Blum on Bridge Odds and Ends - Part I
	Wednesday, November 10, 1999 By BOB BLUM, special to the Daily News The London Times, simply known as the The Times in the United Kingdom, publishes hands not seen in the States. As you readers know, I don't generally use my column in this regard. However, a number of these hands are unique because they provide realistic and valuable lessons to the reader. The following hand embodies the proper use of a lead directing double. You hear this auction holding Q10965-42-764-875. Rho 1NT-you pass-lho 3 hearts (slam invitational) -your partner passes-rho 4 diamonds (que bid showing 1st round control) -you pass-lho 4 hearts-partner passes-rho 4 spades (que bid)-Do you take any action over the 4 spade bid? Answer at the end of the column. Speaking of doubles, they come in all guises. On a recent morning I received a telephone call from good friend Martha Jacoby. Playing party bridge her lho opened 2 spades, a pre-emptive bid showing six of the suit and between 5-10 hcps. (K108642 or better). Martha's partner doubled and her rho passed. Martha held KQJ64 in the spade suit, a singleton heart plus a jack in one of the minors. Her question was whether the double "demanded" that she bid one of the other suits? From her partner's point of view, Martha should bid her best suit. However, what Martha's partner does not know is that Martha has a monster holding in the opponents' suit. It is rare that Christmas comes on a day other than the 25th of December, but this was one of those days. Martha should quietly pass her partner's double and readily accept the lovely gift of an 1100 to 1400 set. On a recent Tuesday evening, Muriel Seegers invited me to play with her at the Island Country Club. Two hands where we did not fare too well are quite interesting. One we'll discuss this week, the other next. Muriel opened 1 heart and I held 8642-763-KQ4-J73. Our opponents pass throughout. I decided, right or wrong, to bid 1 spade both because I was 4-3-3-3, plus I was not sure Muriel played a 1NT response as forcing (incidentally she does). Muriel now bid 2NT and I bid 3 hearts showing her three-card support. Muriel bid 4 hearts. Despite fine play by Muriel, we were set a trick. I claimed she should have passed my 3-heart bid as she had already made a limit bid describing her hand and I could have bid 4 hearts had I held a better hand. We mutually decided to ask my friend, expert Mark Lair, how he would handle the two hands. His answer follows. Assuming you play the 1NT response forcing, it is best to disregard the four-card spade suit with the weak hand and bid 1NT. This forces partner to rebid her hearts with six (you can pass) or bid her longest side suit. You respond in her heart suit showing three. This indicates weakness, as you did not bid 2 hearts directly. Not playing 1NT forcing, bid 2 hearts. However, if your style is to raise with four trumps, you must regretfully bid the spade suit first. Muriel's 2NT call should have been passed. 3 hearts is forcing, even slammish. 4 hearts states, that's where the hand should be played. Another phone call I received was from Maddy Timpane, a former private student who has a thirst for winning. Her question was what is the "Rule of Seven?" Although she was almost sure she knew, she also wanted me to describe the "Rule of Eight." The "Rule of Seven" is easy to remember and is one of the most important when you are a declarer at no-trump. When intending to hold-up with only one stopper in the opponent's suit, add the number of cards held by both you and dummy in the suit and subtract that number from seven. The answer is the number of times you should hold-up. Dummy has 75 and you hold A42. Deduct the five cards from seven. Hold-up twice. Warning! Be careful if you hold K42 and rho plays the queen on his partner's opening lead. Lho might hold the ace so you may want to win the king. The "Rule of Eight" is rather simple and obvious. With eight cards including the AKJ, play the ace to catch a possible singleton queen then finesse against the queen. Also if holding eight cards including the KQ10, it is normally best to finesse against the jack. In the first instance you may not be able to afford to play the ace if you're short on entries. Remember this rule applies to only one suit. The whole hand must be considered before taking the finesse. It might be best to play the AK, as there are lots of queen doubloons in the world. Answer to the problem. If partner is on lead against the slam, it is sometimes correct to double que bids on poorish holdings in the suit. All the double says is, "Pard from my point of view a lead of this suit is best." In the actual hand opener under led his ace. Dummy held K4, declarer J3. Declarer played the 4. Ouch!