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Home > Bidding > Competitive situations > Overcalling their one no-trump > Escape mechanism for one no-trump doubled

 

 

 

 

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Escape mechanism for one no-trump doubled

I haven't come across this in any of my textbooks; I'm sure I didn't make it up so if anyone can give me a reference or a proper name, I would be very grateful. Why not email me; no one else does. I call it Colditz.

Colditz is for use by the partner of the one no-trump bid which has been doubled. There is no corresponding escape for the partner of the doubler.

The theory is that we must develop a way of being able to bid a four-card suit without it being misunderstood or interpreted as a five-card suit. In order to achieve this we are obliged to modify our way of showing a five-card suit. Our hope is that while we are wriggling our way out of this predicament, the opponents will enter the auction and win the contract---to our great pleasure.

Our new way of bidding a five-card suit is to redouble the 1NT*. Partner then bids two clubs which is simply a relay for us to bid our five-card suit. If our suit is clubs, we pass the relay. If the opponents come in, we back out gracefully.

West

S K 7 4 3 2
H 6 5 4
D 6 5
C 8 6 3
E S W N
1NT * ** -
East is now obliged to bid two clubs and we bid two spades. Give in if opponents bid.

 

West

S 8 6 3
H 6 5 4
D 6 5
C K 7 4 3 2
E S W N
1NT * **

_

Now you can pass East's bid of two clubs. Give in if opponents bid.

If we now have this novel way of getting to our five-card suit, we can now bid our four-card suit(s). We do this in ascending order (bidding the one we come to first) and settle for the first 4-3 fit we find.

West

S 9 8 7
H 7 6 5
D K 4 3 2
C 6 5 4
E S W N
1NT * ?  
West bids two diamonds which East passes with three-card support. With only two cards in diamonds, East bids her four-card major which West then passes.

 

West

S 8 6 4
H 8 7 6 5
D 4 2
C K 4 3 2
E S W N
1NT * 2C -
2D - ?  
Now bid two hearts. Note that Stayman is invalidated by the double.

 

East

S A 8 5 4
H A Q 7
D K 4 3 2
C 4 3
E S W N
1NT * 2C -
?      
East bids two diamonds first and is prepared to try two spades later.

You may think that this is a terrible palaver for what appears to be a comparatively innocuous situation. I can assure you that it isn't. The hazard of the weak no-trump being doubled is the reason why high-stake rubber bridge players usually employ a strong no-trump. You won't lose a lot of money in your one-penny-a hundred rubber bridge game, but you can easily give away several hundred points above the line which is damaging to your reputation, if nothing else.

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It's game all and right-hand opponent opens one spade. Do you overcall in clubs ?

Answer

S 8 6
H 9 6 4
D 4 3
C A K Q 7 6 5