CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21855, 18 July 1934, Page 16

CONTRACT BRIDGE

HINTS FOR BEGINNERS SLAM INFERENCES

BY I'lN ESSE

So far we have dealt with most of the variations in bidding and the responses by partner in respect to game contracts—a rather dreary subject, perhaps; nevertheless all aspiring players should bo familiar with these recognised standards and the principles on which they are based. Thus only- can correct information bo exchanged between partners to enabjo them to arrive at the best final declaration lor the combined hands and the closest cstimato of their trick-making capacity. Wo now come to the post-game situation, where inferences drawn from the bidding and additional values in tlio two hands point to the possibility of a slam declaration The Culbertson "four-five no-trump" convention is a highly ingenious method of attack and, in addition, has negative inferences which discourage a final slam declaration, 011 account of the denial of the possession of all four aces. Any four no-trump take-out, either jump or gradual, is unconditionally foreFhg, and partner must respond at least once It is a slam try, but partners may sign off with a suit bid of five. It shows, aniQng other values that should justify a slam try, either (a) three aces, or (b) two aces and a king of any suit previously bid by either partner. The two hands should contain favourable distribution —an adequate trump suit, some other suit length and usually a short suit. In other words, the hands must have "body." The combined hands should contilin also about six and a-half honour tricks. The player should avoid jumping into a four no-trump bid so long as the game is not reached. Partner's Responses Partners responses should be: (a) If holding no added values for a six bid, he should sign off with a lower ranking suit, provided such suit lias previously boen bid by either partner; partner will, of course, 4 expect that such a suit may be quite unsatisfactory.

(b) If holding sufficient added values for a six bid, but only one aee in the hand, he should contract directly for six-odd in a suit previously bid by partner when no holds adequate trump support, failing which ho should respond with a lower ranking suit. (c) If his hand contains two aces, regardless of any other consideration, lie must unconditionally respond with five no-trump. Thus a five no-trump response is obligatory in responso to four no-trump whenever the player holds any two aces. When five no-trump is called directly (in the course of the bidding) without being preceded by a four no-trump bid by either partner, it is also unconditionally forcing, and shows at least three.- aces and the king of a suit previously bid by either partner. A five no-trump bid indicates, of course, that the player has already made up his mind to contract for at least a small slam at some bid and that, in addition, lie is indicating the possibility of a grand slam. Partner's responses are as follows: (a) If holding no added values lie signs olf with a bid of six in a suit for which he holds adequate support, failing which he bids a lower ranking suit which has been previously bicl. He may sign off, even though his hand contains . the fourth aco, if no added values are held.

(b) If holding added values, including an ace, he contracts directly for seven-odd in a.suit for which he holds adequate trump support. Slam Bidding

In signing off, when a choice is available between adequate trump support of partner's bid and a six-card or longer suit of his own, with not more than one loser, the player should, as a rule, prefer tho latter. Six no-trump is not a forcing bid, but a regulation bid reserved for rare hands, at which a small slam at no-trump is preferable to a small slam at a suit bid.

The following, hand illustrates the new slam bidding:— North. —Spades, A K Q 9 8; hearts, K; diamonds, K J 9 4;. clubs, 8 7 5. South. —Spades, 7 6; hearts, A Q 4 2; diamonds, A Q 7 6 5; clubs, A 9. The bidding (East and West pass all through);—

South (dealer) North 1 Diamond 2 Spades (forcing take-out) 3 Hearts 4 Diamonds 4 No-trump 7 Diamonds

The four-five no-trump convention is applicable after any strength-showing bid, and particularly after a forcing take-out of partner's opening bid. It is not applicable after opponents have opened the bidding, unless, of course, it becomes obvious during the bidding that tho opponent's opening bid was a "psychic." Tho four-five no-trump convention is also applicable after a forcing two bid, but only- in certain instances and with certain modifications. The responding hand, for instance, to bid four no-trump, requires from two and n-half to three honour tricks, but does not necessarily guarantee two aces. The presence of at least two aces and usually even three aces is naturally assumed from the fact that an opening two bid has been made. Nevertheless, there are occasions when the four-five no-trump convention can be used to show a hand with four noes, or when five no-trump may be used to show three aces and the king of a bid suit. The point to remember is that the responding hand should not draw negative inferences from, the fact that partner, after his two bid. fails to bid either four or live notrum p ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS G.S., Auckland.—Question: Please explain to me what one must have to raise one's partner once. 1 was playing tho other afternoon and my partnei was annoyed with me because ! did not raise him from one heart to two hearts holding queen and two other hearts and nothing else. Answer: The question of raising one's paftnei it? .necessarily a long one, and 1 would refer you to my article, "Bids of One and Responses," published in the Hkrald on April 2(5. in the ease you refer to you were quite right not to raise your partner on what you held, even if you held a short suit capable of ruffing from declarer's hand. The qualification for a single raise is adequate trump support and about three tc four playing tricks in the hand, but if there is no intervening bid from second hand this is modified sometimes to twe and a-half playing tricks to keep tho bidding open, in case your partner has a very strong hand, just short of an opening two l>id. Tho "one no-trtmip" courtesy bid iii response is very often used and indicates an even weaker hand than a suit assist; minimum requirements, an ace and a queen, or six points. The bidding then is still on tho "ono" level.