Playing 1NT Weak

Playing the weak no-trump in America remains a source of constant amusement. Theoretically, there should be some hands where we play 1NT and the strong no-trumpers play a major suit part-score, because they open a minor suit and discover a 4-4 fit that we don’t bother with because responder is weak. And on the other side, there should be some hands where the pre-emptive effect of the opening steals the contract or pushes the opponents into the wrong part-score (or a non-making game). But a lot of the time, you might think there wouldn’t be much difference. Wrong! It seems like any hand we open 1NT makes for mayhem on the scoresheet.

It seems like the majority of players at the intermediate level have been taught that they shouldn’t let a weak no-trump pre-empt them out of their proper contract. And they’ve also been told that the penalty double is a good way to teach the impudent opener the error of his ways. Now, there is some truth in all that. But you do need some cards. We see people overcalling on almost any hand with a 6-card suit. We see penalty doubles on almost any sort of opening hand. People, please. If you are going to make a business double of 1NT, you must have either more points than the opener, or a good source of tricks to make up for the lack. If you don’t have either, you are just setting yourself up for a big disappointment. And if your partner chooses a suit overcall rather than a double, maybe you need to consider what you need for a raise.

E-W game, dlr S (hands rotated)

             ♠ 3
             ♥ A 9 7 6 3 2
             ♦ J 8 7 6 2
             ♣ A
♠ K Q 10 9 8 6            ♠ 7 2
♥ K J 5       [ ]         ♥ 10 4
♦ K 4 3                   ♦ 10 9 5
♣ 9          ♠ A J 5 4    ♣ K Q J 7 5 2
             ♥ Q 8
             ♦ A Q
             ♣ 10 8 6 4 3

1NT  2♠   3♥   4♣ 
Dble 4♠   Pass Pass
Dble All pass

Routine defence defeated this 800, for all the matchpoints. If we slipped them a trick, 500 would still have been a top. Most tables played in 4♥, making. I don’t have any problem with West’s overcall, but you have to wonder what East had been smoking. If West is in the 10-14 range with spades, what in East’s hand justifies the thought that a vulnerable free bid at the 4 level is justified? Admittedly, he picked exactly the wrong moment, but really, he was asking for it.

Next case.

Love all, dlr E (hands rotated)

            ♠ J 10 6 5 4
            ♥ 5 3
            ♦ Q 10 8
            ♣ J 9 7
♠ A K 3 2                ♠ 9
♥ Q 4 2       [ ]        ♥ J 10 9 7 6
♦ J 9 2                  ♦ K 6 5 3
♣ Q 8 5     ♠ Q 8 7      ♣ A K 3
            ♥ A K 8
            ♦ A 7 4
            ♣ 10 6 4 2

Pass 1NT  Dble All Pass

I’m sorry, but a random 12 count isn’t a business double of – well, anything really. This one lucked into a partner who had passed with 11hcp, and still couldn’t win. Agent 99 decided not to transfer into spades, and I received the ♠2 as the opening lead. I won the queen and played one back, and East discarded the ♣3. For some reason, West decided this called for a switch to clubs. East tried to get her hearts going, but it was a bit late. And when East managed to crash her ♣Q under the ace, I even finished with an overtrick. Most pairs overbid the East-West cards to 4♥, going down one trick. Making 280 was more than enough to beat all the scores of 50 and 100.