EMS

Monday evening when I played with Cristi there came a time when she opened 1 heart.  My RHO passed, and since I held only 7 HCPs and was void in hearts (with bad spades) this was cause for great concern. What if my LHO was loaded in hearts and also passed? Disaster! Should I come to the rescue and bid my suit, diamonds?  I was well aware that this would put us at the two level, causing my partner to think that I had a much better hand than I did.  This could put us on the road to somewhere we didn't want to go.  

I bid 2 diamonds.

The opponents came into the auction and we ended up playing defense.  Afterwards, while waiting for a table, one of the opponents, an A player, approached me.

"NEVER RESCUE YOUR PARTNER," she admonished, wagging her finger at me.

"But I was void in her suit."  My feeble attempt at self-defense fell flat.

"It doesn't matter.  Someone would have bid, and even if we didn't, she would be better off in her suit at the one level.  Never rescue your partner!"

Fast forward two days later, to the Wednesday afternoon game that I played with Julie.  There came a time when she opened 1 club.  My RHO passed, and since I had only 2 little clubs to add to her possible 3 clubs, this was cause for great concern.  I had five hearts but only 2 HCPs (although one of the jacks was a heart).  Should I bid my hearts?

Echoes of "NEVER RESCUE YOUR PARTNER" rang through my head. However, I knew that Julie really does not like to be left in 1 club. Should I listen to the A player or please my partner?

I bid 1 heart.

My LHO passed and Julie pulled out the "stop" card before she jumped in spades.  I had two spades and couldn't leave her in a 4 - 2 fit. Disaster! Oh boy, I thought as I bid 2NT, here we go.  Julie bid 3NT.

The bridge goddesses were smiling down at me and somehow I made the contract (it was a top board).  However, I did not take this as a sign to play EMS--we talked to a couple of other A players who also told us to NEVER RESCUE YOUR PARTNER!

So Julie and I agreed that there will most likely be some 1 club contracts in our future.