THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

INTERESTING BIDDING SITUATIONS

During almost any game of contract three or four really interesting hands can usually be collected by a player with a good card memory. The two examples which follow are of particular interest, as being positions that do not often occur, and which called for keen judgment in bidding. , , „ - Hand No. 1:

North's opening bid of three notrumps was not forcing of course, but it showed a hand -' very powerful' in honour tricks without a biddable suit, and was in the nature of a slam invitation. (An opening bid of three j notrumps indicates a hand containing from oi to 6 honour-tricks'; but that is not all. There must be eight suro tricks'in honours, as, for instance, spades A.K.x., hearts A xxx, diamonds A.K.Q., clubs A.K.x). North's opening bid therefore should have been two notrumps, not three. There is nothing to be lost by this bid as, if his partner has,one and a plus honour-trick he will raisei to, game, if .he cannot bid a suit, and if he .has not. even sufficient strength in the hand to do this, ther# is very little chance of \a three notrump contract meeting with success. On the other hand, a favourable response from the partner gives the information looked for, and unless the player is independent of his partner, he should.give him a chance to speak. .After the opening three no-trump bid South saw that there must be a slam between the two hands, whether a small or a grand slam, he could not as yet tell. : He knew that North's hand was very strong in Aces and Kings, but just which Aces and Kings he did not know. As his own spades* were only Queen high, he' had to find out what his partner held in the suit. To rush 1 into a small slam, without first obtaining, this knowledge would have been bad tactics. South therefore bid five spades, one more than was necessary. This bid served two purposes —it encouraged North to bid for a slam, and at the same time gave him the chance to use the five no-trump convention if his hand fulfilled the requirements. North, holding three Aces and the King of the bid suit, duly responded with five ndtrumps. As the spade was the only suit called, and South himself held the Ace >of clubs, it followed that North must hold the Ace and King of spades. With this important point decided, South bid seven spades, and made the grand slam. ,On North's opening three ho-trump bid South felt reasonably sure.that he would be able to discard his losing diamond on the King of clubs, which ho

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placed in his partner's hand. When North's hand was tabled,. South received rather an unpleasant Mrprise, as the clubs were to the Queen, jack, ten, and not to the King. However, there was one hope, but one only. After drawing trumps, South led the Queen of clubs from dummy. East did not cover, and fijouth had to put his the trick. He then put the lead into dummy once more, and led the Jack of clubs. East did not cover, and South discarded his y seven of diamonds on this trick as his ' only hope, for, unless the. King of clubs nvas with .East, the contract must be set., Had East covered the,. Jack, the result would have been the same of course, as..after trumping the King of clubs, the ten of club's in JSTorth'shand ■ would have provided the necessary discard of the losing diamond. 'Hand No. 2:—

This hand is remarkable in that, first North and then South were able to show their positions regarding the spade, suit, North's overeall in. that suit indicating control of the first round of the suit, and South's overeall in the suit at a later stage of the bidding showing a void.;,-■ After South's .opening bid of one club, North, with 4} honour-tricks, immediately saw prospects of a slam, in spite .of West's intervening bid of one spade. After ; some considerationhe made the bid of two spades (an immediate overcall in the opponents' suit), which, after partner has opened the bidding, guarantees control" of; the first round t of' the adverse' suit, and; further, indicates the possibility of a' slam if the opening hand has any further values. This bid is absolutely, forcing to game. South showed a second biddable suit by calling three-hearts, after which North called his' own' suit—four diamonds. South then realised that a slam was within reach, and made the clever bid of four spades, which at this stage showed no possible loser in the suit. North, Holding the Ace of spades himself, at once knew that his partner had a void in the suit, and also that he was encouraging a slam bid. With three Aces and the King of a suit bid by, the partners, North next bid five notrumps. South responded with six diamonds. Being quite uncertain of the position of the King of hearts, which he thought would probably be held by, West, who had made the bi.d in spades, he did not dare to bid seven diamonds, but North, after receiving the support of his partner in diamonds, was able to bid the grand slam in that suit.