What’s your call?
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Redbl |
Here is Stack’s take: “I never claimed to have a spade stopper, so it’s partner’s duty to run without one. It looks like partner has great diamonds, and possibly hearts as well, and was unwilling to bid 3♣ over my potential show of lebensohl weakness. If partner runs to 4♦ , then I will convert to 4♥. I actually have way more than I could have, so I expect us to make it. The ♠10 could be helpful if partner stays put. I pass.”
The Sutherlins pass. “This auction feels like everyone has overbid except us! What is going on? We promised nothing and partner has still bid game. He must have a spade stopper and a running suit (diamonds?). West has a minimum weak two and East must have a balanced opening bid with spade support and his own suit (hearts?). We have partner covered in the suits he might not have a card in. Partner should trust us to have figured all this out, and run only when there is a problem with his spade stopper or his running diamond suit.”
Falk thinks partner has a spade stopper and a huge balanced hand. “If partner was hoping I had a spade stopper – obviously I don’t – he might have bid 3♠ to find out. I don’t want to redouble – I don’t know what that means and partner, therefore, won’t be helped to make a good decision by my throwing such an ambiguity his way. His redouble should say, ‘I thought we could make 3NT, but now I’m not so certain – what do you think?’”
Cohen also chooses not to put partner to the test. “I’d redouble for business if I were sure partner wouldn’t read it as SOS. I have a great hand in context and expect to make this with overtricks. I just hope partner doesn’t run. Somebody doesn’t have their bid and I’m guessing it’s East or West.”
Pass by Meckstroth. “I have more than I might have. The double by RHO should indicate strong hearts.”
Lee, too: “We have a good hand and no spade ruffing value, so I’m happy where we are. Even if partner has four hearts, I think 3NT doubled is probably reasonable.”
Abdou passes, hoping to penalize the opponents. “I have a max and ♠10 x x. There’s no guarantee that we have eight hearts, and it depends on who my RHO is. Maybe he’s an imaginative player trying to chase us out to a beatable contract. If we are missing the diamond suit, LHO has to find that lead. I would redouble if we have a firm understanding that it is to play. It seems that using redouble to express doubt is best based on frequency.”
Boehm explains his pass: “Given my unexpected strength, it seems like an opponent has made a mistake. If redouble were clearly business, I’d bid it to prevent partner from running. Without discussion, I’ll pass and collect the IMPs.”
Pass by Korbel. “I don’t know exactly what East is doing, but I think he has lost his gamble.”
The redoublers are an interesting quintet. All but one expect to see 3NT make and use the blue card to tell partner not to go anywhere – the same message the passers are sending via the green card.
“Let’s stop partner from running,” says Rigal. “This looks like a deal from the world championships where redouble actually persuaded partner to run and turned plus 950 into minus 100. Maybe he will know better this time.”
Lawrence agrees. “I may have had nothing at all. Instead, I have an ace and a queen. If I pass, North may talk himself into running. He could have asked me if I had a spade stopper. He has one. Only if he has ♠K x and RHO has ♠A x and things go horribly wrong will redouble be bad. My redouble might even cause East to run.”
Sanborn redoubles, but considers the same thorny spade holding. “Just worried that when dummy hits with ♠K x, I’ll have to guess at trick one.”
Robinson, on the other hand, says “Run!” with his redouble. “Because 2NT showed a weak hand, redouble must ask partner to start bidding suits up the line. This way we won’t be playing in 4♥ when we have an eight-card club fit. I believe East.”
Hampson bids a constructive 4♥. “I think partner would not have started with a double if he wasn’t prepared to hear 4♥. We could easily be off the entire diamond suit and have an easy game in 4♥.”
