Evening star., 1933-10-11


inally; its rebid value is sterile If part
ner's response Is no trump, and con-
sists only in being able to pass tnat
response without panic.
For game purposes, it needs TO be
tertilized by a response which SHOWS
that the partner contributes suit length
for playing purposes, preferable IN
hearts, as then game inkno trumps i'm
mediately appears probable. Assum-
ing that partners response is two
hearts, now your rebid is two no trumps
"a strong bid since it drives your part
ner to 60 beyond the two level, either
by raising to two no trumps, which he
can do without anxiety If he has just
a moderate hand-say four or five
hearts to the king queen and an outside
king or two queens. If he has nothing
but weak long hearts, he bids three
hearts-both warning and sign-of.
On rare occasions, he may pass the
two no trumps, being unable to rebid
hearts or raise in no trumps. Very
seldom do We play hand in two no
trumps twhen lacking a partial score)
This Is one of the few situations pro-
ducing this final contract, which is es-
sentially undesirable. Regard it as the
cheapest solution for bidding con-
structively or to yield a safer sign-od
in a suit.
If Partner Bids Two Diamonds or
Two Clubs.
Either o. these responses requires the
opener to make some move in the hope
that three no trumps may be developed.
There is now no risk of a misflt, since
you have enough support for either suit
to make contract for three odd in it
quite safe in 90 hands out of 100.
What is more important. you solidify
the suit for no trump play. so that
three no trumps is contract you
strongly desire to reach. provided they
cannot run off five or more heart tricks
against you. The most constructive
and informative rebid you can make is
to
Raise Partners Minor Suit to Three.
because thereby you convey both mega
tive and positive information, and prac-
tically tell him that the vital decision
rests on his hand. not on yours. You
are really saying to him:
l.. I have your suit with you, never
theless I am afraid to bid two no
trumps. If you have a high card in
both unbid suits. bid three no trumps.
We will have at least good play for it.
2. If you have double protection in
one of the unbid suits-say K j x-bid
three no trumps regardless of the other
unbid suit. Trust me to protect it. be-
cause now there are fewer high cards
left for me to hold in the suit which
you protect, so that am likely to have
what we need in the fourth suit. From
my bidding. you can understand that
I have a defensive-type of hand-I have
not rebid my suit. but I am trying to
get you to bid three no trumps, though
unable myself to bid two no trumps
as my rebid, despite my support for
your suit. Therefore my hand is strong
in high cards-trust me for three
primary tricks at least. You know this
because Sims players pass defensive
type hands If they are weaker than this.
3. If you have nothing but weak
length in the minor suit you have bid,
you may pass. This is your sign-off
1t is true that we are signing off at
the three level instead Of at two, but We
are signing off in a suit that fits our
combined hands. so that We are safer
at three on this hand than we would
be If we were signing of at two in
misfit.
Signing on at Three.
This would be one of the rare oc-
casions in which we sign off at three
in suit instead Of two. However, this
is quite safe, reasonable and in accord
ance with our principles. A game try
has been made and abandoned and we
needed an extra round of bidding to
explore the situation properly. We were
justified in taking this extra round be-
cause we knew. before doing so. that
we have good fit in responder's suit
The same thing can come about. you
remember, after an immediate raise in
openers suit, and for the same reasons.
With a safe sign-off in view, there was
every cause to give partner two chances
to show heart shoppers, which is what
You need for a no-trump game. Rarely
you will strike duplication which cannot
be revealed by bidding in these circum-
stances. You will have, say, A @ x
and K j x. respectively, in the same
ff-suit with the fourth suit wide open
Take your Insignificant loss, if you must
The games you will score on other
hands by similar bidding will show a
large net profit. Moreover, it some
times happens that the enemy can take
only four tricks in that suit.
Copyright. 1889