Do you or don't you?

Intended audience: Intermediate and up

E-W vul, matchpoints, as south you hold: ♠1093 ♥- ♦AJ84 ♣A107642

West North East South

- 1♠ 2♦ ?

What do you bid?

The question you need to answer is whether to penalize the opponents in 2♦, or bid game or maybe slam with a fit for partner’s suit and three first round controls.

In favour of doubling (playing negatives doubles you pass, and your dependable partner will reopen with a double):

· They are vulnerable

· You are not

· You have four tricks in your own hand.

On the other hand:

· You have great slam potential if partner fits clubs.

· There is a better chance that partner has some clubs (or longer spades) as you expect him to have diamond shortage.

What do you do?

The Last Question (But not the least)

There is an extremely important question you must ask yourself – where are the hearts?

Yes you are missing 13 of them!!West could have 7 or more, as he hasn’t had a chance to bid, but most likely they are split between West and North. Partner rates to have a two suiter.

True, he could be something like 5-4-1-3 and slam will be a very good chance against even a minimum opening. But the right bid is to pass for penalties. You should get at least +500. This is better than +480, and even if slam makes, few if any will bid at the local duplicate game.

Here is the full deal (hands rotated):

♠A K J 8 2

♥A 9 6 4

♦7 5

♣9 8

♠Q 6 5 ♠ 7 4

♥Q J 10 3 2 ♥ K 8 7 5

♦3 2 ♦ K Q 10 9 6

♣J 5 3 ♣ K Q

♠10 9 3

♥-

♦A J 8 4

♣A 10 7 6 4 2

I did not go for penalties and bid 3♣ instead, and we ended up in 4♠. Although easily makeable, partner had a bit of blind spot at trick one and went down. You are the J♣ away from making 6♣, but even if you had this card, it is tough to get to the minor suit slam. 2♦goes for 800, and would have been a top.