AUCTION BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 254, 26 October 1928, Page 6

AUCTION BRIDGE.

TWO-SUITER STRENGTH.

(By A. E. MANNING FOSTER.)

A correspondent in Cawnpore sends me an interesting hand. It occurred during the hot weather at the Cawnpore Club, where, he states, "the bidding at times is apt to become rcckless."

Score game all; A-B 10 in rubber game. B dealt and bid "Three Clubs"; Z, "Four Diamonds"; A, "Four Hearts"; Y and B, "No bid"; Z, "Four Spades"; A, "Five Hearts"; Y, "Double"; B, "Re-double"; Z, "Five Spades"; A, "Double"; all pass. With regard to the bidding I disagree with B's initial "Three Clubs." The bid of three of a minor suit is usually ineffective. I consider B should have called one Club or four or five Clubs. It is true that as the cards lay a pre-emptive bid would have been useless, as Z with his power, ful two-suiter was bound to take out, but that is no argument in favour of B's bid of three. It is a good rule that if you call at all in a. long minor you must pre-empt up to the hilt and bid at once four ov five of it. With Z's fine hand I should lmvc been in no hurry to try to shut out. It is obviously a hand of such strength that it is wiser to bid up gradually and invite a double.

A seems to have, been the cheery optimist throughout. A bid of four Hearts and subsequently five without hearing from his partner was a leap in the dark. He knew B held long Clubs but could not be sure that he held support in Hearts. Y's double of five Hearts was reasonable. B's re-double was bad because it warned Z that B held support in Hearts. But in any case Z was right to hid five Spades, as his hand was hopeless against Hearts.

A's double of five Spades looked on the face of it a sound proposition. He could expect reasonably to make at least three tricks in his hand. But as you will see, he could make only two tricks, viz., Ace and King of Spades, and Z made his doubled contract and game and rubber. lie could have made Ave Diamonds but not six. On the other hand A. could have made live Hearts, losing only two tricks in Hearts. In B's position I should have been inclined to bid six* Hearts after the doubled live Spades. If left in, as it would probafcfy have been, it would have been a cheap save for A and B. /, JP*? ha,,t * is interesting as showing the possibilities of a two-suiter with two blank suits. 1 do not regard it as an example of reckless bidding except the volunteer bid of five Hearts by A.