Eyes on You

Continuing with the defensive theme, here's a fun hand from earlier today. NS vulnerable, I was west and opened 1NT, south bid 2H and my partner doubled. Standard practice is for the double to be for penalty but I kind of think the double should be for takeout except at matchpoints when the opps are vul, which was the case here. I guess this hand really wasn't too hard to defend after getting off the the right opening lead but it seemed hard at the time and based on the traveller with lots of 110's and 140's for NS.

This auction certainly calls for a trump lead. I mean, that's normally right when you double a partscore, especially without a trump stack. I guess a lot of people are unaware of this strategy so that makes it worth writing about. This is one of those matchpoint doubles that is really only going to gain much in that kind of game, when the opponents are vulnerable but if wrong, will be a big loser at any form of scoring. So, at imps, this would be a very bad double. Anyway, once I get off to the heart lead, we have to keep playing passive defense. East leading clubs when he is in is safe this time but with safe exit cards in hearts and diamonds (after declarer led a diamond to the K at trick 2, which, btw, I agree with), there's no reason to help declarer out. That is all for today.