Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-04
BRIDGE TALKS
BIZ MFRS. JOHN MuNcE. yR.

Today we will discuss denial bids by
third hand. A denial bid is the bid by
partner Of declarer, which indicates that
his hand Is not prepared to play or as
sist In playing the suit named by de-
clarer. It is at the same time repre-
sentation to his partner as to what his
hand contains. There are only two rea-
sons for making denial bid-firSt, that
the hand lacks normal support In the
suit declarer has bid, and. second, where
declarer has named a minor suit and
his partner Is prepared to name a major
suit or no trump and use declarer's
minor declaration as side strength.
There Is also to be taken into ccnsid-
Grafton the question, In making a denial
bid, o. whether the hand lacking nor
NAL support Is making the denial bid
with q weak hand or with q hand which
contains considerable strength In the
other suits.
We will take UP first the denial bids
by third hand Of a one bid of major
suit by dealer. 1t has been found by
experience that there Is a minimum
hand which can make denial bid. In
other words, 1t is folly, even though the
hand lacks normal support In the suit
bid, to make a denial bid when the
third hand is worthless. To justify a
denial bid the hand must contain at
least one quick trick. The following
hand illustrates this, as 1t lacks normal
support In the suit bid, yet Justifies a
denial bid:
spadss-Ace. Jack. o, y 8.
piamonds..s.. y s. 2.
Clubs-6, 9, 4.
Dealer bids one heart, second hand
passes and the above is the holding of
third hand. You can readily see that
port for the partners bid of one heart
ana 1t is therefore necessary to deny
the heart bid. The proper bid is one
spade. as there Is one quick trick in this
suit, which contains five cards. BY this
bid Of one spade third hand has told
the dealer that his hand lacks normal
support In the heart suit and that the
strength Of his hand is in the spade
suit. It Is possible that dealer holds
normal support In trumps for the spade
bid. This hand is a splendid example
Of the convention that with compare
lively little side strength and lacking
normal support for bidder in the major
suit declared q denial bid should be
made. It also represents the minimum
holding on which denial bid can be
made.
Whenever third hand lacks normal
support for dealers bid of one of q
major suit and holds five Of the other
major suit, headed by the king Jack or
king-10 spot, queen-jack or queen-l0
spot and one quick trick in another
suit, he should always bid the other
major suit.
Should third hand lack normal sup
port in the major suit bid by dealer,
yet hold a four-card suit of the other
major suit, headed by two of the three
top honors, he should bid his own major
suit. AS an illustration: Dealer bids one
heart, second hand passes and third
hand holds the following:
spades-Ace, queen, jack, 8.
piamOnds--Ja q S. ;.
Clubs-6, 4, 2.
Third hand, with this holding, should
make a denial bid by bidding one spade.
Lacking normal support for one bid
in major suit by dealer and without
sufficient length and strength to deny
with suit bid. third hand often con-
tains strength enough in the other three
suits to warrant denial bid Of the
major suit by bid of one no trump
1t is always preferable to deny with a
major suit bid whenever possible To
illustrate: Dealer bids one heart, second
hand passes and third hand holds the
following:
Spades-Jack, 10, 2, 5.
Diamonds-9ueen. 8, 6, L.
Clubs-Ace, jack, z.
With this holding a pass is not ex-
pedient, as with normal support In
trumps 1t takes very little side strength
to deny the major suit bid by bidding
one no trump. In doing this you are
telling your partner you have no help
for him in the suit bid and that you
hadAto bid a no trump, as you did not
have major suit that was long and
strong enough to bid. If he does not
need trumpS, but needs side strength, he
will probably go back to his major
declaration, depending on his own hand.
So In making a bid of this character
YOU leave the decision with him by do
ing the most important thing in bid
ding, which is to picture your hand
accurately to your partner.