Stuck-at-home card players can tackle these quizzes
The American Contract Bridge League has recommended that all club and tournament activity be canceled until at least May 11 due to the coronavirus outbreak. The previously announced startup date of April 6 for the YWCA weekly duplicate game has obviously been pushed back until sometime after that date.
Another factor in restarting the games, of course, is when the YWCA, which has shut down nearly all of its daily activities, decides to reopen to the general public. Any updates will appear in this space as they become known.
Today’s quiz: We continue this week with the current series of quizzes dealing with the specialized use of a double in certain bidding sequences. In the following two problems, what does your partner’s double mean in the sequences shown? 1.Part. Opp. You Opp. Pass 1 NT Pass 2C (Stayman)
Dble.
2.Opp. You Opp. Part. 1S Pass 3S Part.
4 NT Pass 5H Dble. Answers:
1.There are two major differences between these doubles and those in the past few quizzes. The previous quizzes dealt with leaddirecting doubles of final contracts; here, however, the double comes a), before the opponents have completed their auction, and b), directly after an opponent has made a bid in a suit he probably does not have.
This adds a whole new dimension in the meaning of the doubles: not only are they be lead-directing, but they also suggest a possible sacrifice for the doubler’s side.
Therefore, in order to make such a double, a player must hold length and strength in the suit, so that if his partner his partner elects to bid that suit, he can be assured of finding excellent support.
This first problem provides a common example of a lead-directing and suit-showing double of an artificial bid. The two club biddiner is looking for a major-suit fit, and partner has taken the opportunity to show a strong club holding, something he might not have been able to do otherwise.
If the opponents eventually wind up in notrump, a club lead by you could make all the difference, while if they bid game in a major suit, not only might the club lead prove effective, but you might even consider sacrificing at five clubs with the right sort of hand, depending of course on the vulnerability.
2. This is exactly the same idea, but here partner’s double of the fiveheart response to Blackwood
indicates that he would like a heart lead against the final contract, and would welcome a possible sacrifice by you in hearts against an opposing spade game or slam.