A valuable bidding lesson.
Bridge Column for March 12, 2004, Harvey Bernstein
Special To The Plain Dealer
Both sides vulnerable.  East deals.
                              North
                              S: 8 6 5            
                              H: K Q 3 2     
                              D: K 8 2       
                              C: K 9 3   
            West                             East
            S: A 10 3                        S: K J 9 4      
            H: 7 6 5 4                       H: Void       
            D: 6 5 4                         D: A Q 7 3           
            C: 10 8 7                        C: A Q J 6 5   
                              South                         
                              S: Q 7 2 
                              H: A J 10 9 8 
                              D: J 10 9    
                              C: 4 2    
          The Bidding:  
                   East   South     West   North                  
                    1C     1H       Pass    3H  
                   Dbl     Pass     Pass    Pass
     This hand is from a duplicate bridge game and is a good
illustration of why it is very dangerous to make a light overcall
when you are vulnerable.  East deals and opens one club.  South
has a five card heart suit and one "quick" trick.  The only
player who will be fooled by his overcall will be his partner.
     West has no trouble passing and North jumps to three hearts,
fearing that he has made an underbid.  East doubles, basically to
show a good hand and tolerance for the unbid suits.  West may
decide to pull the double to four clubs, but with the ace of
spades and four hearts, she made an excellent decision to sit for
the double.
     The opening lead was the ten of clubs and declarer never had
a chance.  He wound up losing two club tricks, two diamond tricks
and three spade tricks.  Down three was worth 800 points to the
defenders.  
     A vulnerable overcall should be very near the quality of an
opening bid.  I would evaluate the South hand as the bare minimum
for a non-vulnerable overcall.  Your partner should be able to
count on you th "have your bid".  You will find your game
improving along with your partner's confidence.

     Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League held the
Ohio Masters Sectional Bridge Tournament in Solon on March 5 - 7. 
The following players were successful in their respective events
on March 5.  Additional results will be listed in future columns.
     Afternoon Stratified Pairs (68 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Don and
Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg.  2.  Niel Waletzky, Shaker Heights,
and Phillip Becker, Beachwood.  Stratum B. 1. John Marhofer,
Cuyahoga Falls, and Patricia Young, Erie, PA. 2. Dilip Manier and
Richard Sweet, Mentor.  Stratum C. 1. Manier and Sweet.  2.
Donald and Helen Brock, Cuyahoga Falls.
     Afternoon Stratified 299er Pairs (25 pairs).  Stratum A. 1.
Audrey Pillier, Garfield Heights, and Lisa Burnett, Bainbridge. 
2. Donald and Susan Huber, Canfield.  Stratum B. 1. Pillier and
Burnett.  2. Marilyn Doman, Chagrin Falls, and Bonnie Shafer,
Cleveland Heights.  Stratum C. 1. Doman and Shafer. 2. Georgia
Dixon, Cleveland, and Frances King, Cleveland Heights.
     Evening Stratified Pairs (67 pairs).  Stratum A. 1. Jim
Bachelder, Columbus, and Bernard Olmstead, Warren.  2. Julia
Allen, Willoughby, and Michele Allen, Weaite Hill.  Stratum B. 1.
Allen and Allen.  2. Bob Bartke, Aurora, and Frank Scali, North
Ridgeville.  Stratum C. 1. Richard Sweet and Dilip Manier,
Mentor.  2. Linda Gracey, Twinsburg, and Olivia Gates, Cleveland.
     Evening Stratified 299er Pairs (20 pairs).  Stratum A. 1.
James Novak, Solon, and Duane Seelinger, Mentor On The Lake. 2.
Jane Coleman and Bunny Kerr, Pittsburgh, PA.  Stratum B. 1.
Lldiko Baxter, Cleveland Heights, and Marilyn Doman, Chagrin
Falls.  2. Bhagwant and Surindar Singh, Cleveland.    
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.