The Washington times., 1932-08-16
Contract
Bridge
By e. v. SHEPARD
Replies to Forcing Bids

your paFIIleE OPcAAAAAS OAO
Of two of suit obligates a re-
sponse. Two-No Trumps. is
only a strong invitation to as
sist or to show a biddable suit.
Answer partners forcing bid
with 2-No Trumps to show
lack of one quick trick. Show
a biddable suit on the next
round, either if partner bids
3-No Trumps or shows Sec
ond suit in which you are very
short. Your partner may make
an opening bid of two upon
any one Of three types Of
hands: Cd A single powerful
suit worth nine tricks in hand,
or perhaps worth a slam if
you can win a trick or two;
(2) a powerful two-suitor good
for game if you can normally
support one suit; 90 a three
suitor seeking which suit you
can best support. When your
partner shows q second suit
over your negative response Of
Ono TrumpS, he has eliminated
the possibility that he holds q
single Suiter. Showing him a
long suit, instead of bidding
3-No Trumps over his second
suit, gives him a better picture
Of your holdings. If partner
has a three-suiter he will either
support your make, or he will
bid his third suit. You must
then show your preference.
The following examples show
procedure.
Suppose that you hold the
following hand when your part
ner bids 2-SpadeS:
A. 862 &QJs543 uS632
Over his opening bid you
must respond with 2-No
Trumps. If he holds the hand
shown below, he will jump into
4-Spades, and your troubles are
over.
AAKQJS54 VKo %A6 NKo
Suppose that your holding
remains as first given, and
over your take-out of 2-No
Trumps, your partner bids g.
Hearts on the next hand. 1t
can do you no harm to bid
4-Clubs. Your partner will re-
bid his lower suit. saying f.
Hearts. and you will pass.
VKQJ83 "A 0 nKc
If your holding is as first
shown. your 2-No Trumps will
be shifted to 3-Hearts on the
hand shown below. You will
bid 4-Clubs and your partner
will bid 5-Clubs for you. He
will not bid a small slam as
you have already informed MIN
that you lack a single quick
trick.
AAKQ5 VKQJs +AK72 o 5
With your holding unchanged
your partner may hold the next
hand. Bidding will be the same
as on the hand shown above
until your partner bids Ada
mondS over your 4-Clubs. It
will not be a bad thing for you
to venture 5-DiamondS on your
four small trumps. If the open
ing lead is trump, and three
rounds pulls all opposing
trumpS, you should go game.
In any event you cannot be
harmed at 5-DiamondS.
AAKQ5 0KQj8 80 nAKQ5
If you have not had an op-
portunity to bid, your partners
bid of just one unnecessary
to overcall the opening bid
made by an adversary, is a
forcing bid and your responses
must be as if your partner had
the opening bid. OF course
your partner must understand
that your negative no-trumps
are wholly conventional. and
that they do not show stops to
the adverse suit. Unless your
partner holds stops to the ad-
verse suit he never must pass
your no-trump responses.
In case your partner opens
with a bid of one suit, and
then jumps his second bid one
trick higher than required to
overcall the adverse bid, he re-
quires you to choose between
his suits. If wholly trickless
you may shift him back to the
first suit. upon greater trump
length. but you are not required
to raise the contract upon a
truckleSS hand.
Copyright. 1882. King Features
Syndicate, IncD