Both members of a bridge partnership must bid their hands correctly so that each can draw the proper inferences from the bidding in order to reach the optimal contract. Here’s a recent club hand where my partner and I did not get to the right contract.
| Dealer: N Vul: EW |
North ♠ 10643 ♥ 843 ♦ Q63 ♣ 1082 |
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| West ♠ KJ ♥ KQJ97 ♦ 104 ♣ 9543 |
East ♠ AQ72 ♥ 10 ♦ A972 ♣ AQ76 |
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| South ♠ 985 ♥ A652 ♦ KJ85 ♣ KJ |
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| Bidding: | |||
| North | East | South | West |
| Pass | 1♦ | Dbl | 1♥ |
| Pass | 1♠ | Pass | 1NT |
| Pass | Pass | Pass | |
South chose to make (a dubious) double to show an opening hand after I opened 1♦ in the East chair.
My partner, West, then bid 1♥. It was this bid that created the problem. My partner’s bid of 1♥ implied a heart suit, and fewer than 10 points. To show that he had 10 points, he should have Redoubled. Redouble in this context says, “Partner, I have at least 10 points, and this is our hand! Tell me more about your hand so that we can determine our best contract.”
In bidding we draw inferences from what our partner bids, as well as what he doesn’t bid. Since my partner did not Redouble, I inferred he had fewer than 10 points. Coupled with the fact that we did not have a heart fit, I concluded that game was highly unlikely.
Here is how the bidding should have gone:
| North | East | South | West |
| Pass | 1♦ | Dbl | Rdbl |
| Pass | 1♠ | Pass | 2♥ |
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
Conclusion
Had my partner redoubled, I would have known that we had game. I would have been relieved to hear the ♥ bid. Knowing that partner had the hearts covered, and at least 10 points promised by the Redouble, it would have been easy to bid 3NT. Unfortunately, we were the only pair who did not reach game.
References
- Basic Bidding Principles: The Art and Science of Bidding.
- Takeout Doubles
- The Redouble bid