Handbook - International Bridge Press Association

South West North East
1 Pass 1 1♠
2 2♠ 4 4♠
?
The reason that you are tempted to bid over four
spades is that you have failed to describe your hand
adequately thus far. Therefore, although partner is
theoretically the captain, you don't know whether or
not to trust his decision. (He probably thinks you have
more defense and less offense than you actually
have.) A recurring theme in this series has been that it
is vital to describe the character of your hand early in
a competitive auction. You can then trust partner's
high-level decision. In this case, you should have bid
four hearts over one spade. I believe this should show
a hand short on high cards, but long on tricks.
This four heart bid is just one example of a call that
means one thing in a constructive auction (strong
hand, 20+ points) but which should mean another
thing in competition (distributional hand, minimum
high-card strength). Another example is the fit showing
jump we discussed in the previous article (September
1978). In general, jumps in competition should be
used to describe distributional hands; powerful balanced
hands can be handled by cue-bidding.
After describing both the character and the
strength of your hand early in the auction, you can
place confidence in partner's later high-level decision.
He will be captain, and you will feel no need to violate
the Fundamental Law of Competitive Bidding. If you
never violate the Law, you will come out way ahead.
However, there are certain special situations in which
it is permissible for a limited hand to bid again. We
shall discuss these in the next article.
High-Level Bridge V
By Ed Manfield (USA)
L
ast month we discussed the Fundamental Law of
Competitive Bidding:
Once a trump suit has been found, a limited hand
can't bid again.
The Law should seldom be violated, but exceptions
do exist. The most common one occurs when you
have limited your hand with a raise, thus making
partner captain; but he has invited your participation
by bidding a new suit:
South West North East
1 Pass 1 1♠
2 2♠ 4♣ 4♠
?
118 IBPA Handbook 2010
South West North East
1 Dbl
2 3♠ 4♣ 4♠
?
In each auction South is limited. However, he is allowed
to bid over four spades if he has a good fit for
hearts and clubs.
Sometimes your hand character may call for another
bid, even though your strength is limited. This
can happen when a constructive auction suddenly
becomes competitive:
♠ 8 5 Q 9 6 3 9 8 ♣ K J 10 5 4
South West North East
1 Pass
2 Pass Pass 3
?
Your fourth trump and nice shape make three hearts
clear at any vulnerability.
If the auction begins one heart double, you can bid
three hearts immediately on this hand. Then let partner
do the rest. Conversely, if the auction begins:
South West North East
1 Dbl
2 Pass Pass 3
?
you are barred from bidding three hearts. You presumably
bid your whole hand the first time. Now you
can only pass (or double).
At times you will have been unable to show your
hand character the first time:
♠ 8 5 K J 6 2 9 8 4 ♣ K 10 5 4
South West North East
1 1♠
2 2♠ Pass Pass
?
Two spades and three hearts are both likely to make.
Therefore it is clear for you to bid again, even though
you are limited. But, if you held
♠ 8 5 2 K J 6 9 8 4 ♣ K 10 5 4
you would pass two spades. The reason it is right to
bid on one hand and not the other is that while two
hearts is fairly limited in terms of high-card strength, it
can be bid on many different distributions.
Personally, I believe that whenever possible, you
should describe your hand in one bid. Therefore, with
♠ 8 5 K J 6 2 9 8 4 ♣ K 10 5 4
it is preferable to bid three hearts directly over one
spade. This should show a weakish hand (6-9 dummy
points) with four trumps and a little shape. Stronger