[lycier]

This is a real story of team match happened in life.

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All the players play natural system.
West hold ： ♠xxxx, ♥ void, ♦QJxxx, ♣Kxxx.
After East made takeout,West responded 1♠, North rebidded 1nt, two passing and now it push to west seat, would you tell me next bid?
Please think it over a moment...
.
.
.
.
.

Now I would guess you might say to me : Of course,next bid is 2♦ for sure.
Really? Do you confirm the best next bid is 2♦?

If you really insist on your opinion,you will get a big trouble!!!
Where is 13-card ♥ ? Who ate 13-card ♥? Obviously,there is a ghost in this bridge hand!!!

No double,no trouble.Sure enough,something strange happened to E-W in the subsequent process:

After 2♦,both of opps kept silent,East jumped to 4♥ unexpectedly, East can't understand it in that time ,he forgot who ate 13-card ♥ and stupidly rebid 5♦,then East made 5♥ bid ,finally they got penalty double,their result was 5♥X-3

The entire match statistics of this hand showed that 90% of bidding sequence is 1♣ - (4♥) x - all pass,all the result are 4♥X-2.

In fact East held ♠Kx, ♥AKQJxxxx, ♦T9x, ♣void.
East thought he had one strong suited hand only with 4 losers,so he decided to make takeout at first,however after pdartner responded 1♠,the opener rebid 1N,experienced East suddenly realized that 4♥ as a final contract will be very in danger,but he can always beat opps if 1N was a final contract,and will down one trick and get 3 imps at least,so he passed,pretending to be weakness.

West didn't know East was deliberately digging a trap,and thought East takeout at first then passing,this was takeout double for sure,and had 3-card ♦ support for sure,then bid 2♦ straight away !
No double,no trouble !Unfortunately,the disaster happened at this point.

In the face of 2♦,East regarded it as a life line!!! "2♦ just looked like a useful help suit, since we probably hadn't three quick losers with some ♦ fit,4♥ should be made hopefully.",East thought.
Then East valiantly jumped to 4♥.... East also took his own course,rebid 5♦ - 5♥,eventually E-W got 5♥X-3.
This is how the story of ghost happened.
The disaster may be just a disaster,usually our ordinary people are very difficult to avoid.

Dear BBFers,would you tell everyone where is the ghost ?

[Zelandakh]

lycier, on 2015-November-27, 05:01, said:

In fact East held ♠Kx, ♥AKQJxxxx, ♦T9x, ♣void.
East thought he had one strong suited hand only with 4 losers

It is one of the classic bidding mistakes to double with a GOSH and then not show it the second time around. If you play a private game with constructive hands it tends to end up badly once partner gets involved.

[helene_t]

Zelandakh, on 2015-November-27, 08:32, said:

It is one of the classic bidding mistakes to double with a GOSH and then not show it the second time around. If you play a private game with constructive hands it tends to end up badly once partner gets involved.

But maybe he thought that after the strong 1NT rebid he probably doesn't have game so +200 is a good score?

[1eyedjack]

Well I agree that the 5D pull was ill-conceived. Flat board otherwise. Passing it out in 1N by West would have been inspired but logical if he took a moment to think. East's Pass over 1N seems like a unilateral masterminding swing action, but yes it could have worked.

Enjoyed the read.

[1eyedjack]

Zelandakh, on 2015-November-27, 08:32, said:

It is one of the classic bidding mistakes to double with a GOSH and then not show it the second time around. If you play a private game with constructive hands it tends to end up badly once partner gets involved.

It's OK if partner has GSOH

[Tramticket]

Personally I think East is unsuitable for double followed by a bid. I would expect the 1C,4H,X auction to be quite normal.

Once East does double, it is easier if West simply bids his longest suit 1D. You may get a further chance to bid spades if the opponents compete in hearts.

I don't understand the final 4H bid at all. Wouldn't a simple 2H convey the hand type?

[1eyedjack]

I think that bidding 1S followed up by 2D (if bidding both) should logically be a canapé sequence. So I am fine with the initial 1S.

And yes, if you think that you have too much for a 2H follow-up, then 3H surely says it all.

[Charlie Yu]

I never pass as E here, there are a lot of holdings that W can have with 4H making