THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Weekly Ch at oh Contract

Sp-ciallv Written for "Thf Post" by "Approach Bid" '.. I

: : : . THZ ASKING' BID ." ■

; Two examples of the asking bid and responses are illustrated in the hands given below: : The bid'is: used after a favourable .first response from the partner jn the hope of reaching a slam if the two hands fit. The responding hand's answer-to the asking bid will direct the further bidding, if any. ' THE RAISE IN THE ASKED SUIT. 4> A.6.3. , ' ff Q. 9.5.3. >X.l. ; 4k'K.i0.8.5. . .. ♦ 10.9.5.4. North. I * S.T. * 10- U 5 »8.4. 4Q. 3.9.7.2. U &\ ♦ A.10.5.6.3. Jft J. 9.4. .. I , South. [ Q. 6.3.2. 4> K.Q.J.2. 9 A.K.J.7.6.2. ; ■ ■■-: ■■. ♦■s: ■ ■ . ■ ■■ *A.7. ' ■ South dealer. The bidding :— South. West. • North. East. 1 ¥ ■■ I'ass 3 Pass 3 4> (1) (asking) Pass 4 ▲ (2) Pass 5 Jf, (3) (asking) Pass '6 A (4) Pass ■' 6~* (5) ■■-••' : ■ : > -- ■-■■■■ ■-'■■< I:lv'.'South's';threfi-spade. bid> after his partner's ; double raise definitely ; establishes:^he' trump suit as:hearts and'at the same time asks His! partner' a^questipn■ as -to his specific holding in.'the spade' suit. In this case South can make. the.; artificial' bid in the' new suit -.at; the range 'of: .'three instead "of four. ■;■■ (The same position,would occur if the opening bid were one club and a partner's.response w4re three clubs. A bid_ of three diamonds', three-hearts, or three spades by the opening bidder would; be an asking bid.) ■ ' - „ • . .2. North, holding the.Ace of spades, gives, a raise in :the asked suit, the only response ; he is entitled to make; 'under the convention. ■'< ■■■■'■■ : -.:■•< •.■■■- 3/ South now knows that his-partner cannot have the Ace of clubs. as well as the .Ace. of spades,-.or his response would have been ; four no-trunips: (If the; responding; hand; ;hqlds: two Aces, one of which is in the asked suit,- he responds with; four hd-trunips," but if they . are r both ..outside Aces, secondround control in the'asked suit"as' well is, necessary.) Eleven.trices are, now certain,' arid.' all South wants to know is "what.North holds in the club suit, as,, if if is' a singleton, or the King; a small slam can be called, but if North's clubs happen to be headed by Queen, Jack, the slam bid is risky. However, South cati make a second asking bid in clubs —5 clubs. . 4. North, holding the King'of clubs, can raise .the asked suit—6 clubs. Lacking the King or a singleton his response would be 5 hearts.. '5. The Ace of diamonds is now the

only losing trick, and South bids 9 hearts. . '■■*■■■:-.,' > ■ '■■ . ' A siGN~-OFF. ■ -■■■ : • ' 4k Q. 10.7.5., ■ , ;■ -: ■ ' " ; V K.Q.J. $-7.3. : , . ... :; , $ K.Q.G.2. ♦G- . North. I * B=3. 9 8.G.5.2. ' - . _ ■' 9 10.9.4.1 • K.TO:S.4. | :. =-^ j. 9 : 5 . - ,£, J. 10.9.7. • [ South. ■1 ' £ A.5.4.5. , •' 4» A.K.J.9.4.2. 9 aj. ■ -. 4 A.Q.6.2. *.-5. South dealer. The bidding :— South. West.. North. East. ~1,4k " ' Pass 3 4k. Pasi 4 $ (1) (asking) Pass 4 £'(2)' Past' Pass ' . ' Pass ' ' 1. Following North's double raise ia spades, Souths four diamonds is an. asking bid, to which North must respond.' ' _ . . ~" / 2. North cannot make any of the encouraging responses- provided for under the asking-bid convention, as' his hand does not fulfil the requirements for any; one. of. them. ; He therefore signs off by rebidding the trump suit at. the lowest level—4 spades. South reads from this response .that North has neither the King nor a' singleton diamond, so that >he must have at least two losing diamonds, and . South also has losing cards in the same suit. Eyeri. if North holds the. Ace of clubs, the diamonds are still a stumbling block, so that it would be dangerous to bid a small slam. . ' ■ Suppose that instead of" the King, Queen of clubs, and two diamonds North held the Ace of clubs and [a singleton diamond. Although ' the honour-trick value of his hand and the trump support remain the same, its distribution, combined with firstoourid control of the club suit, would make it a much more valuable hand for his partner than North's hand in the above example. The bidding between North •and' South would go:— ■ South. " North.". '"' 1 * ■*♦.-■■• .. 4 (asking) ' s£, ' > 5 9 (X) (asking) , c M (2) :.'♦■ ■'. .": ./. ' 1. Having received satisfactory in. formation from North as; to his'holding in diamonds and clubs. South now wants to know if his partner holds the King of heart's, the key card to a grand slam, or a singleton heart, .which is just as valuable. He therefore makes a second asking bid in hearts. :•> .. 2. North, holding the King of hearts, raises the asked suit, hearts, to six. South, satisfied now that he need not lose a trick, bids 7 spades. If North had not held the King of hearts, his response to the second asking bid would be 5 spades, when South' would bid a small instead of a grand slam in spades. ■ -. -