Home | Disasters | Disasters | Is a void a guard in no trumps?
Is a void a guard in no trumps?

The 1963 World Championship (contesting the Bermuda Bowl) took place in Italy. In those days the famous Italian Blue Team would have been the sky-high favourite at any place on earth but now that it was operating on home soil, it looked like the other teams had given up the tournament in advance. Yes, even closing in on the Blue Team already seemed overambitious.
When the 'competition', as usual the Americans, threw away points on straight forward hands, things became all too easy for the Italians:

 K Q 7 6 
 K Q 9 7
7 6 4
7 4
A 4windroosJ 10 8 5
-8 3 2
J 9 8 3 2K Q 5
A K Q 8 6 510 9 2
 9 3 2 
A J 10 6 5 4
A 10
J 3
 
WestNorthEastSouth
Forquet
Schenken
Garozzo
Leventritt
21pass
33
5passpass
pass
1 six or more clubs, 11-15 HCP            

Simple and effective bidding. The play did not pose a problem: Italy +600.

On the other table the American west's 'eccentric' (to say the least) bidding gave a new dimension to the concept of 'a guard'…

WestNorthEastSouth
Jordan
Belladonna
Robinson
Pabis Ticci
1pass
33
3NT!passpass
pass

After south's 3overcall Jordan, west, at the table invented a new convention. He obviously thought (hoped?) 3SA would be a sort of unusual no trump bid, meaning that besides the club suit it would also show a diamond suit (the alternative - west considering a void an adequate guard in no trumps - is highly unlikely).
Anyway, Robinson, not having been informed of his partner's spontaneous invention, saw no reason to think of anything special and passed 3NT smoothly.
Belladonna led an unimaginative heart and the Italians collected the first seven tricks for +300, resulting in 14 IMP out of the blue.

 

Top Tips

New: BOLS TIPS!

Starting the 18th of may:

From 1974 - 1994 the world's experts submitted expert tips to BOLS the Dutch Distillers. Each year a panel of IBPA (International Bridge Press Association) members voted on the best of these tips. Bridgevaria publishes the best BOLS tips. Go to Varia in the menu on the left.