John Ciardi, an American poet, critic and translator who died in 1986, said, "A boy is a hurry on its way to doing nothing."
At the bridge table, there are times when you hurry upward despite holding nothing. Look at the North hand, with no card higher than an eight. Your partner opens two clubs, strong, artificial and forcing. You respond two diamonds, showing 0-7 points. Partner rebids two hearts. What would you do now, if anything?
It is fun to bid with no points. But when you do, try to use your normal voice. Do not whisper so softly that only your teeth hear your call. Here, your partner's bid is forcing, and you should jump to four hearts, which shows 0-4 points, at least four trumps, and denies a first- or second-round control. A raise to three hearts would promise 5-7 points (or a good four) with three or more trumps. This leaves open some room to investigate a slam below the level of game.
Now South ought to pass out four hearts because he can see two losers. However, let's assume he leaps to six hearts. West leads the club king. How should declarer play?
When I was an undergraduate, my partner opened two clubs and rebid three clubs. I had 4-4-4-1 distribution, with a singleton club and one jack. Thinking five clubs would be impossible, I passed. My partner took 12 tricks!
The play shouldn't be difficult: Declarer must discard dummy's club loser on the third round of diamonds before attacking trumps. Later, he will ruff his club loser on the board.
At the bridge table, there are times when you hurry upward despite holding nothing. Look at the North hand, with no card higher than an eight. Your partner opens two clubs, strong, artificial and forcing. You respond two diamonds, showing 0-7 points. Partner rebids two hearts. What would you do now, if anything?
It is fun to bid with no points. But when you do, try to use your normal voice. Do not whisper so softly that only your teeth hear your call. Here, your partner's bid is forcing, and you should jump to four hearts, which shows 0-4 points, at least four trumps, and denies a first- or second-round control. A raise to three hearts would promise 5-7 points (or a good four) with three or more trumps. This leaves open some room to investigate a slam below the level of game.
Now South ought to pass out four hearts because he can see two losers. However, let's assume he leaps to six hearts. West leads the club king. How should declarer play?
When I was an undergraduate, my partner opened two clubs and rebid three clubs. I had 4-4-4-1 distribution, with a singleton club and one jack. Thinking five clubs would be impossible, I passed. My partner took 12 tricks!
The play shouldn't be difficult: Declarer must discard dummy's club loser on the third round of diamonds before attacking trumps. Later, he will ruff his club loser on the board.