What’s wrong with this auction? North was dealing, with no one vulnerable, on an OK Bridge Internet board:
NORTH
♠️ 8 6 2
♥️ 10 8 7 5 3
♦️ K 10 7
♣️ A 5
WEST EAST
♠️ 10 3 ♠️ K J 9 7 5 4
♥️ J 6 ♥️ A Q 4
♦️ Q 8 5 4 3 ♦️ J 9 2
♣️ Q 8 3 2 ♣️ 9
SOUTH
♠️ A Q
♥️ K 9 2
♦️ A 6
♣️ K J 10 7 6 4
The bidding proceeded as follows:
North East South West
Pass 2♠️ 2NT All Pass
Opening lead: ♠️10
South made nine tricks for +150, but that was worth -1.14 imps. An overcall of 2NT should show 15-18 high-card points. South has 17 but should have added two more for the fifth and sixth clubs. For that matter, South could add another point, since the ♠️Q looks like a winner. So South should have doubled.
Now the auction would have proceeded as follows:
North East South West
Pass 2♠️ DBL Pass
3♥️ Pass 3NT All Pass
Granted, North could have held a bust; and the contract could have gone down. But it’s routine for players who double with 17+ HCP to bid again after hearing from partner. In the long run, bridge is a bidder’s game; and the enterprising approach pays nice dividends. So 3NT was the right contract.
Pairs who reached 3NT — and there weren’t many — earned +5.10 imps.
Given the actual 2NT overcall, you may be wondering why North didn’t transfer into hearts. North feared a 5-2 fit with his shabby hearts, and the decision wasn’t costly. The pairs who played in 2♥️ (some Norths opened 1♠️) or 3♥️ made +140 or +170, still short of a game bid.
Let’s put the onus where it belongs: on South’s unfortunate overcall.
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