Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-14
BRIDGE TALKS
BY MRS. JOHN MUNCE. JR.

We will take up today the question
of how fourth hands position is af-
fected by bid by third hand. After
dealer bids one no trump and second
hand doubles. If third hand bids tthis
is known as an intervening bid, fourth
hand If weak is relieved Of the re-
sponsibility of bidding in answer to his
partners double; and If he bids after
this intervening bid 1t must show
strength
For example. dealer has bid one no
trump, second hand has doubled and
third hand has bid two spades. The
fourth hand holds the following cards
Heart. s-spot. 5-spot and 3-spot
Diamonds, 9-spot. S-spot, 6-spot and
Clubs. 4.spot. 3-spot and 2-spot.
With this holding fourth hand IS
relieved OF bidding in answer to his
partners double, as this is decidedly
a weak hand.
Another example: Dealer has bid one
no trump, second hand has doubled.
and third hand has bid two spades ana
fourth hand holds the following cards:
Spades. 3-spot.
Diamonds. King. queen, 3-spot and 2-spot;
Clubs. ace, king, jack, 9-Spot t-spot anu
5-Spot.
Fourth hand with this holding would
bid three clubs and by this bid OF three.
shows strength to the partner who has
doubled the one no-trump bid.
1t is we'll to repeat that one OF the
options that third hand has when
dealer bids one no trump and second
hand doubles. is that third hand may
redouble when he obviously holds the
balance OF power. When such bid
is made, that is when third hand re-
doubles. fourth hand is obligated TO
take his partner out OF the double,
should he hold a five-card suit no mat
ter how weak, or q four-card suit
headed by any one of the first three
honors. Should he not hold either of
the above, he should pass. and this
would be considered an informatory
pass. telling his partner that he was
unable to assist him and there would
never be any misunderstanding of this
informatory pass. In doing this fourth
hand forces the doubler TO bid his best
four-card suit
Probably more important than the
informatory double of the one no.
trump bid is the informatory double OF
the initial suit bid. as it is now gen.
orally recognized that this bid wins
more games than the no-trump double
as it gives your partner accurate IN
formation when properly used.
The initial suit bid. whether one.
two or three is doubled by second hand
to inform his partner that he has
strength in the other three suits. with
probably none in the suit bid, and that
he holds at least five high cards which
will probably take tricks.
Second hand is the most desirable
position from which to double the in
itial suit bid, and it should be used
whenever possible, as it often enables
doubtful fourth hand to make pos
tive game going bid.
Second hand doubling dealers suit
bid of one usually means he is short
that suit and strong in the other three,
therefore he canot bid one no trump.
II his partner, the fourth hand has the
suit dealer bid stopped twice, fourth
hand can then bid the no trump. The
first lead of the suit bid naturally will
be through dummy. and up to the hand
strong in that suit, namely. declarer,
and he often gets trick in that suit
which he would not have gotten had
the lead been the other way. Fourth
hand without the suit bid safely stop
ped. should bid his best four card or
better major suit; lacking that, his best
minor.