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Your support makes all the difference.I always find it fascinating to look at a hand from match-play and try to decide which were the words bids. Try your luck on this deal from the Philip Morris European Mixed Teams Championship played in Monte Carlo in a match between two of the leading teams.
Open Room:
(NS: Italy; E-W: Denmark)
West North East South
Pass
1! 1NT 24 Pass
Pass! 32 Pass 3#
44! Pass Pass Pass
Closed Room:
West North East South
Pass
1H 1NT 24 3#
44 52 54 Pass
Pass Pass.
At both tables 10 tricks were made - a big swing to Denmark. Now which do your rate the worst bids?
Eliminating the 1NT overcall which we find at both tables - not everyone's choice - we are left with:
Open Room:
(1) West's pass of Two Spades. It worked out well (courtesy of North) but could have missed a vulnerable game.
(2) North's re-opening of Three clubs against a part-score.
Closed Room:
(3) North's plunge to Five Clubs.
(4) East's failure to double Five Clubs for a healthy penalty and, instead, choosing to wander on to a hopeless Five Spades.
I think that I would give (4) a slight edge on the horror scale, closely followed by (3) - which again worked well in practice - and (2). One thing is certain: everyone will have different views on the magnitudes of the various crimes.
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