DANGEROUS PRE-EMPTS
 
Results Contents
Open Pairs: 1st Qualifier - 2nd Qualifier - Total
Seniors Pairs: 1st Qualifier
The Long and Winding Road
De Falco Interview
Dangerous Pre-empts
Seniors Session1
More bits
 

Pre-emptive bids may cost more then the use it does. Just have a look at this board from yesterdays first session.

Board 11, dealer South, No vulnerable
  ª Q J 5 4 3 2
© 10
¨ K 2
§ 10 8 7 2
ª A 10 8
© Q 9 5 4
¨ A 10 8 3
§ 6 3
Bridge deal ª K
© K J 7 6
¨ J 9 7 5
§ K Q 5 4
  ª 9 7 6
© A 8 3 2
¨ Q 6 4
§ A J 5

West North East South
Leif Simonetta Gunnar Francesca
Trapp Paoluzi Elmroth Piscitelli
Pass
Pass 2ª Dbl 3©
4© Pass Pass Pass

After two passes from South and West, North couldn't hold back her pre-empt, instead Simonetta Paoluzi opened with a weak 2 spades. When East now found his take out double, and South showed a good raise in spades by bidding 3 hearts West just bid his 4 hearts afraid of being tricked or having missed their game in the bidding.

Question is if that would have been any bidding at all on the board if North had passed. It's not obvious to open with that hand in fourth position with a singleton spade. Most people would probably do it, and regret it for the rest of bidding. And they would certainly not get themselves to the four level.

North lead the queen of spades, dummy's king held the trick. Declarer now let the jack of hearts around noticing the ten falling from North and assumed it to be a singleton. Next came a low heart to the nine and singleton was confirmed. A spade ruff followed putting dummy in, next came the first diamond finesse, not succeeding. North now tried to shift for a low club won by the king, South ducked it. More diamond finesses followed but the defence couldn't do anything to get declarer from bringing home his 10 winners.

Pre-empts may succeed and may strike back this time it come back - South was probably close doubling the contract - for a bigger expense…

   
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