both the losing trump finesse and the winning club finesse. At the other table, East chose to bid five diamonds. Good choice, you say. South bid six clubs, North converted to six hearts, and East doubled. The same spade lead allowed the same result — 12 tricks. The doubled, vulnerable slam, however, scored much more than the doubled, vulnerable game with two overtricks. So, back to our original question. The commentator who reviled the pass couldn’t be found after the hand, but there were many players praising the virtues of that action, after the fact, of course.