Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 04/01/2010
Level: Intermediate
Playing with me in a National Pairs event, David Berkowitz held:
A 6 2
8 6 5
6
10 9 8 7 4 2
Not vulnerable against vulnerable opponents, he saw me open the bidding 2
. We don't play a crazy style, so he could count on me having six trumps for my bid (even at this favorable vulnerability). When his RHO doubled, he did what I would urge everyone to do. He "Followed the LAW." He LAWfully raised to 3
. The next player doubled (responsive/card-showing). What next?
Everyone passed! This was the auction:
West |
North |
East |
South |
|
(David) |
|
(Larry) |
|
|
|
2
|
Dbl |
3
|
Dbl |
(All Pass) |
|
How can this be? Isn't West supposed to take out East's card-showing double? Anyway, we should be okay. With 9 trumps and this favorable vulnerability, the LAW of Total Tricks should protect us. Let's now look at my hand. |
A 6 2
8 6 5
6
10 9 8 7 4 2
|
|
9 5
J 10 9 7 4 2
A 9 4 2
6
|
|
This doesn't look too bad. The opponents won't have a slam, but as long as the penalty is less than -500 (better than the value of their vulnerable game), we are in great shape. We have 2 aces for sure, and even if hearts are 3-1 and they take the top hearts, we have 3 sure heart tricks. That is 5 tricks, and a diamond ruff(s) in dummy gets us to at least 6 tricks and -500 for a good board.
The LAW has worked again.
Not so fast.
This was the full deal: