Gaymsters Bridge Club of Dallas, Texas

Lesson Hand 1

The Ugly Club

by Charles A. Lee

Usually called the "short club," it is, for beginners, one of the ugliest obstacles in bridge — the specter that partner may have started with as few as three clubs. Oddly but humanly enough, no beginners I know fear that partner may have started with eight of them.

In the hand shown, fear induced North to escalate the perceived problem rather than nipping it in the bud. If North passes, the opposition has more than enough value in their combined hands to compete. If they don't, North-South are happy to be set a bit in the silly one club contract having "talked 'em out of another one." If the opposition doubles, North may be able to avail himself of the S.O.S. Redouble to give partner a host of choices, one of which is likely to provide a superior alternative:

To escape to a known fit; or
Leave the redouble in for either a big plus, or put a ton pressure on the opposition to remove the redouble by venturing into something they may not make.
Leave the opposition in a part score contract that is no better than what they could have done against silent opponents.

As it was, South's rebid on his very superior holding took the partnership to a too lofty level (down a zillion, naturally).

Cardinal Rule: Do not try to save your partner unasked. It is usually as unwelcome and ill advised as pulling him out of his hiding place in a Kandahar bomb shelter.

Bottom Line Pointers

Responder must own six or more real high-card points in order to bid a one-over-one suit response. It is unconditionally forcing for one round (can't be passed, thus can't save partner from anything).
When partner opens one club and you are short in clubs, play partner for five of them.
Do not try to save partner from himself. Partner can't see your cards and vice versa.
Do not open a "short club" when you hold four diamonds. The negative inferences available with this understanding help eliminate many a Short Club problem for the partnership.