rainbow@ihuxe.UUCP (09/12/84)
Yesterday at your local friendly duplicate club, you are dealer and pick up void-T8xxx-Kxx-QT98x. Everyone vulnerable. You have no problems, passing quickly. LHO also passes and partner opens 1NT, weak. RHO doubles which is elerted. I glance at their card and it is suppose to mean a long one suiter, unspecified. I am sceptical though. Somebody at the table must have points. And I still clearly remember the last time this same auction got passed out. I do have two convenient suits available at my disposal, so I decide to make a call. I redouble to relay to clubs. I had no plans on taking another call, so I chose to play my lowest and strongest suit. LHO passes and partner dutifully bids 2C. This gets doubled on my right and elerted on my left. I generally don't like asking about the meaning of bids during the auction, but I couldn't resist this time. I thought I better find out what it means. My sixth sense of curiosity proved worthwhile as I find out that clubs is RHO's suit. Now what? Are clubs really 6-5-2-0. Seems unlikely. But okay, I have another suit, so I trot out a 2H call. LHO opponent asks a million questions about my relay to two clubs and finds out it doesn't necessarily promise clubs(a direct 2H call promises the majors in this auction). So LHO boldly trots out a 3C call. Partner surprises me and doubles this. RHO wastes no time in letting out a resounding redouble. I'm left wondering where are the spades. I act a little concerned and finally pass. LHO, still in a fog, passes in confidence like he knows what's going on. Now partner thinks a while and I'm getting worried that he'll take it out. But no, he finally passes(he has to because it would be my responsibility to take it out if I can't stand it). The full deal: S:AKxx H:xx D:QJx C:KJxx S:Jxxxx S:Qxxx H:xx H:AKQJ D:xxx D:ATxx C:Axx C:x S: H:Txxxx D:Kxx C:QTxxx Declarer managed to take three aces and the KH for down five and 2800. Hee-hee. It made my day. Especially listening to the argument that ensued.