When You Must Get It Right
You find yourself in a four-board playoff to win a little KO. The first three boards seemed pretty flat, so it might all hinge on the last hand. You pick up the following hand:
K J 6 
K 9 6 5 
J 8 4 3 
J 7.
With neither vulnerable, partner opens 1 and RHO overcalls 1. You make a sound raise to 2. LHO raises to 2. Partner introduces a new suit with 3.
The auction now diverged at the two tables. What do you do in the following cases:
1) RHO bids 3?
2) RHO bids 4?
The match and the event are on the line …..
UPDATE: You had better double 4 if you get the chance. At the other table they failed to do so and partner bid 5, got doubled and went for 300, guessing hearts correctly. Your partner played 4 undoubled and guessed them wrong for -100, but winning 5 IMP’s.
Partner’s bidding was a bit imaginative, with lead direction in mind. You needed to do your part to win the match.
Sorry, but I am not familiar with your methods.
When you say a “sound raise to 2H”, do you mean that it is a better raise than average for the call or that it is some sort of conventional constructive raise?
November 20, 2006 B. K. Oxley (binkley)
A very sound raise indeed; the 4th heart is big. I would certainly bid 4H over 3S and expect to make it if left alone there. Over 4S I think I’d double. I’d like to make a forcing pass, but to me a pass here is not forcing. Therefore, double shows sound values for the raise. In 5H I’m afraid of a losing minor suit finese or even being off 3 aces. Of course 4 spades may be making, so 5H might be my bid in a long match.
November 24, 2006 Joe Stokes
Except for his last sentence, I agree with Joe Stokes
November 29, 2006 M Huston