Bridge Blog 1092: Never say never

There are flat hands, where every result is the same, but I’ve never seen a flat hand where every table has passed it out. Somebody always comes up with a bid. In fact, in a hand to threatens to become a pass-out, I’ve found it’s often advantageous to bid if you can, especially if you’re not vulnerable.

That “never” came to an end, however, on Board 20 last Monday, July 22, at the Airport Bridge Club.

We got to Board 20 late in the game, next to last round, against good players. Sandi England was East, Joanne LaFay was West. Everybody vulnerable.

West was the dealer and she passed. Holding 10 high card points with a five-card Heart suit, so did I. Sandi also passed. Judie thought for a moment, then put down the green bidding card. I opened the traveler to record the score (or lack thereof, in this case) and, lo and behold, everybody passed it out. Here’s the hand:

West (Joanne/dealer)

Spades, K-7-6-5-2; Hearts, A-9-6; Diamonds, 7-4; Clubs, A-7-2.

North (moi)

Spades, 10-9-8-4; Hearts, K-Q-J-4-2; Diamonds, A-8; Clubs, 10-8.

East (Sandi)

Spades, Q-3; Hearts, 10-8-3; Diamonds, Q-J-5-2; Clubs, K-Q-9-4.

South (Judie)

Spades, A-J; Hearts, 7-5; Diamonds, K-10-9-8-3; Clubs, J-6-5-3.

Had I been the third player to bid, I would have opened 1 Heart. But not from the second seat. I suspect Joanne would have gone to 1 Spade if she was bidding third.

In either case, it’s pretty certain that each of us would overcall if the other one opened. And that would lead us down to path to catastrophe, vulnerable.

According to the hand record, North-South can bid and make a contract here. In every suit but clubs, it turns out. But just at the 1 level. North-South only takes seven tricks. And for some strange reason, nobody makes a contract of 1 Club.