After a couple of weeks of basic bidding, here are some new ideas to sharpen your wits on over Christmas!
Defence to 1NT
When the opponent on your right opens 1NT it can be fairly annoying. Especially if you have a hand that, while not containing masses of points, nevertheless still has a demure yet shapely attractiveness.
Of course, if you do have 15 or more points, 95% of the time you’ll just Double to alert partner to the fact you’ve got a decent point count. It’s right to try to attack the 1NT opening, especially if you’re not Vulnerable. If you’ve got a decentish suit and about 8 - 14 HCP you’ll just bid the suit and hope to steal the auction or at the very least disrupt opponents’ communications. But what if you have a shapely 2 suiter? Something like:
Kxxxx
KQxx
x
AJx
Either of the two major suits might present a place to play, depending on partner’s holding. But you don’t want to dive in with the spade suit only to discover when dummy goes down that partner has a singleton spade but four hearts, do you?
So what can be done? Luckily there are a host of different conventions to deal with exactly this situation. They centre round the useful concept of using one bid to show two suits at the same time. Probably the simplest of these conventions is called LANDY. (You must agree with your partner before the game starts that you are playing this convention!) It goes like this in simple form:
With at least 5/4 in the majors and enough to overcall, bid 2C! The better the shape the fewer the points needed, say 8 - 15 HCP. 2C is forcing so with a limited hand responder shows his better major or, with equal length, bids 2D, inviting the overcaller to choose between the majors. With a good fit - 4 card support and 11+ points responder can start jumping around to 3H, 3S, or even 4H or 4S with a bit more and some extra shape.
Using Landy like this does mean you can no longer bid 2C naturally but hey! you win some you lose some. It’s always better to get major suits into the auction whenever you can.
Now for a bonus tip on …
Defensive Carding
When you have a sequence (KQJ etc) and you are on lead, you play the TOP card (K) This promises the card(s) below.
BUT …
When you are following suit to either your partner or declarer and you are going to play a c ard from the same sequence you play the LOWEST card in the sequence. This denies the card below, and partner should be able to work out by noticing what declarer plays whether you have the card(s) above.
Simply put: Lead top, follow bottom …
(This is not how to behave at parties …)
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Back to Basics - Again! - 26 Nov 2009
Here’s something a bit more basic than normal for all you beginners out there who need a reminder or two!
Safe in the vaults of the British Museum lies an ancient runic inscription, scratched in granite, which in translation reads:
12 must open
6 must respond
25 must rule them all …
At first this seemed to scholars completely cryptic, and headscratchingly obtuse, but research established it could only be ancient rules for what we know today as the game of Bridge. The first line is self-explanatory: when a bidder comes to their turn and no-one has bid before them, they may “open” the bidding. In the rune, if they have 12 or more points they MUST open. We’ll just imagine the antique penalty for not doing so, but loss of livestock cannot be excluded.
In the second line, the rune instructs opener’s partner what to do when they have 6 or more points - they MUST respond. The penalty for not doing so is lost in the mists of time, but loss of limb could well have been included.
The third line reminds us that the “holy grail”, is the magical combined point count of 25 between the two hands that will, most of the time, give us a game score of either 3NT, 4H, 4S, 5C or 5D.
It follows from this runic wisdom that all bidding makes this unceasing quest - to discover whether or not the partnership between them has 25 points or not. When the magic figure is discovered then game MUST be bid, must rule them all …
When we open the bidding we do so in the hope that we can find game with partner’s help. The game on our quest is the major suit game (4H or 4S), based on an 8 card fit between you both. If an 8 card fit doesn’t exist then we can settle on the lesser game in NT. If there are problems with NT then we can finally, reluctantly, tired but happy, fall back on the dangerous minor suit game (5C or 5D.) And if we find no grail exists - that we have less than 25 points between us - then we STOP! As soon as we can, in the safest part-score we can find. So always tell your partner how many points you have and ALWAYS bid game if you can!
You know it makes sense...
Safe in the vaults of the British Museum lies an ancient runic inscription, scratched in granite, which in translation reads:
12 must open
6 must respond
25 must rule them all …
At first this seemed to scholars completely cryptic, and headscratchingly obtuse, but research established it could only be ancient rules for what we know today as the game of Bridge. The first line is self-explanatory: when a bidder comes to their turn and no-one has bid before them, they may “open” the bidding. In the rune, if they have 12 or more points they MUST open. We’ll just imagine the antique penalty for not doing so, but loss of livestock cannot be excluded.
In the second line, the rune instructs opener’s partner what to do when they have 6 or more points - they MUST respond. The penalty for not doing so is lost in the mists of time, but loss of limb could well have been included.
The third line reminds us that the “holy grail”, is the magical combined point count of 25 between the two hands that will, most of the time, give us a game score of either 3NT, 4H, 4S, 5C or 5D.
It follows from this runic wisdom that all bidding makes this unceasing quest - to discover whether or not the partnership between them has 25 points or not. When the magic figure is discovered then game MUST be bid, must rule them all …
When we open the bidding we do so in the hope that we can find game with partner’s help. The game on our quest is the major suit game (4H or 4S), based on an 8 card fit between you both. If an 8 card fit doesn’t exist then we can settle on the lesser game in NT. If there are problems with NT then we can finally, reluctantly, tired but happy, fall back on the dangerous minor suit game (5C or 5D.) And if we find no grail exists - that we have less than 25 points between us - then we STOP! As soon as we can, in the safest part-score we can find. So always tell your partner how many points you have and ALWAYS bid game if you can!
You know it makes sense...
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
“It’s a Thinking Game”: Good Defence Starts Before Trick 1 - 13 Nov 2009
Defence is the hardest part of the game. You sit silently through the opponent’s auction, pausing only occasionally to drop a green PASS card on the table. Your mind wanders, you start thinking about whether Toilet Duck is harmful to the environment and then proceed to put cards down on the table, following suit when you remember, as declarer racks up 11 tricks in 3NT. Then, partner has to go and spoil it all by asking you why you didn’t return a heart at trick 5? Flummoxed, you shrug and deal the next hand quickly.
This is a problem. What can you do about it?
1) Listen to the bidding carefully. If the person on your right bids two suits - say hearts and clubs - this probably shows at least 5-4 in those two suits. That means this player has another four cards in the other two suits, distributed 2-2, 3-1 or 4-0. Your job is to watch partner’s discards so you get some idea of how those cards lie, and ALSO to tell your partner your distribution so partner can also work out what’s happening.
2) Listen to the bidding carefully. If the person on your right rebids a 1NT at any stage (or 2NT or 3NT) then you and your partner know pretty exactly how many points that person has. As declarer plays high cards, mentally add up how many of these points have been shown or implied.
3) When dummy goes down - stop. Think. Plan. Count dummy’s points. Does the hand match the bidding? Does declarer look smug or scared? Add dummy’s points to your points, add in declarer’s “probable” points, subtract from 40 and the answer is how many points your partner has.
4) When dummy goes down - stop. Think. Plan. What is partner’s lead? Singleton? Doubleton? Top of a sequence? 4th best from an honour? Middle of 3 small? What is partner trying to do? How can you help? Do you need to find a new partner rapidly?
OK, so that’s trick 1. Next week all the other 12 tricks! Then we can start to look at Count, Attitude, Discards and Suit Preference Signals. I promise you, youll never have time to think about Toilet Duck again …
This is a problem. What can you do about it?
1) Listen to the bidding carefully. If the person on your right bids two suits - say hearts and clubs - this probably shows at least 5-4 in those two suits. That means this player has another four cards in the other two suits, distributed 2-2, 3-1 or 4-0. Your job is to watch partner’s discards so you get some idea of how those cards lie, and ALSO to tell your partner your distribution so partner can also work out what’s happening.
2) Listen to the bidding carefully. If the person on your right rebids a 1NT at any stage (or 2NT or 3NT) then you and your partner know pretty exactly how many points that person has. As declarer plays high cards, mentally add up how many of these points have been shown or implied.
3) When dummy goes down - stop. Think. Plan. Count dummy’s points. Does the hand match the bidding? Does declarer look smug or scared? Add dummy’s points to your points, add in declarer’s “probable” points, subtract from 40 and the answer is how many points your partner has.
4) When dummy goes down - stop. Think. Plan. What is partner’s lead? Singleton? Doubleton? Top of a sequence? 4th best from an honour? Middle of 3 small? What is partner trying to do? How can you help? Do you need to find a new partner rapidly?
OK, so that’s trick 1. Next week all the other 12 tricks! Then we can start to look at Count, Attitude, Discards and Suit Preference Signals. I promise you, youll never have time to think about Toilet Duck again …
Negative Doubles Pt 2 - Working with Partner To Penalise Opponents - 13 Nov 2009
Having given you Pt 1. of Negative Doubles last week - here’s part 2! What do you do on the rare occasion when you DO have their suit? And you want to punish them for being over-aggressive? Say, you have this hand and hear the following auction:
xx
QJx
AJxxx
Kxx
1S - (2D) - ?
Now, because of negative doubles, if you try and double 2D, partner will assume - rightly - that you’ve got hearts and clubs. Now the auction is beginning to sound doomed to massive terminal mis-understandings. You'll keep trying to sign off in NT and before you know where you are you’ll be in 6NT missing the AK of hearts, partner starts blinking with rage and looks up “assassination” on the iPhone.
I expect a lot of you will think the only bid you have is 2NT, showing 11 - 12 HCP and a diamond stop or two. It’s true it would express the hand and partner can’t really complain about that can they? Can they? Hmmm. Let's say partner passes 2NT and it makes: you score 120. (70 + 50) How’s about, guys and gals, if I told you you could get a possible 500 out of this hand? Stop muttering “man’s mad ...” and have a look at this auction:
1S - (2D) - PASS! - (pass)
X! - (pass) - PASS! - (pass)
Yes, you PASS! their 2D bid. Then, assuming partner co-operates by making a re-opening Double, you simply PASS! again. Now you’ve converted the re-opening double into a penalty double. Three down, doubled not vulnerable is 500. Even two down vulnerable is 500 as well. (Three down is 800, but let’s not get over-excited here.)
The point to remember is to work together with partner to get the best result. Don’t try and do it all on your own. It’s a partnership game.
xx
QJx
AJxxx
Kxx
1S - (2D) - ?
Now, because of negative doubles, if you try and double 2D, partner will assume - rightly - that you’ve got hearts and clubs. Now the auction is beginning to sound doomed to massive terminal mis-understandings. You'll keep trying to sign off in NT and before you know where you are you’ll be in 6NT missing the AK of hearts, partner starts blinking with rage and looks up “assassination” on the iPhone.
I expect a lot of you will think the only bid you have is 2NT, showing 11 - 12 HCP and a diamond stop or two. It’s true it would express the hand and partner can’t really complain about that can they? Can they? Hmmm. Let's say partner passes 2NT and it makes: you score 120. (70 + 50) How’s about, guys and gals, if I told you you could get a possible 500 out of this hand? Stop muttering “man’s mad ...” and have a look at this auction:
1S - (2D) - PASS! - (pass)
X! - (pass) - PASS! - (pass)
Yes, you PASS! their 2D bid. Then, assuming partner co-operates by making a re-opening Double, you simply PASS! again. Now you’ve converted the re-opening double into a penalty double. Three down, doubled not vulnerable is 500. Even two down vulnerable is 500 as well. (Three down is 800, but let’s not get over-excited here.)
The point to remember is to work together with partner to get the best result. Don’t try and do it all on your own. It’s a partnership game.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
No Trumps & Negative Doubles - 5 Nov. 2009
In preparation for the upcoming series of teams matches the new Princess of Wales league team faces we played a series of 4 board matches last night just to get used to the scoring and the way a match works. There then followed some of the dullest hands I have ever seen in my life so I shall not be discussing any of them. Naturally, we still had LOTS of fun …
One of the key aspects of the Acol system I teach is the range for NT openings and rebids. These are well worth memorising while decorating the loo or washing the car. (“Make those dull jobs sparkle with shiny new, improved bridge lessons …”) SO …
When you have a Balanced hand your shape will be 4333, 4432 or 5332. You will most probably at some time in the auction want to bid NT, unless a 4-4 or 5-3 major suit fit appears before then. The way to deal with these hands depends on your point count. Remember – game is on when the partnership has about 25 hcp.
12 - 14 = open 1NT
15 - 16 = open 1 of a suit and ReBid 1NT
17 - 18 = open 1 of a suit and ReBid 2NT
19 - 20 = open 1 of a suit and ReBid 3NT
21 - 22 = open 2NT
23 - 24 = open 2C and ReBid 2NT
25 + = open 2C and ReBid 3NT
With this system you can tell partner about a whole variety of differing point counts in just two bids. When you limit your hand in this way partner has a much better idea of whether game is on or not.
Kxxx
Qxx
Kxxx
xx
This hand has no intention of being in game after the sequences:
1) ... 1NT - ? ............................ (14 + 8 = 22) No game - you pass.
2) ... 1H - 1S
...... 1NT - ? ............................ (16 + 8 = 24) No game - you pass.
But after
3) ... 1H - 1S
...... 2NT - 3NT! . you are happy to give partner the raise to game. (17 + 8 = 25!)
4) ... Just remember to close the windows before you hose down the car...
Negative Doubles (pt 1)
It’s extremely unlikely you’ll want to make a penalty double of an opposition contract in the early rounds of bidding. But Double is a legitimate bid you can make at any time in a competitive auction.
Fair enough. But ... if it’s not a PENALTY double – what does it mean and when can I use it? If you have a hand like this and you get the auction below:
xx
KQxx
QJxx
xxx
1C - 1S - ?
you’re a bit stuffed for a natural bid, aren’t you? 1NT is possible but you don’t actually have the spade stop it would promise your beloved partner. Nor, as you don't have 10HCP, can you bid at the 2 level with 2D. Nor even can you bid 2H, as not only do you not have 10HCP, you also don’t have the 5 card heart suit you’d be promising. But you want to bid, don’t you? The 1S overcall has annoyingly done just what it set out to do – destroy your peaceful constructive conversation.
This is where the red Double card comes into its own. When you plonk it on the baize it says: “Thanks for opening, partner and I would like to assist you in your search for a suitable contract, but as you can see the opponents have stuck a wrench in the mangle and I can’t now make a natural bid. HOWEVER – I do have some points and what is more I have the two so far unbid suits Hearts & Diamonds, so if there’s anything you can do with that information to extract the wrench, good luck! Phew!”
It’s called a negative double because you don’t have support for partner and you don't have a NT stop in the opponent’s suit either. Doubles like this carry the message “I want to compete but I’m not sure where.” Normally negative doubles apply up to 3S, but do NOT apply after 1NT has been bid, nor when you and partner have agreed a suit.
See you next week
Kit
One of the key aspects of the Acol system I teach is the range for NT openings and rebids. These are well worth memorising while decorating the loo or washing the car. (“Make those dull jobs sparkle with shiny new, improved bridge lessons …”) SO …
When you have a Balanced hand your shape will be 4333, 4432 or 5332. You will most probably at some time in the auction want to bid NT, unless a 4-4 or 5-3 major suit fit appears before then. The way to deal with these hands depends on your point count. Remember – game is on when the partnership has about 25 hcp.
12 - 14 = open 1NT
15 - 16 = open 1 of a suit and ReBid 1NT
17 - 18 = open 1 of a suit and ReBid 2NT
19 - 20 = open 1 of a suit and ReBid 3NT
21 - 22 = open 2NT
23 - 24 = open 2C and ReBid 2NT
25 + = open 2C and ReBid 3NT
With this system you can tell partner about a whole variety of differing point counts in just two bids. When you limit your hand in this way partner has a much better idea of whether game is on or not.
Kxxx
Qxx
Kxxx
xx
This hand has no intention of being in game after the sequences:
1) ... 1NT - ? ............................ (14 + 8 = 22) No game - you pass.
2) ... 1H - 1S
...... 1NT - ? ............................ (16 + 8 = 24) No game - you pass.
But after
3) ... 1H - 1S
...... 2NT - 3NT! . you are happy to give partner the raise to game. (17 + 8 = 25!)
4) ... Just remember to close the windows before you hose down the car...
Negative Doubles (pt 1)
It’s extremely unlikely you’ll want to make a penalty double of an opposition contract in the early rounds of bidding. But Double is a legitimate bid you can make at any time in a competitive auction.
Fair enough. But ... if it’s not a PENALTY double – what does it mean and when can I use it? If you have a hand like this and you get the auction below:
xx
KQxx
QJxx
xxx
1C - 1S - ?
you’re a bit stuffed for a natural bid, aren’t you? 1NT is possible but you don’t actually have the spade stop it would promise your beloved partner. Nor, as you don't have 10HCP, can you bid at the 2 level with 2D. Nor even can you bid 2H, as not only do you not have 10HCP, you also don’t have the 5 card heart suit you’d be promising. But you want to bid, don’t you? The 1S overcall has annoyingly done just what it set out to do – destroy your peaceful constructive conversation.
This is where the red Double card comes into its own. When you plonk it on the baize it says: “Thanks for opening, partner and I would like to assist you in your search for a suitable contract, but as you can see the opponents have stuck a wrench in the mangle and I can’t now make a natural bid. HOWEVER – I do have some points and what is more I have the two so far unbid suits Hearts & Diamonds, so if there’s anything you can do with that information to extract the wrench, good luck! Phew!”
It’s called a negative double because you don’t have support for partner and you don't have a NT stop in the opponent’s suit either. Doubles like this carry the message “I want to compete but I’m not sure where.” Normally negative doubles apply up to 3S, but do NOT apply after 1NT has been bid, nor when you and partner have agreed a suit.
See you next week
Kit
Friday, 9 April 2010
The Weird World of Cue Bids - 29 Oct. 2009
I often get asked “So exactly what is a cue-bid?” So, here’s a little run-down of some of the more normal uses of the cue-bid with a short explanation.
To be totally honest with you there are lots of different forms of cue-bids which all have exotic names but I’m not going down that convoluted garden path. Normally when you make a bid it's:
Cue Bidding The Opponent's Suit (Also Known As: “Fit-Showing Cue Bids”)
When partner bids a suit, and your right hand opponent (RHO) overcalls, how can you tell partner the difference between a hand that just wants to get in the way and a hand that has some genuine support and strength?
1S - 2C - ?
1) xxxxx ..............................2) KJxx
... QJx .................................... KQx
... Kxxx .................................. Kxxx
... x ......................................... xx
On the first hand you want to raise the level of the bidding with a pre-empt so as to mess up the opponent's attack, so you bid 3S, weak but supportive. Fine. But next time you get the same auction you are lumbered with hand 2). This time you want to raise partner because you have points and support - so can you bid 3S? Ah, No. ’Fraid not. We just said that 3S was going to be used as a pre-emptive manoeuvre for hand 1), didn’t we? so how can we tell partner the difference?
You’ve seen it coming, I know you have... yes it’s a cue bid of the opponent’s suit - 3C!! Here is a situation where the opponent’s bid, far from making your life difficult, has actually increased your options: you can turn their intervention to your own benefit. In this way when they venture into the auction’s murky waters, the opponents in effect create for you a handy stepping stone that was not previously there.
This “stepping stone” principle has many uses:
“Control Asking Cue Bids”
1D - 1H - 2H?
In this auction your 2H cue-bid not only tells partner you have values (probably 10+) but also asks if partner can stop the hearts suit well enough to bid No Trumps. Now the stepping stone is practically a full-blown bridge with 2-way traffic: you just told partner something AND asked a question all in one bid. 2H could mean a number of things but it is FORCING and asks partner to explain their hand further.
Clearly, in these situations when you bid the opponent’s suit, it’s a suit in all probability you don’t have. But it’s nevertheless a bid packed with extra illumination and intent like an information super highway. It also has the added value of freeing up all the direct raises of partner’s suit (1S - ? - 2/3/4S) as annoying defensive measures designed to clog up the opponents’ exchange and force them down an information cul-de-sac.
There’s more....
“Control Showing Cue Bids”
1S -PASS - 3S - PASS
4C?
Why is partner suddenly bidding this Club suit? Has partner pulled out the wrong card? Is partner having a stroke? We’ve agreed spades. So why doesn’t partner just bid game or slam or whatever? Unless ..... it’s a cue-bid!
This time there’s no opposition bidding but now partner wants to tell you something more. A trump suit has been agreed and a new suit has been introduced below game level. What’s the message? The only reason for this bid is that partner has sights set on the possibility of a slam and is giving you information in the hope that you can reciprocate; it’s a control showing cue bid ie thpartner is saying I have “control” of the club suit, that is to say the ace of clubs. The hand could be something like
AKxxxx ................ QJxx
Ax ........................ Kxx
Kxxx .................... AJxx
A .......................... xx
Now, if you’re lucky enough to hold the ace of diamonds, you can cue-bid that as well and suddenly slam looks a pretty good prospect and the auction could go something like:
1S .............. 3S
4C ............. 4D
4H ............. 5H
6S
4C, 4D & 4H all show first round control of the suits mentioned (i.e. aces or voids) while, as the ace has already been shown, 5H must be a second round control (ie king or singleton). So just as you can get quite specific about not only the number of points in a hand or the length of a particular suit, you can also tell partner about specific individual cards (normally only once a suit has been agreed, so be careful!)
The other basic thing to remember about all these Cue bids is that they are unconditionally forcing. That is, partner CANNOT pass. Under any circumstances. Whatever they’ve got. Whoever they are. Claiming to be of royal descent will not suffice. Remember the graffiti in the 3rd level dungeon at the Tower of London? It says it all:
“Who passeth fawcing byd
soonest be sans hyd”
As AJP Taylor so memorably said in his book Really Bad Mistakes by Royalty: “Without that erroneous PASS, the Queen would have lived; our Nation’s history radically altered.”
Those who yearn for more rarified stuff can look up Michaels Cue-bids, Fourth Suit Forcing cue bids, Western Cue bids, Eastern Cue bids, and that old favourite - Invisible cue bids. (I promise you these all exist!)
Enjoy!
To be totally honest with you there are lots of different forms of cue-bids which all have exotic names but I’m not going down that convoluted garden path. Normally when you make a bid it's:
- (a) a suit you have, and
- (b) is at least 4 cards long.
Cue Bidding The Opponent's Suit (Also Known As: “Fit-Showing Cue Bids”)
When partner bids a suit, and your right hand opponent (RHO) overcalls, how can you tell partner the difference between a hand that just wants to get in the way and a hand that has some genuine support and strength?
1S - 2C - ?
1) xxxxx ..............................2) KJxx
... QJx .................................... KQx
... Kxxx .................................. Kxxx
... x ......................................... xx
On the first hand you want to raise the level of the bidding with a pre-empt so as to mess up the opponent's attack, so you bid 3S, weak but supportive. Fine. But next time you get the same auction you are lumbered with hand 2). This time you want to raise partner because you have points and support - so can you bid 3S? Ah, No. ’Fraid not. We just said that 3S was going to be used as a pre-emptive manoeuvre for hand 1), didn’t we? so how can we tell partner the difference?
You’ve seen it coming, I know you have... yes it’s a cue bid of the opponent’s suit - 3C!! Here is a situation where the opponent’s bid, far from making your life difficult, has actually increased your options: you can turn their intervention to your own benefit. In this way when they venture into the auction’s murky waters, the opponents in effect create for you a handy stepping stone that was not previously there.
This “stepping stone” principle has many uses:
“Control Asking Cue Bids”
1D - 1H - 2H?
In this auction your 2H cue-bid not only tells partner you have values (probably 10+) but also asks if partner can stop the hearts suit well enough to bid No Trumps. Now the stepping stone is practically a full-blown bridge with 2-way traffic: you just told partner something AND asked a question all in one bid. 2H could mean a number of things but it is FORCING and asks partner to explain their hand further.
Clearly, in these situations when you bid the opponent’s suit, it’s a suit in all probability you don’t have. But it’s nevertheless a bid packed with extra illumination and intent like an information super highway. It also has the added value of freeing up all the direct raises of partner’s suit (1S - ? - 2/3/4S) as annoying defensive measures designed to clog up the opponents’ exchange and force them down an information cul-de-sac.
There’s more....
“Control Showing Cue Bids”
1S -PASS - 3S - PASS
4C?
Why is partner suddenly bidding this Club suit? Has partner pulled out the wrong card? Is partner having a stroke? We’ve agreed spades. So why doesn’t partner just bid game or slam or whatever? Unless ..... it’s a cue-bid!
This time there’s no opposition bidding but now partner wants to tell you something more. A trump suit has been agreed and a new suit has been introduced below game level. What’s the message? The only reason for this bid is that partner has sights set on the possibility of a slam and is giving you information in the hope that you can reciprocate; it’s a control showing cue bid ie thpartner is saying I have “control” of the club suit, that is to say the ace of clubs. The hand could be something like
AKxxxx ................ QJxx
Ax ........................ Kxx
Kxxx .................... AJxx
A .......................... xx
Now, if you’re lucky enough to hold the ace of diamonds, you can cue-bid that as well and suddenly slam looks a pretty good prospect and the auction could go something like:
1S .............. 3S
4C ............. 4D
4H ............. 5H
6S
4C, 4D & 4H all show first round control of the suits mentioned (i.e. aces or voids) while, as the ace has already been shown, 5H must be a second round control (ie king or singleton). So just as you can get quite specific about not only the number of points in a hand or the length of a particular suit, you can also tell partner about specific individual cards (normally only once a suit has been agreed, so be careful!)
The other basic thing to remember about all these Cue bids is that they are unconditionally forcing. That is, partner CANNOT pass. Under any circumstances. Whatever they’ve got. Whoever they are. Claiming to be of royal descent will not suffice. Remember the graffiti in the 3rd level dungeon at the Tower of London? It says it all:
“Who passeth fawcing byd
soonest be sans hyd”
As AJP Taylor so memorably said in his book Really Bad Mistakes by Royalty: “Without that erroneous PASS, the Queen would have lived; our Nation’s history radically altered.”
Those who yearn for more rarified stuff can look up Michaels Cue-bids, Fourth Suit Forcing cue bids, Western Cue bids, Eastern Cue bids, and that old favourite - Invisible cue bids. (I promise you these all exist!)
Enjoy!
PoWs Downed by Putney Pirates - News Interlude
There was match bridge at the Princess of Wales last night (April 8 2010) as the PoW team in the London League Newcomers division hosted the Putney Pirates from Ned Paul's other club, Putney BC. It was a close match with Putney 4 imps up at half time, and extending this by another 8 imps in the second half.
A non-vulnerable game swing (7 imps) occured when West held 9754 2 964 KQ1042 and heard East open 2NT. West tried 3C Stayman at both tables but after a 3D response, the PoW West became worried about the apparent lack of hearts. He tried 4C and then passed partner's 4D, exactly making. The Putney West made the practical bid of 3NT, trusting that partner's 20 hcp contained a heart stop. It did and Putney wrapped up 10 tricks for a score of 430 and a 300 point swing. The final hand was a slam hand, 6S being bid in both rooms. The trumps broke 4-0 and both declarers went down 2, ending any chance of a match saving swing.
PoWs now stand at 2-3, with one match to go, in a creditable first season.
A non-vulnerable game swing (7 imps) occured when West held 9754 2 964 KQ1042 and heard East open 2NT. West tried 3C Stayman at both tables but after a 3D response, the PoW West became worried about the apparent lack of hearts. He tried 4C and then passed partner's 4D, exactly making. The Putney West made the practical bid of 3NT, trusting that partner's 20 hcp contained a heart stop. It did and Putney wrapped up 10 tricks for a score of 430 and a 300 point swing. The final hand was a slam hand, 6S being bid in both rooms. The trumps broke 4-0 and both declarers went down 2, ending any chance of a match saving swing.
PoWs now stand at 2-3, with one match to go, in a creditable first season.
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