Pages 1-12 (3.1mb) - Mr Bridge

Stephen Cashmore SaysTwo Opening HandsShould Bid to GameConventional wisdom is that youneed about 25 points in yourcombined hands to take the ninetricks required for 3NT, 26-27 to makefour of a major suit (because you needan extra trick), and 28-29 to make five ofa minor suit (which entails taking twoextra tricks).It follows that, if partner opens thebidding with a value-showing bid, andyou also have an opening hand, simplearithmetic puts you in the region of 25points or more. You should thereforeensure the partnership bids to game.Of course, this is not true if partneropens the bidding with something thatshows less than opening values – easyexamples being a weak two bid or athree-level pre-empt. You need a stronghand to think about going to game ifpartner has advertised a weak hand.However, if partner makes a normalopening of, say, 1♥ or 1NT, and you toohave an opening bid, game should be“on the cards”.Let’s say you pick up this ordinarylooking selection:♠ 10 8♥ K J 10 2♦ K J 8 6♣ A J 5First in hand, you would no doubt open1NT. In fact, partner is first to speak andopens 1 (something). Your first thoughtshould be that, as you have 13 pointsyourself, you must make sure that thebidding gets to game.Here are some examples (you areEast):West North East South1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass1NT Pass 3NT EndOpposite 1♣ (or 1♦ if that is your style)from partner, you have an easy responseof 1♥. When he rebids 1NT, showing15-16 points, you simply jump to 3NTto end proceedings.West North East South1♥ Pass ?Curiously, it is harder if partner kicks offwith 1♥, your best suit. 2♥ and 3♥ areout – they are non-forcing limit bids. 4♥is also out – this is a pre-emptive bid,showing something like:♠ J♥ K 10 9 6 5 4♦ Q 7 5 2♣ 9 2To bid your actual hand, you will, if youdo not have a gadget like a Jacoby 2NT toshow a game-forcing raise, have to temp -orise with 2♦. You intend to bid 4♥ on thenext round. The key thing is to make a bidthat ensures that there is a next round, notone that poor partner might pass.West North East South1♠ Pass ?You also have a decision to make ifpartner starts with 1♠. You cannot bid2♥, as that promises five hearts. Youcould bid an immediate 3NT, but thatrisks missing a 4-4 heart fit, not tomention a possible slam if partner hasthe right hand. So, you try 2♦ again –abid to keep the auction open so that youcan see what partner bids next.In all three cases, the key point is thatyou can see immediately that you shouldbe bidding to game. You must thereforemake either a forcing bid, such as achange of suit, or bid game.Of course, we have all failed in 3NT ona combined 28 points, or a doomed 4♥with 30 points. Just because we knowwe should bid a game doesn’t mean weare going to make it! You just can’tafford to wait for a 100% contract.♠ 9 5 2 ♠ 10 8♥ A Q 8 N ♥ K J 10 2♦ A Q 2W ES ♦ K J 8 6♣ K 10 6 3 ♣ A J 5Here we see the combined cards for thefirst example. West opens 1♣, Eastresponds 1♥, West rebids 1NT and Eastjumps to 3NT. This is all very sensible,but neither player has a spade stopper –the defenders might very well take thefirst five tricks. What went wrong? Well,nothing really: East-West are unluckythat their red-suit honours are duplicatingeach other – but that is hard to diagnosein the auction. This is more typical:♠ Q J 9 7 5 ♠ 10 8♥ A Q 8 5 N ♥ K J 10 2♦ A 2W ES♦ K J 8 6♣ 10 6 ♣ A J 5Both members of the partnership have13 points – enough for an opening bid –and game is excellent. You would expectto reach 4♥ and make it losing twospades and probably a club. Even theinferior games of 4♠ and 3NT stand agood chance of making. In 4♠, youmight lose the same tricks as in 4♥. In3NT, you might well get away withlosing two spades and two clubs.So, if you and partner have 25 (ormore) points, you should bid up to agame somewhere. Remember: openingpoints + opening points = bid game. ■Page 12