Archives of all back
issues of all daily
columns are available
with Bridgetoday.com
membership (which
also includes 12
issues of Bridge
Today Magazine,
100 archive issues
of Bridge Today
Digest Online, and
one Bridge Today
University course).

Click here for
further details

I was South, partnered by Lew Mathe, in a world championship against the Italian team many
years ago. The auction here for East-West is
my recommendation -- simple and direct. In
real life, Avarelli and Belladonna reached
2NT after my 1 bid, because of confusion in
their methods. The 1 bid is one of the oldest
tricks in the game, and my tip is to play double
of 1 as penalty. This goes for the double of
any new suit after partner has made a takeout
double.

By the way, the 1 bid still works now and then.
Imagine you were in 4 with the West cards
(after hearing South bid spades) and the
defenders took the first three red tricks, then
allowed you to play the trump suit. You might
cash the ace and then try to double-hook through
South ... if you thought South held four spades.