Just Double Dummy

Playing in a club game, we are having fits and starts, but rate to win no matter what. With no one vulnerable, I deal myself:
 S:K109742 H:KQJ D:J7 C:97.
This does not meet my standards for a weak two-bid, nor for an opening one-bid, so I pass, although with some regrets. Those get larger as LHO opens a strong notrump, partner passes, and RHO jumps to 3C:, weak. I can't let them play 3C: when we may have a big spade fit, so I bid 3S:. I may go for a number, but I'm in a balancing sort of situation and am a passed hand, so at least partner won't likely hang me. Not so. LHO bids 4C: and partner bids 4D:. Huh? He can't be bidding at the four-level without a spade fit, so that must be a fit-bid of sorts. Joy. A fitted raise to the four-level to partner's balancing action. I correct to 4S:. Fortunately, no one doubles. That's good, but if I go down three or they couldn't make 3C:, this is a disaster anyway. I await the dummy with some apprehension. The opening lead is the D:10 and dummy appears.
S: J53
H: 103
D: AKQ864
C: J2
S: K109742
H: KQJ
D: J7
C: 97
MeLHOPartnerRHO
Pass1NTPass3C:
3S: 4C: 4D: Pass
4S: All Pass
I'm not so sure about partner's bid. If he was going to raise, which I think is rather doubtful, why show the diamonds? If they bid 5C:, we are not bidding on. We may double them, but I don't see how knowing partner has diamonds will help judge that.

Anyway, on to the play. Looks like down two off the top. They probably make 110 in 3C:, so my foray has shown some profit at least. The lead is favorable and strange. What can I tell about the hand? LHO didn't lead clubs, so he must have the C:AQ. If RHO has the C:K, that means LHO has to have all the other high cards for his opening bid. They have eight hearts. I imagine they are divided 4-4. Neither would likely have bid this way with five; LHO's hand is too "aces and spaces" for a 1NT opening with a five-card major, and RHO probably doesn't have 6-5. He might've tried to play 2H: instead. That means RHO is either 2-4-1-6 or 1-4-2-6. If the former, I'm in trouble. LHO will win a trump and give his partner a diamond ruff. A club comes back and I'm down three for a nice round zero. I don't think there's anything I can do about it, either. What if RHO is 1-4-2-6? I don't have any choice, so I'll play for it. Since we are now playing double-dummy, I might as well show the diagram.

S: J53
H: 103
D: AKQ864
C: J2
S: AQ8
H: A964
D: 1093
C: AQ5		 S: 6
H: 8752
D: 75
C: K108643
S: K109742
H: KQJ
D: J2
C: 97
I think I can make something of the hand if I can neutralize RHO's stiff trump. With no real entries to dummy, I'm going to have to do it by drawing trump. If I do, they'll take five tricks quickly. Maybe. What if the black kings were switched? I'd have to play spades towards dummy to avoid losing four tricks. I'm going to hope that LHO thinks that's what's going on. I win the first trick in hand with the D:J and advance a small spade. LHO gives this a little thought and ducks! I'm home! I win in dummy and run diamonds pitching both my clubs away. LHO ruffs in, but one trick too late as I lose only two trumps and the H:A. I guess my partner's bidding is now "intrepid" rather than "excessive."

LHO fell for the little fiction in trumps, but he should know better. He knows that I know that if he had S:AKQ8, I'd've been doubled, so I have to be being sneaky on the hand. But that's deep thinking, and LHO can be excused for expecting my play to be necessary rather than double-dummy and sneaky.

Jeff Goldsmith, jeff@gg.caltech.edu, May 23, 2000