CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22259, 6 November 1935, Page 22

CONTRACT BRIDGE

REVERSE ORDER BIDDING SUITS OF FOUR AND FIVE

BT FINESSE

The problem of reverse order bidding is one of the most confusing that beginners have to face. Subject it to the following analysis, however, and it will perhaps becomo clearer. In modern contract, bidding and playing by rote is the mark of the mediocre player. Rules in bridge should not bo rigid things, while they should not be entirely thrown to tho winds. They must be stretched out and modified a little, according to two things: tho strength and distribution of tho .hand and also the intelligence of the paitner and the opponents. The position we are discussing is that when two suits arc held, one containing five and the other four cards, and tho five-card suit is ol lower rank than the four-card, which should be bid first? The bid that is made should be a prepared bid, and the hand should bo strong enough to stand a possible weak response from partner, and still have ail exit bid. Tho choice of which suit to bid first (loos not det>end so much upon length or rank, but upon tho anticipation of partner's response. Unless that probable response will permit your showing a second suit at a range of one, it is obvious that the higher ranking suit should be bid first, as, with this bidding, partner will bo able to indicate a simple •preference at the range of two, either by passing to your second suit or by raising tho first. If, however, partner's probable response will, enable you to show your second suit at the range of one, the lower ranking may be bid first, even with a minimum hand, as with this bidding partner can show preference by raising either suit at a range of two. The whole principle is that partner should not be presented with a choice which may take the bidding to the range of three unless the hand is strong enough to stand taking in nine tricks with practically no support from partner other than a mere preference would show. Too Great a Chance 11, in the second instance above shown, partner, instead of responding with the expected suit, responds with one no-trump, then the higher ranking suit should not be shown at all, for, aside from any other considerations, such bidding would indicate to partner a very strong hand, usually one containing four honour-tricks, and consequently would affirm the ability to stand a response of two no-trump if partner's holding seemed to suggest it. It is easy to conceive that the one no-trump contract might itself be defeated by two tricks In such a case, with the contract carried to two no-trump by bidding of this kind, the contract would be set three tricks, and. assuming a vulnerable double, it would cost too much, and is entirely too great a chance to take, particularly when game seems remote.

However since the above prohibition against bidding the higher-rank fourcard suit at the range of two may cause the bidding to die at a misfitting one no-trump, or, what is equally undesirable, may prevent a makeablo game contract being reached when partner is almost strong enough to respond with two no-trump, it is better, in estimating partner's response, to anticipate a one no-trump call rather than a suit, unless the hand contains a singleton.

The reason for this should be obvious. With a singleton, twelve cards are distributed in the hands of the other three players, and partner has an equal chance of holdipg four of them. However, with a doubleton, it is mathematically optimistic to assume that partner holds four cards of that suit, including two honours, and one no trump is the more logical expectation. Even with a singleton the expectation is not particularly warranted, and it is, as a matter of fact, not so much a matter of expecting a response as o'f providing against such a possibility. General Rule to Follow With fairly strong hands, containing more than 3J honour-tricks, the longer, five-card, suit can be bid first even although tho four-card suit ranks higher. This "reverse" bidding when compelling partner to show his preference at the level of two or higher is thus an inference that the opening bidder's hand is fairly strong. With minimum and »near by minimum opening bids, if partner's anticipated suit ranks between your own two, still bid tho lower ranking five-card suit first; but if it ranks above or below them, bid the higher ranking first. This may be put in another way, as in Culbertson's 1935 summary, viz. If your two suits, one four and the other fivp, aro of touching rank (one spades, the other hearts; hearts and diamonds, or diamonds and clubs) bid the higher ranking suit first: when the suits are not adjacent, bid the lower, longer suit first. Holding for instance:

AQ 9 2 6 0AQ1032 *982 The proper bid is ono diamond; then over one heart from partner, bid ono spade; over two clubs, two diamonds. But if the original bid is one spade and partner responds with two hearts, the opening hand is trapped. To bid three diamonds now may result in heavy penalties if partner has a minimum; on the other hand, if partner is fairly strong and you pass, a possible gamo may be missed. Again, with

A AK3 2 "v> AJB 5 3 07 2 *43 the proper bid is the shorter suit, spades, leaving tho player prepared for any possible response by partner. If one heart is opened instead of ono spado the player may find himself greatly embarrassed by tho pos&iblo two diamond, two club or ono no-trump response ? Local Tournaments At the Northern Contract Bridge Club many tournaments have been held during tho winter, the majority of them being duplicate contests. Ono of the principal ones is the club championship teams-of-four, a 24-board duplicate* knock-out match, which is now approaching conclusion. Fourteen teams entered originally and the final will bo played between teams consisting of I)rs. Bruce Mackenzie and Wood, and Tucker and Watson, v. C. L. Eastgato, C. Bruce-Smith, J. Yock and A. N. Lamb. Tho result should bo close either way.

At the Auckland Bridge Club tho Pascoo Cup contest is drawing to a close. The result of last week's October game was to put three or four pairs closely bunched at tho top, and the concluding event played on tho last Tuesday in November should bo full of interest. This tournament has been well attended and well run. tho only criticism that might bo made would bo that the number of boards, 12, nox't year might ho extended if possible so as to ensure a fairer test. There is always a certain amount of luck in a duplicate pair contest owing to tho different calibre of the players. The Australian and Now Zealand Olympic duplicate pair contest of 10 board's took place in Auckland last week, and tho results will be sent out by the Sydney Bridge Club. Somo of tho hands will bo reviewed later.