THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 19, 22 July 1933, Page 9

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Weekly Chat on Contract .Specially Written for "The Evening Post" by "Approach Bid." Minimum, no-trump responses when opening bidder calls one in a suit, and subsequent procedure if opening bidder calls again.

As opening bids of one in a suit are, under the Approach-forcing system, made on hands whose honour strength ranges from the minimum of 2J honour tricks to the maximum of. s£.honour tricks, a response by the partner must be made if possible (especially if the second hand has passed), even .on hands that do not quite fulfil the obligation of li honour tricks in two.suits. The reason fpr this is that the opening hand must be given a chance to'bid again, if he lias any further information1 to give regarding his .hand. He may wish to do any one of three things:—

1. Show a second suit, hoping it may fit his partner's hand , better than the first suit called. 2. Support. the partner's ■ no:trump take-out.

3. Kebid-his own. suit,

1. Showing a Second Suit. ExampleOpening bidder, holding Spade 8.6., Heart A.K.J.9., Diamond 9.8., Club A.K.J.7.2., bids one club." hand holding ■ Spade, A.9,7.3.,. Heart Q. 10.7.4., Diamond. 10.7.5.2.,' Club 6, takes out into one no-trump, aa lute minimum response (shade under 1* honour tricks). Opening bidder then calls' 2 hearts. The responding hand, so weak in. support of the club call, now has a strong supporting hand for the heart call, and the result is a game bid in hearts-by him. If the responding hand has support for neither of; the'suits called by the opening bidder,'he must decide which of them suits his hand better, and respond accordingly. Thus, if he* lias, say, 3 small trumps in the first suit called and only 2.in. the second (e^en, if one of the trumps is an honour) he must revert to the opening bidder's first bid. With an equal number of tru«ips in both the suits, he must still revert to the first one called, it being! his partner's first choice. With only 2 trumps in the first call, and three in the second, he allows the second call to stand.

Example: Opening hand calls one heart, holding Spade 7.6., Heart A.Q.J.7.2., Diamond K.Q.J.6.3., Club 5. Besponding hand holding Spade A.8;5;3., Heart 9.6.3., Diamond 8.7., Club Q. 10.8.7. calls one no-trump. Opening hand now calls 2 diamonds, and responding hand holding support in neither ; suit, but being slightly stronger in hearts than in diamonds, calls 2 hearts. Had ho held 3 small diamonds and only 2 hearts he would allow the diamond bid to stand. This is .called "shbwrng-prefer-ence," and will not be mistaken by the opening bidder for a supporting bid. If the opening bidder has called a

second suit after an opponent's intervening bid, the responding, hand,1 even if ho has already passed, is called upon to sho.w a preference if the opponent on the left of the ogoning bidder after making his call passes the second call of the opening bidder,' but if the opponent bids again the responding hand will not speak again. , . ■

2. Supporting the Partner's No-trump Call.—The opening bidder may: havo called on a four-card suit with a hand containing, from 2J up to as many a» 5 honour tricks (even occasionally 5J with even.distribution). After, hearing a response even of. a minimum one notrump from his partner, the opening bidder can raise the no-trump bid according to the honour strength in his own hand, if a minimum holding, he will allow the one no-trump to stand, but if a 4 or 5 honour trick holding, will raise the bid to 2 or 3 ; no-trumps.

3. Rebidding the Suit.—lf the opening has a strong 5-card or longer suit, lie will, after hearing a minimum one no-trump response from his: part* ncr, rebid his own suit. "Responding hand holding, a minimum ■ must not speak again.' (The minimum trump requirements for -a ■ suitt,'"rebid ar» A.X.10.x.x.,' or A.Q.l'O.xlx1. in the suit.) 'If the opening bidder.is overcaU^d. by the-second hand, the responding hand is released from the responsibility of speaking oh "a" weak- hand, as the bidding has been kept '0pef1 :.%y,., the opponent's intervening:>bid;.* Any call made by the responding, hand-pyer the second hapd's. caHVmqsifcihaje }«»»«! strength, as it is then a.freeTesppiife. Ifytb'e,' opening7han'd';irds}6nerpl ;a-«uit, the responding hand, even though h« has adequate .trump support. i; i(3, to * Queen or 4"small trumps) anall} honour tricks in .the hand, must; respond with one. oio-trump instead of; raising his partner's suit call if his hand i» of balanced distribution, that is to say, 4.3.3.3. or 4.4.3.2. In a hand of this type there are no ruffing or length! values to make up the required number of playing tricks to raise the trump bid.

Example: Opening hand callsvl dia« mond, holding Spade X.6., Heart 8.7.6., Diamond A.X.9.8.6., Club Q. 10.3. Responding hand holding Spade A.7.5.3., Heart Q.J.5., Diamond Q. 3.2., Club 9.8.4., calls one no-trump. The hand, though . holding adequate trump support, and 1$ honour tricks, counts only 2f playing" tricks, not; e.nough for a raise in partner's- trump suit, but, a minimum one no-trump. take-out. It is most important to recognise this point, as the - opening bidder's first, call very often, is. a: four-card suit call,, and if so, the combined hands will play ■ much better at the no-trump call.; , ,

(Paste these notes in a book for further

reference.)