BRIDGE MASTERCLASS
South ♠ Q973 ♥ 742 ♦ 74 ♣ AK63
Your partner opens 1 ♥ , and East overcalls with 1NT. What action would you take, and would it be different if E-W were not vulnerable?
THEORETICALLY, east has shown a balanced 15-17hcPs with two stops in hearts. Nevertheless, your best shot to get a good Pairs score is to double.
Defeating the contract by just one trick (200) will score better than anything you are likely to make. Not only should you have the balance of strength, but you will also be on lead to start knocking out east’s stoppers in your partner’s suit; if he is weak in hearts, he’ll have strength outside.
When North has opened light on distributional values, he may take out the double and only then will you bid 2 ♥ . Being alert to the chance of punishing opponents for cheeky intervention can be a very profitable source of ‘tops’, when others opt to bid 2 ♥ or 2 ♣ . in this case North held: ♠ KJx ♥ aQJxx ♦ a8x
♣ Jx, and 1NT doubled cost east 500 — although 4 ♥ would also make.