Bread N' Butter Part III

This is Part III of the Bread N' Butter series: a look at Meckwell bidding in the recent world championship when one of them had 10 to 17 balanced, either in opening position, or directly over an opponent's opening. We will consider balanced as any 4-3-3-3/4-4-3-2/5-3-3-2, plus any hand that Meckwell treated as balanced.

Round 8 featured USA2 against my pick for the gold medal, Bulgaria. The latter team ended on the podium, but only with the bronze, but still gold vs. bronze was a heavy metal match in the round robin.


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On the first board Rodwell opened another maximum, having 13 points for a balanced hand in their one diamond opening. East countered with a natural two diamond overcall, and West showed a well-prepared partnership, able to bid three clubs as a substitute cuebid (another option that could be employed, if 2D would usually be six or longer, would be 2NT as a forcing call, much like a cuebid). Now this got them to the decent four heart contract making. In the other room, Hamman was also able to make a natural two diamond overcall over an artificial one diamond opening, but there Zia leapt to 3NT. On a bad day, 3NT would be off five or six clubs on the go, but here the long clubs were entryless, and the 3NT adventure just cost 1 IMP.


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On board 19, another one diamond opening was again countered with a natural diamond overcall, and East was able to make a non-forcing two spade call. Now Rodwell took the high percentage chance that Meckstroth didn't have natural diamonds with short clubs, and competed with three clubs. On a bad day Meckstroth would be 4-4-4-1 or 4-3-5-1 or 4-4-5-0 and three clubs would get doubled and drilled, but here Rodwell's three club venture was worth a push, as it was the very same adventure in the other room!


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On board 21, we see that even Meckstroth has his limits for takeout doubles with 4-3-3-3s, vulnerable, opposite a passed hand. Even though it must have been hard to pass a hand that would have opened if given the opportunity, once East opened his 4-3-3-3 11 count with one diamond, that prevented Meckstroth from introducing his. 1NT made for 3 IMPs, as the other room was comatose.


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On board 23, Meckstroth applied a typical Meckwell upgrade. The 10 count had a five card suit, with the T987 for spots, and a bonus ten in the heart suit. Thus the "11-15" one diamond was opened. West with diamonds well stopped, overcalled 1NT and this was doubled by Rodwell. Both sides had 20 high card points, but Rodwell had the tempo of the opening lead - a spade lead set up seven tricks for the defense and +200. In the other room North-South played two spades, +110, and that was 3 IMPs for USA2.


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Board 25 saw an interesting treatment of the 3C jump by Bulgaria - here it was a game force with clubs. I like the Meckwell method of using 3C as a signoff with both minors, and on this hand one could just bid 2C over 1S as natural and forcing - perhaps for this East-West pair a two club bid would not be forcing.


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Board 27, saw yet another Meckwell upgrade into a one diamond opening with a ten count - again here the five card suit had nice spots. West overcalled that five card suit, and now Rodwell made a negative double. His side only had 17 high card points, and no eight card fit, but there easily could have been a fit in one of his suits. This was redoubled, and sent back to Rodwell who had a decision. On a bad day, Meckstroth could be 3-3-2-5, and now any bid he made might get doubled and drilled. However Rodwell's choice of two diamonds instead got both East and West to take additional calls, and they reached three hearts down three, undoubled since Rodwell had to be concerned that Meckstroth might have a ten count in a bad layout - here he had that ten count, but the layout was ideal. In the other room Hamman competed by bidding hearts twice, and this got Zia to introduce clubs for some reason - down two was worth 2 IMPs to USA2.

It's been all odd boards so far, but we get even on the last board we look at: board 30.


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Meckstroth had a healthy 13 count for his 3-4-3-3, so he doubled the artificial one diamond opening. Rodwell leapt right to four spades, and West doubled this on the way out. This was down 2 for -300. In the other room, Hamman, using an ancient style where ace-less ten counts don't open one bids, passed, and South opened.


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Hamman's double was responsive, bringing the minors into play (okay, into the bidding), and the redouble was support, showing exactly three spades. Here North was content with just two spades, making for 9 IMPs. USA2 won the match 24-22, but again this was just a 15-15 victory point tie.