Bride of Trump Support

In a previous hand, Gee demonstrated the importance of supporting partner’s suit, even with a void. Today we see a variation on the theme.

North opens 1S third-hand, East makes an aggressive preemptive overcall in hearts, and once again it is up to our hero, South.

A negative double might suggest itself. Excellent hand, 5-4 in the unbid suits — exactly what’s required for a negative double at the three-level. Gee, however, somehow divines that the best fit for the partnership is spades, and bids 3S.

At this point North’s only problem is whether to play a small slam or a grand. He conservatively leaps to 6S. Cue-bidding clubs is better but probably leads to the same contract. (What Gee should bid over 4C, having already bid 3S, is a fascinating but esoteric question, outside the scope of this discussion.)

6D of course is cold, and even 7D has a play on the layout, although it’s tricky to manage the entries against a heart lead. But in 6S declarer must lose two trump tricks, down 1. I turn the analysis over to the players:

BGO: no luck
BGO: 7D was on
G: happens, pd… I took a great risk with 3S
G: was not going to show D on this auction
BGO: x would have been nice on 3H
G: I could figure we had a fit in S
BGO: agree
G: and we had little room to bid over 3H too… 2 reasons why I did not double
G: not that they were the best in the world
G: but…
G: (Lobby) Need EXPERT pd @ Gerard