ACBL sectional next weekend
Greenwich area players who placed in the overall rankings in a duplicate game at one of the local bridge clubs during the past week were:Bridge Deck, White Plains, N.Y.: March 1, Faye Marino, third North-South in A; Linda Otness, third EastWest in A. March 5, Linda Otness, fifth in A.
Elsewhere, duplicate players are reminded that the Connecticut Unit of the ACBL will be holding a three-day sectional tournament in Orange next weekend. Complete details appeared in last week’s column and can also be found at www.ctbridge.org.
Today’s quiz: Here is another in the current series of quizzes on takeout doubles and overcalls. What do you think the best action would be with the following hand after your right-hand opponent opens the bidding with one diamond at equal vulnerability?
You hold: S KJ943 H AKJ72 D 43 C 8.
Answer: If you and your partner have an agreement that a bid of two diamonds in this situation shows at least five cards in both majors (known as a Michaels or upper suit cue-bid), then that is the ideal choice. If you do not play this convention, then you should overcall with one spade, planning to bid hearts on the next round. This is in keeping with the standard procedure of bidding the higher-ranking suit — not necessarily the stronger one — first with two fivecard suits.
Observe that if, in the problem given, you bid hearts first and followed up with spades next, partner would have to go to a higher level if he prefers hearts. Furthermore, since partner is aware of how you are supposed to bid when holding suits of equal length, he would be perfectly justified in assuming that you have more hearts than spades if you name hearts first.