2000: A Bridge Odyssey

Both Vul
IMPs
Dealer: East
Lead: A

	ahmed1 K 6 5 K Q 7 10 9 A 9 5 3 2
kompot 3 10 9 6 4 J 7 6 2 Q 7 6 4		Maestro A Q 10 9 8 7 J 5 3 2 8 4 10
	brando J 4 2 A 8 A K Q 5 3 K J 8

West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2 3 3 4NT Pass

East Pass Pass Pass Pass 5 Pass

South 1 2NT 3 3NT Dbl

On the hand before this one Gee opened 1C with a 14-point balanced hand; and kompot responded 1NT with Q10 72 A982 KQJ52. Naturally Gee passed: naturally 3NT was cold. (Kompot explained afterwards that, first, it was 7:30 in the morning in Russia; second, that he couldn’t remember what the forcing bid was over 1C; and third, that in desperation he opted for the “nearest notrump” theory.) Gee, showing the loyalty to and sympathy for his partner that has always distinguished him from the herd, immediately typed to the spectators (give or take a question mark), “And I am the one who is controversial?????????” But as we shall see, the Small Time Club Player™ gets mad; the expert gets mad and even.

Many players would open the East hand 2S; but Gee, holding four hearts, begins with a disciplined pass. This is an important lesson for intermediates. It is often more successful, or at least more amusing, especially when vulnerable, to delay bidding such hands until game level or above, giving the opponents as much time as possible to gauge their strength and find their fit.

N/S are playing a complex relay system whose intricacies need not concern us here. Suffice it to say that 2C is the only natural bid in the auction — until Gee chimes in 5S over 4NT. The third natural bid is South’s double, and there matters are allowed to stand. (It is only fair to note that 6C by North makes double dummy unless the defense opens with the SA and a ruff.)

Gee now decides he doesn’t really want to play 5S after all. “Andy [kompot],” he says, “play the hand for me…too many enemies at the table.” Then he leaves, reducing the count by one. Ten minutes and 2000 points later — another bad break: it could have been held to 1700 — Gee returns to the table, telling Andy that he bid 5S “out of spite,” to punish him for his 1NT bid on the previous hand. Well then. That’s certainly good enough for me.