Three Times a Redouble

by Phillip Alder

How often is the final contract redoubled? Obviously, very rarely indeed. That is what makes board ten from the fifth session of the quarterfinals a major news item. At three tables in the Venice Cup, the final contract was redoubled. And each time it was a different contract.

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

Taking them in alphabetical order, we start with the match between China and the Netherlands. This was the auction in the closed room:

West	North	East	South
Liu	Pasman	Wang	Simons
		1♣	Pass
1♥	1♠	Dble	Pass
Pass	Redble	All Pass

One club was Precision, one heart a natural game-forcing positive, and the double for penalties because a pass would have been forcing. Redouble was for rescue, just in case partner hated spades and had length in one of the minors, but South, Anneke Simons, had nowhere to run.

East, Ping Wang, led the king of clubs, when a top trump would have been a much better choice. After a merry crossruff, declarer Jet Pasman came home with an overtrick for plus 1120. (Double-dummy, declarer can collect a second overtrick by eventually endplaying East to lead away from the queen of diamonds, but who would find that?) In the other room, the Dutch East, Carla Arnolds, made three notrump with two overtricks, giving the Netherlands 18 international match points. Now England against Germany.

West	North	East	South
Brunner	Auken	Goldenfield	von Arnim
		1♠	Pass
2♥	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	Dble	Pass	Pass
Redble	All Pass

Knowing that all the suits were breaking badly, Sabine Auken gambled a double, but Michelle Brunner, thinking that a heart lead would hardly be lethal, sent it back, as they say Down Under.

Daniela von Arnim, aware that her partner could not be asking for a heart lead, tried her singleton club. North won with the ace, declarer dropping the king. Now the only chance for the defense is a low-diamond shift, but North returned a club. This left Rhona Goldenfield with nine top tricks and plus 1000. At the other table:

West	North	East	South
Stawowy-Hackett	Smith	Nehmert	Dhondy
		1NT	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	Pass
3♣	Pass	3♠	Pass
3NT	All Pass

After a transfer sequence, East was also in three notrump, but North retained a tactful silence.

South, Heather Dhondy, led the three of diamonds. If North, Nicola Smith, had won this and returned a low diamond, she might have defeated the contract. But there was much too big a risk that East had only a doubleton diamond. So North won with her king of diamonds, cashed the ace, and played a third round. Declarer, Pony Nehmert, drove out the ace of clubs and claimed after North took her last diamond. Plus 600 to Germany but nine imps to England. Finally, U.S.A.1 against U.S.A.2.

West	North	East	South
Rosenberg	Sprung	Stansby	Sulgrove
		1NT	Pass
2♦	2♠	Dble	Pass
Pass	Redble	All Pass

Again, when spades were doubled for penalties, North with both minors thought that there might be a safer harbor. But South, Kathy Sulgrove, had nowhere to go.

East, JoAnna Stansby, led the king of clubs, and declarer JoAnn Sprung cruised to eight tricks for plus 840. This was the auction in the other room:

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Picus	Mancuso	Levin
		1NT	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	Pass
3NT	All Pass

South, Jill Levin, led the nine of spades. Declarer Renee Mancuso won with her queen and continued with the jack of clubs, which North, Sue Picus, ducked. The queen of clubs came next, South pitching a heart and North playing low again. The nine of hearts to dummy's ace saw North discard the six of diamonds. Declarer played a third club and ended with nine tricks. Another 600 points gave U.S.A.2 16 imps.

Three different redoubled contracts on the one deal. That is surely a record ... unless you know differently, of course.