In his book, Competitive Auctions, Mike Lawrence illustrates the futility of getting into a bidding war when most of your values are in the minor suits. Opt out as soon as feasible, it’s a battle you can’t win.

When MaryAnn Dufresne and Marion Ellingsen run the Wednesday morning 299er game, they have a motto that reads, “We Love The Majors.”

Amen to that.  Don’t bring a yo-yo to a gunfight as the following hands demonstrate.

A BAD RESULT

We are white, they’re red, and in first seat I hold: ♠-QJ, ♥-QJ, ♦-Axx, ♣-Qxxxxx.  That’s about as bad a 12-count as I can imagine.  If we were vulnerable, I would pass in a heartbeat.  But as Joan Waite wryly noted the other day, “When are you bashful about bidding.”  Maybe partner has a good hand with the majors and we can end up in a no-trump contract.  So big mouth opens 1♣, LHO passes, and partner bids 1♦.  RHO bids 1♠ and I’m sorry I didn’t preempt 3♣ to start.  I rebid my six-bagger, and LHO and partner both pass.  Now RHO bids 3♥ and I can visualize +620 for the bad guys.  But wait, after I pass so does LHO.  All partner has to do is drop the green card on the table and we survive.  Alas, partner bids 4♣, and after two passes, LHO comes to life and bids 4♥ with his 5-card support.

RHO loses two diamonds and a club - UGH!

A GOOD RESULT

In Regionals, the talent/ability of opponents is much higher than that at the club level.  This is especially true when the opponents know how to interfere over a Big Club opening.  In the Sarasota Regional, in fourth seat (red) I hold: ♠-Qxx, ♥-AQJxxxx, ♦-void, ♣-KQJ.  LHO passes, Adam Kaplan opens 1♣, and RHO bids 2♦, alerted as weak.  RHO is a Gold LM who knows a thing or two about interfering over a Precision opener.  I double to show a positive hand (9+ HCP) and Adam bids 3NT (19-21 flat).  Now RHO jumps to 5♦ and I am hard-pressed to make a “scientific” bid.  We have a minimum 34 points and I’d love to try for 7 NT.  But RHO may have the ♥A, so I take a very unscientific approach and bid 7♥.  When this rolls around to RHO, he ponders a while, deciding whether to double or not.  But he figures I must be void in diamonds, so he passes.  LHO leads a diamond and Adam tables the following dummy: ♠-AKx, ♥-Kxx, ♦-KQ, ♣-A10xxx.

I pull a Jeff Meckstroth and claim.

A TERRIFIC RESULT

In a club game, they are red, we are white, and LHO deals and passes.  In fourth seat, I hold: ♠-Qx, ♥-AKxxx, ♦-KQ10x, ♣-Jx.  Adam opens a Precision Club and I bid 2♥ (at least 5 hearts at least 9 points).  Now LHO, who must be captain of the Kamikaze squadron, bids 3♦.  Adam wants to take another bid, but according to red-vs-white tactics, he makes a forcing pass.  This requires me to further clarify my hand which I do when I double.  This is a penalty bid and Adam gladly accepts.  The carnage starts off with A and K of hearts and a heart ruff.  Adam now cashes both A and K of the black suits and leads another spade.  I make three trump tricks and 3♦ doubled is down six for -1,700.  Adam’s hand was: ♠-AKJxx, ♥-x, ♦-x, ♣-AKxxxx.  LHO held: ♠-xx, ♥-QJx, ♦-AJxxxx, ♣-Qx.  The opponents were playing mini-Roman so LHO couldn’t open 2♦.  Hmm, so you bid 3♦ against opponents who hold a minimum of 24 HCP and you are red - OUCH!

Adam and I are cold for 6NT worth 990.

Sincerely, Jim Somma