A hand that shows how hard a game bridge is or is it Hanging on the Telephone

 Good morning folks 

I spotted a hand while doing my rounds this morning. It shows one of the greatest ever pairs to play at a bridge table not just in Ireland but recognized as serious opponents in any decent bridge playing country in the world. In one book I picked up one time the an early chapter talked of two opponents searching a players international shirt to find the names of his opponents. Finding nothing he emerged with the words " Mr Nobody you play awful well"

Anyway on the hand above we see Mr Redmond open a Precision 1D opening and Mr Fitzgibbon bangs out a fairly normal 4S bid. It can be aimed at making or as a sacrifice. Depends what partner has. Mr Gaynor puts what looks to be a penalty double on this but it must be unclear or not fully discussed as Mr Redmond bids 5D. Surely Mr Redmond should bid 5C as this is one of the suits shown by a negative double. This is passed back to Mr Mesbur who produced a 5S bid which was not a success given North South had 5D down on trumps alone. 

Now Redmond and Gaynor are regular above average performers in Irish national competitions so you would expect the 5D bid not to happen. Even more certain is the expectation of the 5S bid not to happen when holding enough trumps to take 5D down. 

So if  a capable Irish pair and a world renowned Irish pair have issues on bidding competitive hands then the ordinary Joe and Mary Soap will have many issues. So when Covid Doog and Covid 3000  appear banging out 70% games every night one has to wonder what kind of Bridgebase they got. 

Or maybe as Blondie used to sing 

Hanging on the Telephone