The Robbers

Jane is playing at the club with her teacher today.

The teacher insists to teach her to play by the rules and he also worked nicely with her on partnership defense.

Before they moved to the last round, she pointed her finger at the couple they were about to play against and said to her teacher: "Against these two, I hate most to play. They don’t bid according to the rules and always rob me of my games. And the most annoying thing is that their moves always work for them, at least when they play against me".

Her teacher responded: "Don't get over excited. Remember you can always double them if you feel they went wild. Check the vulnerability and look carefully at your hand to decide whether it is worth punishing them based on your partner's bids and your own hand." And indeed, the opponents did not "disappoint":

Dealer West - North-South vulnerable:


Jane thought for a long time before she bid 5♦. Again, she had the familiar feeling that these opponents are trying to rob her. She was quite certain that her teacher's 3NT bid showed a good hand with Heart stoppers (though she wasn’t entirely sure how strong he was with such a bid). Also her hand was pretty good. So... how come her opponents find themselves in 4♥ so fast?

She remembered her teacher's advice to double them if she feels they try to rob her game again. But then his other advice was to look at the vulnerability: "We are vulnerable, and they are not. My hand is too offensive to double them and I feel I have a great chance to make 5♦", she thought and bid 5♦.

West lead the ♠2.

Jane looked at the lead: "After all this 'noise' of bidding 4♥, why a spade lead?", she thought to herself. "Maybe he has a singleton", she kept thinking.

After few more seconds of thought and counting her two losers, one in Club and one in Diamond she decided... there is nothing to think about... She must pull trumps and establish her Clubs, no other way to make.

Therefore she asked for a low Spade from dummy, won with her ♠A when East covered with the ♠Q and played a Diamond. East won it with the ♦A, played back a Spade for West to ruff and later on opponents won the ♣A to set her 1 down.

Jane was very upset. "I got robbed again by these two. 3NT is ice cold. I could double them but then I thought I have a good chance to make. And I would have made it, had they not gotten that Spade ruff. I'm so frustrated!", she was on the verge of tears.

Her teacher tried to calm her down: "What can I say... They are allowed to bid like this and be wild if they feel like it. It's not against the rules. 4♥ goes 2 down as we get 1 Spade, 2 Hearts, 1 Club and 1 Diamond.

However... You can make 5♦! Simply win the lead with the ♠K in dummy, continue with the ♥A and discard your ♠A on it! Now you can safely play a Diamond and when East takes the ♦A and plays back Spade – Just ruff it high in hand, pull the rest of the trumps, and claim 11 tricks".

Jane felt even more miserable: "SIMPLY? It’s not at all simple for me".