White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-12-22
Modern Contract
Bridge By Leila ns''<r.'s,
NO, -
Responding to High, Strength
Showing Bids
No. 10

Responding to High, Strength
Showing Bids
VX|HEN your partner makes an
w opening bid of three in major
or four in a minor, he tells you that
he has a powerful trump suit needing
no support and outside strength as
well and that his total of playing
tricks count within two of game. In
short, he says, that with very little
assistance in either honor or playing
tricks, he is practically sure of his
game. Such a strong plea for assist
ance should rarely go unanswered.
One supporting trick plus is sound
raise for such a dynamic bid. Unless
your raise is based on ruffing values,
you need not bother about your trump
holding. Even a singleton will do.
When you find yourself with three
supporting tricks of which two at
least are high honor-tricks, you may
give your partner ISLAM suggestion"
by jumping his major suit three-bid to
five.
n U1u Ill d1OIAC4 oulI 40 SAoSoSu az
an indirect raise. Such declaration
does not necessarily show long suit.
1t is not really offered as take
out, but rather to reveal to your part
ner where your support is concen-
trated. He may be able to use the in
formation for a slam bid.
Unless the opponents should over
call your partners opening game bid,
you would rarely need to consider a
response. In such situation slam
bid should not be contemplated I'M
less you held three or four honor
tricks with, perhaps, other support,
The Triple Valuation of a
Hand
The danger Of driving your oppo-
nents into successful slam bid is al
ways present in high competitive bid
ding. And, at lower stages of the
bidding we are frequently called on
to consider the danger of pushing the
opponents into a successful game con-
tract.
With such possibility in mind, as
we'll as when you must consider a
penalty double, your hand must be
viewed from an entirely new angle,
you must appraise it defensively.
Hitherto we have discussed only
aggressive valuations, that is the ap-
praisal of bidding and assisting hands.
But as a matter Of fact, during the
course of the bidding the same hand
often has to be valued from three
different angles.
First-At your own bid. Count hon
or-tricks and long suit tricks both
in trumps and side suits.
Second-1n support of your part
ners bid: Count honor-tricks, long
suit and short suit tricks.
Third-Against opponents bid:
Count honor-tricks and trump tricks
only. Count no long suit tricks or
short suit tricks except rarely single
ton or void.
Simple Defensive Bids
A defensive bid is a bid made by
the side opposing the player who OPP
ems the contracting. A simple or regu-
| uClSuSlNC 40 dlN dyS Juot
high enough to cover the previous
declaration. A defensive bid does not
necessarily show the strength in hon
or-tricks that an original bid implies,
nor can it ever give the same type
of exact information.
A hand which would suffice for an
original bid of one is almost always
sufficient for defensive bid of one;
and sound original bid Of one with
a strong fve-card suit is sufficient
for defensive bid of two If forced
by the opponents declaration.
Sound defensive bids may be made
on hands which contain biddable suits
with no more than liz honor-tricks
If with this minimum holding of hon
or-tricks there are sufficient playing
tricks to promise a favorable chance
Of making the contract.
The best way to be assured Of the
soundness of your defensive declara-
ton is to use the rule of 1.-TWO and
three" In making a defensive over
call when vulnerable, count on your
partner for two supporting tricks and
bid accordingly. When not vulner-
able, count three supporting tricks
from your partner.
To illustrate the working of this
rule let us assume that you are not
vulnerable and hold the following
hand:
SAB
H-OJ7642
D-JS76
lou have 5 playing-tricks includ-
ing tx honor-tricks, and so, using