Goren on Bridge

Today’s deal is from a competition in London some years ago. The one no-trump opening was common, and many North players elected to balance with a bid showing both majors. Looking at the suit quality of the two suits, you could easily convince us that the hand contained no majors. South passed right there, believing that two clubs was probably the best contract available to his side.

Most West players went quietly, passing, and the two-club contract was defeated by one or two tricks. When the late Grant Baze, a top American player, sat West, he elected to double. Two clubs, in fact, was the best contract available to NorthSouth, but North wasn’t buying it. He trotted out his real suit, and they ended up in two hearts doubled.

Baze followed the principle of leading a trump against a doubled part-score. East won with his queen, and carefully cashed the king of spades before reverting to trumps.

The king of hearts and a heart to the ace drew South’s trumps, and the defense next cashed their remaining spade tricks. West discarded the discouraging two of clubs on the fourth spade. East now found the killing diamond shift and the contract was defeated by three tricks. A club shift, instead, and declarer would have taken the club finesse, discarded three of dummy’s diamonds, and escaped for down two.

Perhaps North should have defended one notrump, and waited until he held at least one major before promising two of them.