In an earlier article, I mentioned that the biggest hurdle to good results in duplicate bridge is overbidding. Charles Goren wrote a book some 50 years ago, but his advice is as true today as it was then. Goren said that the more you bid the more value your hand has to have either in high cards or in distribution. The following illustrates that some players have never read Goren.

"DONT," YOU SAY

In a club game (both red), I hold: S-Kx, H-AQ10xx, D-Jxx, C-Jxx. In first seat I pass, LHO opens 1 NT (15-17 HCP), and partner bids 2 Spades which I alert. RHO asks about the bid and I reply we are playing DONT, partner has six spades and about 10 points. With a passed partner, vulnerable, and with a 15-17 NT by the RHO, I think my partner must have better values. RHO bids 2 NT and I suspect we are playing with a pinochle deck. I play TYP (trust your partner), so I double. Now, LHO bids 3 Clubs (he had bid 1 NT with a 5-card minor and a weak spade doubleton). Partner passes and RHO bids 3 NT! Something is rotten in Denmark so I double again which is passed out. Partner leads the 10 of spades and I lick my chops. We are playing coded 10s so my partner has two honors above the 10. Right, and I’m Jeff Meckstroth. The dummy has the AJx of spades and 11 HCP. Declarer plays low and I take my king. I return a spade to declarer’s queen, and he continually finesses through my partner, but I keep taking tricks. After LHO goes down one, I look at partner’s “DONT” bid: S-10xxxxx, H-xxx, D-xxx, C-A! My partner is a shoo-in for kamikaze pilot of the year.

GOOD LUCK!!

In a club game at Regency Oaks, I hold: S-Axx, H-Axx, D-Axx, C-AQxx in fourth seat (red). LHO passes and partner bids 2 Diamonds (weak). When vulnerable, I open weak two’s with two of the top three honors. RHO passes and I bid 3 NT. LHO leads a spade and my partner giggles nervously with the admonition, “good luck,” as she tables the dummy. I almost fall over, dummy holds: S-xx, H-xx, D-Jxxxxx, C-J10x. RHO picks up my convention card and I ask if he wants to call the director. His remark is priceless, “I don’t think I’ll be harmed by that dummy.” I suggest to him that I should call the director since my partner made an illegal bid. I struggle to go down three while the traveler shows that more disciplined pairs are making four diamonds.

WHAT AN OVERCALL - PART I

They are vulnerable we are not and in fourth seat, I hold: S-Qx, H-AKxxx, D-KQ10x, C-Jx. LHO passes and Adam Kaplan opens a Precision Club. RHO passes and I bid 2 Hearts (at least 5 Hearts, at least 9 HCP). LHO now bids 3 Diamonds and Adam makes a forcing pass. The red card hits the table and we take 10 tricks for +1,700.

WHAT AN OVERCALL - PART II

In second seat (both red), I hold: S-AQxx, H-AKxxx, D-Jxx, C-A, RHO deals and passes and I open a Precision Club which Adam alerts. LHO bids 1 Spade and Adam bids 2 Spades (at least 9 HCP, support for the other suits). RHO bids 3 Spades and I double to show at least one spade control. After LHO passes, Adam bids 3 NT (what’s your suit partner) and I reply 4 Hearts. Adam bids 1430 and his eyes widen when I show four controls without the HQ. Adam deliberates a moment then bids 7 Hearts! Adam has: S-x, H-QJxx, D-AQxx, C-KJxx. Play is simple: win the spade lead, pull trumps, cash the CA, finesse in diamonds, throw a diamond loser on the CK, and claim. LHO is co-winner of the kamikaze award. Her partner had passed, I opened a Precision Club, and she overcalls in spades with five to the 10! Her partner held KJx in spades. Oy vey!

Sincerely, Jim Somma{easycomments}