You’re today’s East and hear two passes. Would you act in third seat?
Might work, might not.
To open one spade will use up a level of bidding and make it harder for the opponents to come in. It’s possible you might direct a good opening lead. The deal might belong to your side for a spade partial.
One result proves nothing, but in a team match, one East opened one spade. (I know experts who would have opened an atypical two spades, being willing to deceive a passed partner.) South overcalled two hearts, West raised to two spades, North bid three hearts and South went to four hearts.
West led the deuce of spades, and East won and returned a spade to West’s king. South ruffed the next spade and played normally in trumps: He led to dummy’s ace and back to his jack. West won, and East got the ace of clubs. Down one.
In the replay, East passed, and South opened one heart and was raised to two. Then East came in with two spades, but South tried for game and played at four hearts again.
The defense began with the same three rounds of spades, but after South ruffed, he knew he had to find the ace of clubs with East to have a chance. But East had shown the A-Q of spades, and if he had the ace of clubs, he couldn’t hold the queen of trumps also. Then he would have opened. So South took the A-K of trumps. When West’s queen fell, South lost only a club to East’s ace. Making four.
Should East act in third seat? I suspect most players would bid. It turned out to be right to bid today.
West dealer
Neither side vulnerable
NORTH
S 10 9 4
H A 5 4
D K 9 3
C 9 4 3 2
WEST
S K 7 2
H Q 7
D 8 6 5 2
C Q J 8 6
EAST
S A Q 8 6 5
H 10 9 3
D 7 4
C A 10 7
SOUTH
S J 3
H K J 8 6 2
D A Q J 10
C K 5
West North East South
Pass Pass Pass 1 H
Pass 2 H 2 S 3 D
Pass 4 H All Pass
Opening lead — S 2
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