In a Swiss game, red-on-red, I hold in second seat: S-Axx, H-Kxx, D-Ax, C-J10xxx. RHO (an avid BOA) opens 2 Spades with the following: S-Qxxxxx, H-Qx, D-Jxx, C-Qx. I’m stuck for a bid: I can’t double with two diamonds and I am not overcalling with a putrid club suit, so I pass. LHO mulls his options and finally bids 3 Spades. I’m sure this is a

diversionary tactic meant to keep my partner out of the bidding. Partner passes and we take seven tricks for +300. Three NT our way is a possibility but must be played by my hand since LHO held six hearts to the Ace. Our partners stay out of the bidding and N-S wind up in 3 Clubs for +110. That 190 MP difference gives our team the winning edge.

Paint a portrait of your hand for your partner.

If you considered opening 2 Spades with that potpourri of junk, you move up the BOA ladder many rungs.

 

In the March issue of the Bridge Bulletin, another nominee for a BOA bid occurs in the “It’s Your Call” feature. In Problem 3, East bids 1 Spade after two passes and you hold: S-QJ10, H-Kx, D-AJ109x, C-xxx. Okay, booby, what’s your call? If you bid 2 Diamonds, you just won the BOA of The Month Award. Only one expert out of 17 bid 2 Diamonds, everyone else passed. Jeff Meckstroth says, “Bidding 2 Diamonds is dangerous. I try not to overcall at the two level on a five-card suit.” Jill Myers chimes in with: “Pass and more pass.” Larry Cohen adds, “All the wrong signs to make a five-card overcall. Holding three to the queen in the opponent’s suit warns for defense, not offense. Partner is a passed hand...why get involved?”

 

By the way, that hand has a losing trick count of nine. Combine that with a passed partner and you can see why 16 experts passed.

 

The following hand is courtesy of Ann Pullman, one of my favorite partners. Ann has a great line, “Paint a portrait of your hand for your partner.” South did just that but West’s bid left something to be desired. East-West were playing “Big Club,” so East opened 1 Spade with: S-Jxxxx, H-K, D-Q, C-AQJxxx. South held: S-x, H-J10, D-KJxxx, C-K10xxx and bid a Michaels 2 NT. Now, West made a bid I find indefensible. Holding: S-xx, H-AQxxxx, D-A10xxx, C-void, West bid 3 Hearts. Why bid? In this position, West can sit back and wait for North, who must bid. North held: S-AKQ10x, H-xxxx, D-xx, C-xx - how delightful! If West had passed, poor North would have to bid a two-card suit at the three level. If he bids Clubs, East doubles, and if North bids Diamonds, West doubles. Of course, West’s bid made it easy for North to pass. Now, believing partner had a game-going hand, East showed her strong Club suit. West was caught between a rock and a hard place and opted for 4 NT! Down five was not pretty. By the way, Adam Kaplan and I play “Big Club” and would have opened the East hand with 2 Clubs (promising 6 Clubs with 10-14 HCP). The bidding would have been quite different after that.

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