THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 17

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

THIRD-HAND STRATEGIC BIDS

The player who is third hand, after two passes, and whose hand is below normal biddable strength, may reasonably expect that the fourth hand will be strong enough to make a bid, and that his opponents together will hold the major portion of the outstanding strength. In order to get in the first blow, to interfere with the opponents' bidding, also to indicate the opening lead against a possible no-trump contract, the third-hand player can make a strategic opening bid on a hand containing one and a half to two honourtricks and a fairly strong trump suit." This strategic bid is an "anticipated'' defensive bid, anticipating an opening bid by the fourth player if there are three passes, and is based more upon playing strength than upon honourtricks. The hand should be safe under the rule of two and three, which is that you must be within three tricks of your contract if not vulnerable and within two tricks if vulnerable when your partner has made no bid. The third-hand player when considering this opening bid should remember that his partner will not know it for a strategic bid, and will respond as to any regular opening bid. At the same time the partner must allow for the possibility of such a third-hand bid, particularly if not vulnerable, and should not be too optimistic just because lie happens to have passed on a fair hand. No strategic third-hand bid should be made when the suit is ragged and cannot stand an opening lead from the partner. The following hands are examples of good third-hand opening bids:— £ E.Q.8.7.5.4. 96. + Q.J.9. £ 9.7.6. 4 8.5. 9 Q.d.3. + a)q.j.B.s. 4tJ.9.r. Another type of hand on which a third player, not vulnerable, can make a light opening bid without running much risk, is shown in the following hand, which was played in a teams-of-j four match:— | 4 J.T.5.J,

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in, whereas in Room 2 eleven tricks are made at no-trumps. Although West, as dealer, has passed, East, after North's pass, should bid one spade. East-West are not vulnerable, and an opening bid by East will at least give his partner another chance to bid, should he hava passed on a hand of fair strength. East's hand has some strength in both the major suite, with fair defenstevalues against an opposition minor-suit call. At the same time he is pre* pared for any response his partner may make if the fourth hand passes. Many games are thrown away when the opening hand is just short of a bid, and the partner's hand also is slightly under bidding strength. The fourth, player, after three passes, will certainly not open the bidding unless he has a powerful hand, and his opponents are left lamenting. It may happen occasionally that the third-hand caller will be doubled by the fourth hand, and the double be left in for penalties, but the risk is worth taking. A PASS OUT OF TURN. A doubtful point regarding the rule governing a pass out of turn has been cleared up by Mrs. Culbertson in reply to a correspondent, who asks: "If a player passes out of turn before a bid has been made, is the penalty exactly the same as though the pass were made after a bid had been made?" The answer is "No." The penalty when a player passes out of turn before any bid has been made is that he must pass at his next turn to call. The penalty for a pass after a player ha* already made a bid is that the irregular pass is cancelled, the auction reverts to the player whose regular tuna it was to call, and the offender's partner must pass whenever it is his turn t» call.