patroclo, on 2013-September-25, 00:43, said:
During the weakly tournment at hospice house, all the pairs bidded slam, only one went to 4 nt +3.
My partner, a 83 years old bridge expert, suffering of cataract, opened 3 club.
Our opponents didn t find the slam.
They went to 4 h.
It was a top.
I wanted to know , who between the many expert in this forum, should have done the same
This hand is from Bali USA-1 (Kranyak) against Italy see:
http://bridgewinners...a-losing-cause/
The author wrote:
“Gutsy preemption at favourable vulnerability is undoubtedly a winning strategy and I am surprised at its relative rarity at the highest level. Kit Woolsey commentating live made an astute observation on the EW effort ”…not quite high enough to make it comfortable for N-S to double but high enough to damage the N-S auction“
I made 2 comments:
1) You do not get to the Bermuda Bowl for comfort.
It is my impression that the team Kranyak (USA-1), who preempted here, ironically earned their right to play in Bali not least, because they were more prepared than their redoubtable opponents in the other room to double and defend ”gutsy preempts".
If I remember correctly 4
♣ would have been six down (!) and given N-S 1400!
I am just wondering is 1400 not enough for comfort?
South can see that if he bids 4
♥ that will likely be the end of auction.
Who needs to bid slams against gutsy preempts. Just take the money on offer.
2) I am not claiming that the DBL of (3
♣)-Pass-(4
♣) is or should be penalty.
What I am questioning is what South should do with
♠AT7
♥KJT4
♦A963
♣54 in response to (3
♣)-Pass-(4
♣)-DBL.
Surely the higher the preempt the more you should be inclined to leave a “takeout” DBL in.
There seems to be a remarkable reluctance to take this action.
It is easy to argue that gutsy preemption is a winning strategy when you almost never call a bluff.
This hand reminded me of a hand when Kranyak played against Nickell in the US team trials for Bali
You pass and LHO opens 3
♦ no one vul, and partner doubles, pass, your call?
♠ 10743
♥ 753
♦ A1043
♣ 52
Most would bid a mundane 3
♠. John Kranyak passed and collected 800. Yes his partner had a good hand.
In the other room Rodwell did in deed bid 3
♠ was raised and went for 300.
Rainer Herrmann