The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-14
By VIM. E. MCKINNEY


 Secretary American Bridge League
 When partner opens with an original one no trump, he advises you that his hand contains gem eral supporting strength or at least two and one-half quick tricks, therefore any two of suit bid with which you take partner out shows weakness rather than strength.
 Partner has practically said that he can support almost any bid that you make, or he can continue with the no trump. therefore if you hold strong five-card major suit, you should bid three rather than two and partner will either go back to his no trump or will support your bid to four. If you were to bid only two hearts, you would say to partner, "I really believe we will lose less tricks playing this hand at two hearts than you will playing 1t at one no trump"
 Of course, if you were to bid two hearts and that was the only weak spot in partners hand, he would go | two no trump, or he might even jump the contract to three no trump as he knows that you have denied any real supporting strength and he cannot depend upon you to raise his contract of two no trump to three. However, there are very few hunds that 1t pays for part ner to go back to no trump as you have denied with q suit, and more especially he should be warned against going to three no trump over your two of a suit bid.
 When you overcall partners original one no trump bid with three of a minor, you show long minor suit or at least a strong i've card suit with a side ace or king, and you demand that partner carry the contract to three no trump or to support your minor. While it Is very seldom that hands of this type will produce five odd with minor suit where they will not produce three odd at no trump, neverthe- less there are few hands that game can be made only in the minor suit.
 If your hand contains just a fair five-card minor suit and sufficient count for three no trump. 1t Is far better to raise partner to three no trump than to show the weak minor suit.
 When partner opens with an original one no trump and the Op- ponent puts in an intervening suit bid and your hand contains a good for our five-card suit and sufficient tstrength to support partners nc trump but does not have the suit of the opponents stopped. you should show your suit This will show partner hand containing strength and he can select whether to support your suit or, If he has the opponents suit stopped, to continue with his no trump; c. g. partner bids one no trump, op' ponent overcalls with two dia- monds.
 If you bid two hearts. you show partner not a weak two-of-a-sui' take out. but a hand containing al least one and one-half tricks, but not having the diamonds stopped and furthermore. your hand IS moi strong enough to go to three hearts. If partner were now to re' spond with two no trump. he would be denying support for your hear bid and would be further stating that he had the diamonds stopped Now If you have sufficient count for three no trump. abandon tho heart suit and bid three no trump
 You must remember that ir overcalling an intervening bid bS opponents with two hearts. you show a stronger type of hand thar if you had bid two hearts over partners one no trump with no in' tervening bid. Holding a veal hand with which you would have ordinarily taken partner out witf two hearts If opponents had mol bid. you shoulud pass as partner Is now in no danger.
 Remember that in contrac bridge 1t Is essential to ind ou