CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21807, 23 May 1934, Page 15

CONTRACT BRIDGE

HINTS FOR BEGINNERS MORE FORCING SITUATIONS BY FINESSE .Last week we dealt with the forcing opening two-bid in a suit, and in a previous article with the forcing takeout in a new suit. The third forcing situation is the jump rebid in a new suit, or the forcing rebid. It occurs when a player has opened the bidding and partner has made a regulation response—either a minimum take-out in a suit or no-trump. The opening hand, with additional honour-trick strength (about -i to 5 h.t.) and another biddable suit not vet mentioned in the bidding, can now make a forcing rebid, which neither partner may drop until •a game contract is reached. Thus: Opening hand Responding hand 1 spado 1 no-trump 3 diamonds < Three diamonds is a forcing rebid, to which the responding hand must answer, and both partners must keep open the bidding until a game declaration has been decided upon. The responding band is offered a choice of three possible game situations spades, no-trump or' diamonds. Exceptions to tlxis rule are: When either of the opponents has made an over-call of the opening bid and partner of the opener has passed, such as:

South West North East 1 heart 1 spade No bid Iso bid S diamonds South has made a strong rebid, an urgent invitation to bid, but the responding hand has disclosed that his hand is not even of sufficient strength to make a free raise. South probably has a quite powerful two-suiter. In this situation, however, the bid is not absolutely forcing; it is left to partner to use his judgment. Immediate Over-call in Opponent's Suit

This is the fourth forcing situation. The bid is forcing to game and requires the partner to respond, ISaturab, when an opponent has opened the bid ding, no effort should be made to force the reaching of a game declaration, except "with hands of tremendous honour and distributional strength, thus the strength reqiured for this bic must, generally speaking, be but little less than that for an opening forcing bid of two in a suit. At times, however an immediate over-call in an opponent's bid suit may be made on a hand containing a single powerful suit or a two-suiter, and in this situation the honour-strength may safely be reduced to about four honour-tricks ■plus. The immediate over-call of two in the suit bid by an adversary ordmarilv guarantees control of the hrst round of the adversely bid suit—that is, either the Ace or a void in the suit. However, it may sometimes be made when holding a singleton in the suit, because of the necessity of having a bid forcing to game after the opponents have opened the bidding, or to deceive opponents mto leading from gome other suit against an eventual slam contract. Illustrating the Over-call It is apparent from the logic of the situation that the following bid is forcing to, game:— South West North East . 1 diamond 1 heart Pass 2 diamonds This bid, where partner has made an over-call, is not an immediate overcall in , the bid suit, but it is also a forcing bid, which partner may not pass. It guarantees game at a declaration yet to be determined, and requires West to continue the bidding until a came contract is reached'. In the following situation, however, a forcing situation does not exist: South West North East 1 heart Double Pass 1 spade Pass 2 hearts Here West has failed to over-call at his first opportunity, but instead has doubled for a take-out; after his takeout doable, his subsequent bid of heaits is not a forcing bid, but discloses a strong playable heart suit. This is the proper procedure for disclosing a possible psychic bid by an opponent. It the opponent's bid suit is over-called bj partner immediately, the inference is that a void, an Ace, or at most a singleton of that suit is held by partner; but if partner, instead' of over-calling in opponent's bid suit, doubles first and subsequently over-calls with that suit, the inference is that the opponent has made a bluff bid in that suit. As an illustration: — Over ian opening bid of 1 spade, bid 2 spades on — Spades, —; hearts, K Q J 5; diamonds, ,A KQ9 2; Clubs, AQIO 9. Other Forcing Situations

There are -other forcing situations, viz.:—-The four no-trump over-call of an opponent's four bid, the four notrump and the five no-trump take-out or partner,'s bid, and also inferential forcing bid!?, but these can be left till a little later. The first occurs 'but rarely, and the four-five no-trump is used for slam bidding, which also is far from We will proceed now to Pre-emptive Bids Pre-emptive bids are opening bids of "three" or more of a suit, or "two or more no-trump, made before the opponents ha% r e called. They are made with the double object (a) of shutting out bids by the opponents, and (b) of enabling partner to raise to game contract with less than normal supporting strength. In minor suits bids of less than "four" are not effective shut-out bids; '/three" of a major are usually more so. Requirements: Do not preempt on less than six or seven cards of a suit, headed by high honours. A» in the case of two-suited hands the highcard strength required may be relaxed a little, but the probable trick value of the hand should amount to 7 or 8 playing tricks, with a minimum of 8 when vulnerable. It follows, also, that with opening suit bids of three and four additional trump support is not expected from partner, since it is practically established. An opening three bid generally promises some outside defensive strength, and an opening four bid. as «i rule, is of little value either in defence or in support of partner's takeouts. Opening two no-trump bids are not forcing, but demand a raise on slightly more than 1 honour-trick, or a take-out with a biddable five-card or any six-card suit, always provided there i<( roughly an honour-trick in the hand. The two no-trump opening is generally used on strong well-balanced liands, containing 4£ honour-tricks, or five when vulnerable, without a biddable suit. /

An opening three no-trump bid is made on a hand with about 8 sure tricks in honours, with all suits stopped, and without a biddable suit. Shut-out Bids with a Part-score Sinee i an opening two-suit bid to a part sco.ro is forcing, any bid higher than a game contract is a pre-emptive (shut-oyt bidV, and not a slam invitation. For instance, a bid of three spades with a part-score of 40 or 60 is a shutout bid; and is an attempt to prevent the opponents from exchanging information at-lower bids.