Andrew:

When to leave it to partner

This article was taken from Andrew's What Should Have Happened Book

After you have accurately described your hand to partner in the bidding, you should take a back seat and leave decision-making to him. A prime example of this is opening 1NT: you have shown precisely 12-14 points and one of just three distributions - 4333, 4432 or 5332; you must then hand over captaincy to partner - usually he will be able to choose the final contract with his next bid.

North Deals
N-S Vul

♠ Q 10 4
♥ K J 4
♦ Q 7 4
♣ A Q 9 8

♠ A 5 2
♥ A 6 5 2
♦ A K 10 6 5
♣ J

N
W		E
S

♠ K 3
♥ 10 9 8 7 3
♦ 9 3
♣ K 5 4 2

♠ J 9 8 7 6
♥ Q
♦ J 8 2
♣ 10 7 6 3

West	North	East	South
	1 N	Pass	2 ♠
3 ♦	3 ♠¹	Pass	Pass
Pass

It is unusual forthe Notrump bidder to bid again.

South’s 2♠ bid - a “weakness take-out” - should have been the last bid for North-South. But North, erroneously encouraged by his maximum points and spade fit, broke discipline and competed to 3♠.

West led ♦A and East played ♦9 - a high-spot card is a signal for West to continue ♦s and thus implies a doubleton in this situation. West cleverly switched to ♣J - ♦s could wait - and declarer tried ♣Q from dummy. His hope that West held ♣K was dashed and after East won with it, he returned ♣2 for West to trump. West cashed ♦K and led ♦5 for East to trump. East returned ♣4 and West trumped, cashed ♥A, and led a fourth ♦. East trumped with ♠K and West still had ♠A to make.

East-West’s brilliant defence saw them score all five of their trumps together with ♥A, ♦AK and ♣K. Declarer - lucky to be undoubled - just made four tricks. Down five!

ANDREW’S TIP: A 1NT Opener should rarely bid again.

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Andrew:

When to leave it to partner