The Game of Bridge

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 108, 8 May 1937, Page 19

The Game of Bridge

(Specially Written for "The Post" by

"Approach Bid.")

THE TWO-WAY THREE-BID

REVIEWED

When introducing the two-way threebid in April, 1936, Mr. Culbertson stated that he and his associates had analysed over one thousand special hands, with and without outside strength, while testing out this new bid, and that, while he had every confidence in the two-way three-bid, he had incorporated it provisionally in jthe Culbertson system until it could be more thoroughly tested in the light of general usage. After a year's* practical experience ;of the bid, some amendments are .announced, also two hew three-bids—the two-way response and the two-way overcall. In order to * clear up any doubts as to the trump requirements, the two> way three-bid always shows a six-card or longer suit in which there is not more than one possible .loser, and a hand containing at least seven sure winners: If '\ there is no outside strength, > there must be seven trump winners. If there are only, five trump winners, the hand must contain two outside winners. (Very occasionally an opening -.■•'.three-bid is permissible with a long but broken suit, if the hand contains seven winners.) i Some amendments have been made in the matter, of ,the. responses to an opening three^bift: ' | The requirements :for a response of three of a major ; to partner's opening bid of three in!.a minor suit are still a biddable five-card suit with at least one honour-trick-in the hand. ■ ' For all other suit responses, the requirements formerly were-^a five-card suit headed byj tw"p of the^ three top honours, and at least 2i honour-tricks in the hand.. The trump requirements have now been reduced, to a four-card suit headed by two of the top honours. Further, when the responding hand is very strong, even a three-card suitmay be bid, if there Ms no. better response available. : The four-no-trump response ot an opening three-bid required a hand containing about~4,honour4ricks including at least two-Aces.'. These requirements have proved to be too high, the result ■being that' the' four-no-trump response could seldom be/made. • It;can now ,be made with 3J honour-tricks if the hand has either three Aces, or two Aces and a trump face card. It is not necessary to have the King of, partner's suit, as the three-bid, having shown at least a six-card suit with four honours, even the Jack of trumps in the responding ' hand makes it certain that the suit is absolutely solid for slam purposes. , - . THE TWO-WAY RESPONSE. . A new feature of the three-bid is the two-way response, by means of which the responding hand can make a twoway three-bid. After } partner's opening bid of one in a suit, a double jump takeout of three in a suit by the responding hand is a two-way three-bid, as—North, 1 heart; South, 3 spades. (A singlejump take-out such as one heart—2 spades is an ordinary forcing takerduU. The two-way response shows a hand containing seven sure winners, and a suit which has only one possible loser at most. There may be outside strength. This response is forcing to game. Where the original bidder's hand is not very strong, he should consider v.hether to bid three n>trumps, or to raise the three-bid to four. Trump suppbrt is not needed for a raise. If his strength is concentrated in one or two suits, he should raise the suit bid;, if his strength is distributed over three suits, he should bid three no-trumps. if his own suit is very strong, he may rebid it. With a strong opening hand he 'can make a slam try, if he is able to employ the ' four-no-vtrump convention, or an asking bid. As the two-way response - sets the suit, just as if it were an "opening three-bid, any bid in a new, suit by the original bidder is an asking bid. Similarly any free rebid in a new suit by the three-bidder is an asking bid. ; For example:— t.— South. . ' 'North. 19 34 (two-way re-" 4 J,' (asking bid.) ' . sponse). 2 South. North. i* . ■ ■•'■■B4 ■■■ :- ;. 3N.T. 44 (asking bid). Souths response of three no-trumps In (2) being a game-call, four clubs is a free rebid. , THE TWO-WAY OVERCALL. When the bidding has been opened with a suit call of one, an opponent may use a, two-way overcall to show a solid suit and the type of hand on| which, -if opening bidder, he would have made a three-bid. To make a two-way overcall (a twoWay three-bid by a defender) the player must make a jump bid of three in his suit, whether it is a single jump as—North, 1 spade;* East, 3 hearts; or a double jump, as North, 1 club, East, 3 hearts. ■ ' The responses to the two-way overcall are about the same as to an opening three-bid. With a weak hand partner may pass; with 1 honour-trick or a ruffing-trick he raises; with a stopper in the opponent's suit, he bids three no-trumps. Witru 2 honour-tricks, he bids a suit of his own. This is less than is needed for a response to partner's opening, three-bid. The reason is that he is not likely to,have as much as 2J honour-tricks when an opponent has opened the bidding; and partner has hiade a,three-bid. If partner's twoAvay overjcall is in a minor suit, a response of three in a major may be made with a five-card biddable suit with 1 honour-trick in the hand. It Is easy to, recognise a two-way three-bid, if the following formula is employed:— . A bid of three is a two-way bid 1. When your side has opened the bidding—if the three-bidder has skipped a game force, as (a) making an opening bid of three in a suit instead of a forcing two-bid.' (b) After an opening bid of one in a suit, the responding hand jumps to three in bidding his suit, when the three-bid is not a forcing take-out. 2. When the opponents opened the bidding—if the defensive bidder has jumped to three. , Ivory may be washed In lukewarm soap suds made from good, plain soap. [f i there is much carving, use. a brush carefully, then rinse, dry, and polish. Salt and vinegar may be tried, after washing, if there are stains to remove, and the articles must be rinsed, dried, and polished afterwards. Chamois) leather is the best polisher. After washing in soap-suds, discoloured, ivory is improved by being left in the sunshine for a little while. Dip again and repeat the process.

When making curtains for several .windows, mark each pair with two coloured stitches, choosing a different colour for each pair. This makes it always easy to know the different pairs. •'