NEW CONVENTION WINS POINTS

Press, 21 July 1976, Page 10

NEW CONVENTION WINS POINTS

The language of bidding is restricted to 38 expressions or phrases, the contracts themselves — such as one club, two hearts, etc. — and the words pass, double and redouble In order to make the best possible use of this limited vocabulary, thinking players try to give precise meanings to otherwise idle bids. What for instance, would your partner mean if. to your one spade opening bid. he responded with four diamonds? At first sight, he would have little interest in spades, a lot of diamonds and limited high card strength; but how often do such hands occur?

In any event there are probably better ways to describe them without making pre-emptive bids that stand more chance of obstructing one’s own side than the opponents. Many partnerships have adopted the American idea of splinter bids. Jumps to four clubs, diamonds or hearts in response to an opening bid of one spade, and similar leaps to four of a minor or to three spades in reply to one heart, all show a specific kind of hand. It contains good trump support, sufficient high-

card values to underwrite a game contract, no good side suit and a shortage, either a singleton or a void in the suit called; in other words a hand that would be very difficult to describe in any other way. This deal from the Canterbury Main Centre Pairs Tournament, run.this year by the Christchurch Contract Bridge Club, will serve as a very good

good slam contract, but W. Kun and B. Simpson reached it in fine style:

When South opened one spade, North had a more or less ideal hand for a

splinter bid. After the jump to four diamonds, the opener was resolved to finish in at least a small slam but temporised with a cue bid of four hearts. When North had no more to add and signed off in four spades, South bid six.

After winning the opening diamond lead with dummy’s king, the declarer came to hand with the king of clubs. He led a small spade and when West played low, he put in dummy’s 10 in the hope that the king was on-side.

But East won the trick and returned a club. South won, drew a second round of trumps, and led a heart from dummy.

When East followed with a small card, (he declarer played the jack, which held the trick. The king of hearts came next, then the ace of diamonds. A diamond ruffed in dummy, provided the entry to cash the ace of hearts. On this, the declarer’s last small club went away, and the rest of his hand was high. By winning one out of two finesses, the declarer had landed his small slam. At most tables the auction consisted of two bids, one spade from South

and four spades from North. The opener was left with a strong desire to bid on, but generally passed, fearing that his partner held something like: A A J 10 7 6 4 63 4 QJ 1094 A J In this event any advance over four spades would have landed the partnership at the uncertain five level, with at least one loser in hearts and possible losers in trumps and diamonds. The use of the splinter bid enables some distinction to be made between two types of game-going hands, the one based on high cards and distribution and the second on distribution almost solely. In a field of mixed standard scores fluctuated wildly, and the lead changed hands every session. The winners who were certainly the most consistent partnership, were Mrs J. Evitt and W. A. Sadler (Christchurch); the runners-up were Mrs J. Jones (Otago) and Mrs R. P. Kerr (Christchurch). The third place was won by Mrs R. J. Eckersley and Mrs J. Thomas, also from Christchurch.

example: N. A A J 10 7 6 V A63 ♦ K ♦ 10 8 7 5 W. E. A 2 A K3 V 10852 V Q974 ♦ Q1053 2 ♦ .198 6 A J 9 3 A Q62 S. A Q98 54 KJ ♦ A74 A AK4 Not many pairs bid the

s. W. N. E. I* No 4> No 4V No 4A No 6A All Pass