For me, the highlight of the Hilton Head, SC regional was playing on the team that put my teammate, Mike Passell, over 60,000 masterpoints.

This month, we Conventional 2NT response to a weak two-bid that asks opener to show a high card in a side suit if he is not with a minimum preempt feature the wild and wacky deals. Next month, I'll dig into the more serious lesson deals.

On one deal we saw a rare number. My teammates, Jeff Meckstroth-Eric Rodwell, collected an unusual 700. Their opponents had a big accident and played in 2, undoubled, down 7. After a Meckwell strong club, one opponent thought 2 showed hearts, the other thought it was natural. This resulted in a 3-0 fit. This was the full deal and the auction:

Vul: Dlr:	KJ109  1085  J32  963
AQ43  A  KQ9754  A2		87  932  A1086  QJ74
	652  KQJ764  --  K10853

West	North	East	South
1*	Pass	1**	2&
Pass	Pass	Pass

* A bidding system that uses 1C as a strong artificial opening Precision (Strong)

** Negative (0-7)

& Intended as transfer to hearts

West led the K, cashed the A, and continued with a diamond to East's Ace. The defense took 12 tricks for down 7 and a 7-IMP gain (the other table made 400 E-W in 3NT).

On one deal, I made the worst analysis in my 40 years of playing bridge (I started in 1st grade):

This was my hand:

10 9 5
--
7 6
A J 10 9 8 7 5 4

Neither side vulnerable, my RHO dealt and opened 1 . My philosophy is to preempt to the 4-level with an 8-card suit, so I tried 4.

LHO bid 4, and RHO raised to 5, the final contract. My partner led the K and I saw:

Vul: Dlr:	K
		42  A76543  AJ108  3
	1095  --  76  AJ1098754

That's a light 1 opener, but once East's partner bid diamonds, his hand was quite good. The K lead was covered by the ace and I ruffed. I returned a spade.

This was my analysis: If my partner has a spade trick we will defeat them. Additionally, if declarer started with two hearts, he has an inescapable heart loser. I was wishing I had doubled.

Even worse, I was wondering what our side could make in spades. What if my partner held, for example:

A Q J 8 7
K Q J 10 9
5
6 2

How would our side do in 4 or 5? Quite well, thank you. We might lose only 2 tricks (one in each minor). Surely we might be cold for 4, right?

Very wrong. This was the full deal:

Vul: Dlr:	A63  KQJ1082  32  Q6
KQJ87  9  KQ954  K2		42  A76543  AJ108  3
	1095  --  76  AJ1098754

No, I don't agree with West's bidding, but in the postmortem she said: "I was planning to bid 4 over East's expected 4."

Unluckily for her, we beat 5 a trick (heart ruff and 2 black aces). What about my brilliant analysis about the missed spade game? I was half right. There was a spade game in the cards, but it was for the opponents!

On the final strange deal from Hilton Head, I held:

2
Q J 4 2
A K 8 7 5
Q 6 2

Neither side vulnerable, I dealt and opened 1. LHO jumped to 2 (weak), passed back to me.

I consider this a routine balancing double. Any time I am short in their suit (even with a dead minimum hand such as this), I reopen with a double.

However, my partner took a long time (less than a minute, but clearly a break in tempo) over 2. The "law" states that I must not take advantage. If, however, my call (double) is 100% action, I am still entitled to take it.

Is double 100%? For me, yes, but not for everyone. I probably could have lived with myself if I doubled, but I decided to pass. Maybe I was influenced by having just read: The Lone Wolff (see review in this month's newsletter). Bobby Wolff rants endlessly about avoiding such incidents (slow pass and then partner's dubious action). Passing was probably an overreaction on my part. How did it work out?

Vul: Dlr:	--  10983  10962  K10984
AKJ973  AK5  3  AJ3		2  QJ42  AK875  Q62
	Q108654  76  QJ4  75

West	North	East	South
--	--	--	1
2	Pass*	Pass	Pass**

* Slow

** Too much of an overreaction

My poor partner. He was sitting and waiting for a double by me. He's still waiting. Next time, he'll just have to try to pass in tempo. On the other hand, I have sympathy. That 2 bid by South (yuk!) created quite a surprise for West. He thought of bidding 6NT, but eventually made that slow pass. We beat 2 6 tricks for plus only 300.

At the other table, with East-West silent, West played in 6NT down one and our team won 8 IMPs. Next time, though, I'm doubling--I'd be able to live with myself (like I said, I would double 101 times out of 100 with a singleton in their suit).

Read about 4 "serious/lesson" deals from Hilton Head next month.