The Aces on Bridge: Sunday, March 4th, 2018
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I recently had two five-card majors and opening values opposite a two-no-trump opener twice in one week — after never having had this problem before in my life. I was not really sure how to bid it, in terms of looking for the best slam or a grand slam. Kite Flyer, Durham, N.C. A simple approach is to transfer to spades, then jump to six hearts. Or you could transfer to hearts and bid spades to keep the auction low, find a fit (or not), then follow up with Key-card Blackwood, or with five no-trump as a choice of slams.
As dealer, I picked up this hand: ♣ A-4, ♥ 8-7-6-5-3-2, ♦ A-7, ♣ K-10-6, and because of the outside honors, I reluctantly opened one heart. When my partner showed game-forcing values and a fit with a jump to two no-trump, I signed off at game and actually made six. Was one heart the right opening bid, or was I just lucky that my partner had so much help? Quality Street, Elmira, N.Y. It is generally more important to have trump length than strength. Your opening bid was impeccable, and the sixth trump is a great asset in any slam sequence. Things are very different when considering pre-empting, by the way. For the record, give me the club ace instead of the king, and I might rebid three of my major to show extras. This hand has great slam potential once you have 10 or more trumps.
Under what circumstances would you lead a card other than fourth-highest against no-trump, assuming you do not have a sequence? When do you lead second-highest? Great Expectations, Helena, Mont. I like to lead low or top from three small, not the middle card — and I would lead the top card only when I thought it was unambiguous from the bidding. From four cards, I lead small or second-highest (as long as the top two cards are not touching). But I often lead fourth-highest, even then, because the count is frequently as important as the honor position to my partner. |
Holding ♠ J-2, ♥ 9-7-6, ♦ Q-8-4, ♣ A-Q-10-7-3, I’m sure you would not overcall two clubs over one heart, but how much more would you need to act? Say you pass and hear one no-trump to your left, and partner bids two diamonds. What should you do now over a two-heart bid on your right? Donnie Darko, Hartford, Conn. I’d overcall if the club three were the king; also, you could persuade me to act if the diamond four were the ace. A two-level overcall should be six cards or a really good five with opening values, but sometimes I fall from grace. On the auction you give, a call of three diamonds is pessimistic; a bid of three clubs (if played as lead-directing, with diamond fit) makes good sense.
Please discuss the correct way to go about bidding hands that fall into the two-no-trump range, with three four-card suits and a singleton? Is it ever acceptable to open two no-trump with such hands? If not, what are the options? Warp Factor Five, Albany, Ga. With 20 HCP and this pattern, I’d try to avoid opening two no-trump. Paradoxically, it can be easier to reach slam or game by opening at the one-level and finding a fit cheaply. (Having said that, you may also find yourself in one of a minor and go down, with a making game elsewhere — that happens when partner has a bust with five or six cards in a suit that you have length in). With 21 or 22 and a singleton honor, a call of two no-trump might be the least lie, but I do try to avoid that if I can. |
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to Kite Flyer
in clubs, must go to 6 but nothing to gain, everything to lose, by going to 7, in my opinion
I have experienced good results, mostly, perhaps a bad result for five good ones, in a Moysian fit.
the Auction goes
partner is dealer n example
P – P – 1m -P
1M- P -P – P
where m is minor and M is major.
I have only 3 cards in partner suit, minimum minimorum opener, 3rd hand, and partner could not open.
I know odds are in favor of a Moysian fit, but occasionally, I would say often, perhaps 25-30% of the time, we will find 8 cards.
I surely will pass.
Please comment
thanks
Hi Peter,
IMO, only in rubber bridge (for stakes) may your prophecy be the majority opinion. Yes if there is some questions which can not be accurately answered, like good play for all 13 tricks, with of course all 1st round controls, then merely settle for a small slam since when the bidding starts with 2NT, in order to select the right suit from two 5 carders will usually prevent, even a top partnership, from having enough bidding room to know enough to decide.
However, when competing in a high-level field, at either IMPs or just matchpoints, it becomes bridge suicide to not make every effort to exchange enough information before deciding between a small or grand slam.
Simply put, don’t be greedy at money bridge, but when playing tournaments and against good competition the price for guessing wrong costs every bit as much as the reward gained for being right.
And at matchpoints particularly, it becomes IMO a very close 50-50 deal what to do while at IMPs it will figure out close to 60-40 in favor of being conservative (depending on vulnerability about 17 to 13 when vul and slightly less, about 14 to 11 when NV.
The above is all part of having a numerate mind often necessary to ease quickly into high-level bridge once one learns the earlier necessities.
Hi again Peter,
Sorry, but I did not know that you alone, were making both comments.
I agree with you that playing a 4-3 fit is somewhat like learning to ride a bike, once learned, never forgotten and thus I not only might pass partner (holding only three cards for his major suit) once he has originally passed and I have opened a minimum in 3rd or 4th position, but I then, if having a full opening (or slightly more) would not hesitate to raise a major suit with only three, knowing full well that we may have only seven between us.
Remember, if the 4 card holding responder bids again he will not rebid his 4 card suit, but rather go forward either in another suit, support for my original opening or of course, everyone’s favorite, NT.
The fact that you have had close to 80% good results for playing seven card fits either bodes well for your declarer play or is evidence that your opponents are perhaps under average as defenders.
In any event I heartily approve of your tactics and only wish other aspiring players would adopt your style of bidding.
IMO, to not do so, is to cherish way too much the so-called comfort zone of 8 trumps for declarer, which I think is much too conservative and therefore non-percentage.
I suggest more aspiring players to try yours and my style more often. They may like it!