43  Hand reversal

This of course means declarer treating the dummy as “hand” and her hand as dummy. When should we do it? Whenever it works out better that way. But there are things to bear in mind. Remembering our golden rule to trump in dummy but not in hand, it’s now needful to do it the other way round, providing that our new “hand” is capable of drawing the opposing trumps. Hmmm…

Jacoby Transfers have been around so long now that few people can remember that before they came in, if partner opened 1NT and you feared its safety because of your poverty but held a long suit, you just bid your suit (any suit but clubs) and opener had to pass it. So the weak hand played the contract. Transfers makes the 1NT opener play the contract, and the advantage is that the opening lead will not now go through strength but come up to it. And a holding like Kxx is always better fourth in hand rather than second. Fine, let’s play transfers.

So we all have often played such a hand in 2H or 2S, but have we always realised that this is a case for dummy reversal – every time? Many and many a time have I watched a declarer trumping in the long hand, supposing it to be dummy. No, Sir or Madam, it’s your hand you should be trumping in.. (Not that there’ll be many opportunities to dummy-ruff in a balanced hand.) Use the apparent dummy to draw trumps and in every way treat it as declarer’s hand.

A cynic once said that you can take a bridge player to the table, but you can’t make them think. If you haven’t before, please think about this matter.

Postscript. When partner opens 1NT and you have a 5-card major, don’t automatically panic and bid 2D/2H unless you are really weak. With 7-10 points, pass. Your 5-carder’s length will help your partner to get 1NT, possibly with an overtrick, and played in hearts, will usually make the same number of tricks. Which scores higher when seven tricks are made – 2H (-50) or 1NT (+90)?  Or if 8 tricks made, 2H (+110) or 1NT (120)? Er…. Never fall in love with a five-card suit.