Case Closed

by David Berkowitz

Watching board 10 - Bermuda Bowl, third set - on vugraph could drive an analyst to drink.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ - ♥ A 6 4 3 ♦ A K 9 8 3 2 ♣ Q J 2
♠ - ♥ K J 10 9 7 ♦ J 10 ♣ 9 7 6 5 4 3		♠ Q 7 5 4 ♥ Q 8 5 2 ♦ 6 4 ♣ K 10 8
	♠ A K J 10 9 8 6 3 2 ♥ - ♦ Q 7 5 ♣ A

West	North	East	South
		Pass	2♣
Pass	3♦	Pass	5NT
Pass	7♣	Pass	7♦
?

First of all, after the above auction, should Fred Gitelman (West) double with a spade void?

He did not and was soon Minus 2140 for a spectacular push. Barnet Shenkin and I were speculating what South should do if 7♦ doubled got back to him. Originally, we thought he should run to 7♠, playing partner for one spade. Then we thought, heck, he should redouble, after all, how will the opponents know to lead a spade? Case closed. Almost closed. What if the opening leader had both rounded-suit kings? Then he would know South's suit was spades and he would lead one, so South should run. Case closed. Almost closed. How should South know his partner has a spade? It must be a guess. Case closed. Almost closed. We now get to the crux of the matter. North is looking at a spade void and the ♥A. He knows that partner has spades and that there is a double void. It is North who must redouble to spare South the guess. Case closed.