BRIDGE NOTES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21826, 4 July 1936, Page 11

BRIDGE NOTES

“ASKING BIDS” (SFXCIAU.T WBITTXH FOE THE FBEBS.) [By WILLIAM SHACKLE-] Ely Culbertson is now favouring a new bid, which is called the “asking bid,” in order to obtain better results when bidding hands capable of slams. This new vogue is, if anything, even more complicated than most othe£ systems, and it is certainly more artificial. So many dub players, however, use Culbertson -systems that it is important that they should, as far as possible, be familiar with this new bii An “asking bid” is an artificial bid in any suit other than the agreed trump suit; that is, any suit which has been confirmed by partner’s first bid. The following are “asking bids”:-*-(1) Any bid in a new suit, at the level of four or higher, when the ultimate trump suit has been agreed to by a raise. (2) Any unnecessary jump to f«sur or higher in a new suit when both partners have made some bid, and when a forcing bid at a lower level was available. (3) A hid of the opponent’s suit at the first opportunity, provided partner has fiiade some bid. and provided the opponent’s suit is bid at the lowest possible level. There are, of course, exceptions, but generally speaking this bid should hot be employed till the bidding -has reached four. It must also be understood that when two suits have beep called by partners the second suit must be considered as the agreed suit. For instance, should the bidding go thus; — A B 1 Diamond 2 Diamonds 2 Hearts 3 Hearts a bid of four clubs from A would be an “asking bid,” and the agreed suit would be hearts. Or again;— A Y B Z 1 Diamond 1 Heart 1 Spade 2 Clubs Should A now bid two hearts or three clubs such bid would be an “asking bid.” with spades as the agreed suit. The following summary of correct responses is as given by Ely Culbertson:— “The object of the 'asking bid’ is to discover whether your partner has first or second round control of a suit in which you have one or more losers. His responses are summarised as follows: “(1) Lacking second round control (a guarded king or a singleton)-, or, although having second round control, lacking an ace or a void, he signs off by returning to the agreed trump suit at the lowest possible level. “(2> With second round control in the asking suit and one ace or void in a side suit, he bids the suit in which he holds the ace or the void. “(3) With second round control in the asking suit and the ace of the agreed trump suit, jump one trick in the trump suit. “(4) With the ace of the asking suit and no outside ace or void, raise in the asking suit. “(5) With second round control in the asking suit and two outside, aces, cr with the ace of the asked suit and one outside ace. bid no trumps at the same level as the ‘asking bid.’ “(6) With second round control of the asking suit and three outside aces, or with the ace of the asked suit and two outside aces skip one trick in no trumps.”