BRIDGE NOTES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21714, 22 February 1936, Page 24

BRIDGE NOTES

<w —= PRE-EMPTIVE MINOR , SUIT BIDS (BFICULLT WKTTKir »0» TOT FRMS.) [By WILLIAM SHACKLE.] Opening with a five bid in a minor suit is far more common at auction, than at contract because of the large bonus for slam bid, and made, in the latter game. There are,. however, many hands dealt which would be far. better bid pre-emptively at five clubs,' or five diamonds than is. generally. Distributions of unusual length but lacking defensive value may be quite capable of making game, yet, if they are opened at one or two instead of five, it will be found that in most cases the opponents will be able ultimately to bid up to four or five of a mafor suit and force the minor suit holder to overbid his hand one, trick. If the long minor suit is headed by ace-king the position is ouite different., for in such a case the hand has some defensive value and quite possibly it would fit with partner's hand, and at least it would make a no trump declaration by an opponent impossible. At the same time there would be a good chance of a slam being obtainable if the hands fitted, so nothing should be done to risk a misunder-! standing with partner, thus a normal j bid is correct. , ~,,.„, ' With such a hand as the following it would be distinctly advantageous I to open with a pre-emptive bid of | five diamonds, as was demonstrated: recently at a large duplicate tburna- | ment. At this tournament only two j tables playing at positions YZ won, their bids, and in each case Z opened: with a bid of five clubs. At one table; he was doubled. Score YZ vulnerable, no jjcore in second game. Z dealt.

At several tables Z opened with either three or four clubs, out in every instance AR obtained the final bid with either four or five spades. Another similar hand which saved YZ from losing a rubber, at very small cost, by opening with five diamonds, further illustrates the point. Score as in previous hand. . ,

! Over Z's bid of five diamonds A bid five no trumps, but when Z raised to six diamonds A thought it "much better, policy to defeat the bid by a large margin than to risk a slam bid in no .trumps, so he doubled six. diamonds. Z was certainly two tricks down, but It was a very cheap save of rubber.