Redouble?
|
|
 K J 7 6 3 2 |
|
 A K Q 8 6 |
|
 A 10 |
|
 ------ |
|
|
| A 4 |
|
9 |
|
| 10 9 | |
J 7 2 |
| J 5 | |
K Q 8 7 4 3 |
| A K 7 6 4 3 2 | |
Q 9 8 |
|
|
|
| Q 10 8 5 |
|
5 4 3 |
|
9 6 2 |
|
J 10 5 |
Vul: E-W |
| South | West | North | East |
| Pass |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Pass |
Pass |
5 |
Pass |
| Pass |
Dbl |
Redbl |
All | pass |
There isn't a whole lot to the play of the hand here. Either West gets off to a diamond lead or he doesn't, and that determines whether declarer picks up 11 tricks or twelve. Of those bidding slam, five went down in flames, one doubled, while eleven made it. East-West would have a nifty sac at any other vulnerability, but with three losers, even 6 clubs over 5 spades would be too expensive.
I picked up the hand because of the pair that redoubled for a nifty top board when they'd been headed for an average one -- well, decidedly below average on a diamond lead (22%). The redouble with an overtrick brought them 1200 points. And what if they had gotten a diamond lead? Well, then they'd have just beat the people making slam on a club lead: trick score is 600, 300 for game and 100 for making a redoubled contract. One thousand big ones vs. 980 for those making slam!
I hadn't thought to make one pair's redouble carry the whole day's hand. But then I saw that four other people had the same opportunity for a redouble and (tied for) top board. It was nine days ago that I spoke of the opportunity for a top board offered by near slam bids on a double by a reckless opponent, and referred several times to the "one-trick cushion" you have in 5 redoubled, which here pays off in spades.
To be sure, a redouble might induce the opponents to run, but first of all, it might not also, as it didn't here, and secondly, though 6 clubs doubled (minus 500 for E-W) isn't as good for N-S as sticking with a simple double of 5 spades, it still beats undoubled confreres in 4 or 5 spades, even those making 6. Now if only the redoubler would write to tell me that the hand 9 days ago was what prompted him, it would make my day. But no, I know that's not very likely to have been the case.
For a few months I did a daily hand, and this was evidently one of 'em.