The Rules of… Three part (i)

This deal is taken from Andrew's Rules Acronyms & Ditties booklet. (Available here)

The Rule of Three: When partner has bid a suit as an overcall, you should almost always support whenever you have three-card support – he has five good cards.

Exercise: The bidding has proceeded (1 ♦) - 1 ♥ - (1 ♠) - ? What should you bid now with these:

(i). Bid 2 ♥. You do not need six points to
support an overcall – provided you have the three cards to make a known eight-card fit.

(ii) 2 ♥. Nor do you need a supporting honour; remember partner has five decent cards.

(iii). 3 ♥. Holding a known nine-card fit, the best bid, on preemptive grounds, is to jump to the nine-trick level. This is termed “bidding to the level of the fit”.

(iv). 2 ♦. With 10+ points and three+ hearts, you should bid opener’s suit at the lowest level: an Unassuming cue bid (“UCB”). In the competitive auction, it is vital to tell partner immediately of your support, so he can judge how high to bid. As on our deal.

Declaring 5 ♥ (doubled), South received ♦ 6 lead to East’s ♦ K, followed by ♠ 3 switch. West won ♠ Q and tried to cash ♠ A (was this best?). Declarer ruffed and cashed ♥ A. When West dropped ♥ Q, declarer placed ♥ J with East (West might have played ♥ J from ♥ QJ). He ruffed ♦ J (with ♥ 10) then led ♥ 6 to ♥ 8, West discarding. He cashed ♥ K felling East’s ♥ J then moved to clubs. In case West held all three, he cashed ♣ A first, retaining ♣ KJ finesse position.

When East did indeed discard, he led ♣ 2 to ♣ 10 and ♣ J, then cashed ♣ K felling ♣ Q. 11 tricks and doubled game made.

When West won ♠ Q, either a club switch (ruffed) or a second diamond (removing the ruffing entry to finesse against ♥ J after ♥ A felled ♥ Q) would have scuppered the game.

Well done North for dredging up the 2 ♥ bid with just four points and three small hearts.