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When to leave the ladder

When responding in a choice of four card suits, you should technically bid the cheaper one - going “up the ladder”. But this week’s responder sensibly broke the rule and so achieved a spectacularly good result on the hand. Here it is:

 
North Deals
N-S Vul
♠ 6
A Q J 7
Q 7 6 3
♣ A 8 6 4
♠ K 10 7 4 2
10 6 4 2
10 9 4
♣ 5
N
W   E
S
♠ Q J 5 3
9 5 3
5 2
♣ K Q J 7
  ♠ A 9 8
K 8
A K J 8
♣ 10 9 3 2
West North East South
  1 Pass 2
Pass 4 Pass 6
Pass Pass Pass

South did not fancy responding in the cheaper four card suit - ♣s (see Tip). Had he done so, then the partnership might easily have declared 5♣ or 6♣ with disastrous consequences. After his 2 response, North gave jump support - his hand improving with the fit and the useful singleton ♠. South, who had fallen in love with his K - honours in partner’s suits are always worth more than their point value - jumped to 6 and West led ♣5.
South won ♣A, played ♠6 to ♠A and trumped ♠8 with 3. He crossed to K and trumped ♠9 with 6. He cashed dummy’s Q, crossed to his J, cashed K drawing the last opposing trump, then led 8 to dummy’s AQJ. Away went two of his three losing ♣s and twelve tricks were his.

ANDREW’S TIP: Do not bid bad suits on good hands.

 

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