The pendulum – Summer National Pairs – Session 3

In the next round we faced off against Panja and Bhand.

Digressing a bit, I owe a lot to these two. Panja invested a lot of time with us students at IITB, and I can safely say that I learnt how to think bridge from him. Later, playing with NK Gupta I learnt to think in a totally different dimension. Panja and NK have probably had the most influence on my game. And I’ve enjoyed playing the most with Vivek. Right from the days when I was a student, he has been an ideal partner  – never losing his cool, inflappable. Can’t say I myself come anywhere close.

Getting back –

What action do you take on this auction. I absolutely love this sequence of demicoma 1M structure. This is essentially a reversal of 1M p 1N p 2x p 2M, with the difference that opponents haven’t been given the one round of auction they get in standard auction.

If they are bidding 2M with 3 cards and 5-7 hcp, its likely that you have the balance of strength and you have a fit – since they have one. Not balancing will be a losing action.

On the other hand if they have 2 cards and 8-9 hcp, there’s probably no fit and they hold the balance of strength. Balancing could be very risky. 

Getting back, that I was going to balance with this shape was a given. Question is double or 2N.

I chose to double because there’s atleast a possibility that partner holds 6 spades. The auction proceeded:

The contract was quickly defeated 2 tricks after lead of C6

and +500 was worth 87% score.

Its possible to beat it 3 tricks. by getting a ruff in both hearts and diamonds.