Evening star., 1936-11-22

other system
Opening Notrumps.
TT MAY be recalled that last week
We mentioned the simple prin-
ciple that the opening bid should
L be the same in any position, vul-
nerable or not. We repeat this here
because this has particular impor-
tance when we discuss the opening
notrump bid. In our opinion. there
Is absolutely nothing to be gained by
bidding lighter notrumps when not
vulnerable than you would when
vulnerable.
The next point is that the opening
notrump must be a definite bid, which
places precise and very close limits
on the maximum and minimum
strength of your hand. In the Four
Aces system we placed these limits
at a minimum of 1112 points and a
maximum of IS more than three
years ago, and have found no rea-
son or necessity for any variation
since Translating to honor tricks,
We have the approximate equivalent
of to Az.
The basis for the selection OF these
limits was the principle of anticipa-
ton. This principle. first discovered
and developed by us. Is now part
of all other major bridge systems, al
though they have used other names
for it, such as the Principle of Pre-
paredness In a nutshell, this prin-
ciple consists of trying to choose
your early bids in such manner that
your later bids will follow simply
and logically.
WITH balanced hand and high
w card value Of 1ll2-l3, II we
open with one of a suit and our
partner responds with one notrump.
We will find ourselves rather embar-
rassed. Should we pass, we might
be missing game; should We raise
to three notrump, we might be get
ting too high. With a high card
value of IL or less, however, We
clearly should pass partners one no.
trump response. With a high card
value Of 1872 or more we will be
strong enough to raise the contract.
The mere fact that your high card
value is 1112-13 does not in itself
make your hand an opening one
notrump, however. It first must full
fill the distributional requirements
and be either $1,000, +4-3-2
or 4-3-3-3. With other distribu-
tions, your hand is sufficiently un-
balanced so that you should always
commence the bidding with a suit.
Furthermore, if you do have q
doubleton and bid notrump, you have
reasonable expectations that that is
the suit your opponents will be most
likely to open. Accordingly, you must
be ready for that suit and your
If any. should include
either the ace or the king.
The opening two and three notrump
bids are simply Older brothers Of the
opening one notrump. Two notrump
shows 141a-16 points Is or 51a tricks),
the three notrump 16h-18 C tricks
plus). The two notrump Is not COM
pletely forcing, and will pass. The
three notrump. which is q game bid,
of course, is not forcing. but since 1t
shows such tremendous high card
value, partner should try for a slam
with very little.
It will be noted that while there
Is no gap between our maximum re-
quirements for two notrump and
minimum for three notrump bids,
there is q gap between the minimum
for two and maximum for one. We
have found no harm IN this gap. With
a high card value Of 1914 we simply
bid one of a suit, and if partner re-
spends, bid strongly on the second
round.
IN the Four Aces valuation table no
= place has been allotted for the
lo-spot. Yet that card Is an honor
and Is likely to be very important in
notrump play. Accordingly. we made
allowance for this by establishing the
principle that seven was the normal
number Of honors for q notrump hand,
and If q player held more than seven
honors, he was entitled to increase his
high card value one-half point for
each honor more than seven held.
Our experience in three years has
proved that this works perfectly with
one notrump. but with two and three
notrump bids we now find slight
modification necessary, because some
hands In which q great many honors
were concentrated now became un-
sound two or three notrump bids,
with the addition Of these points.
Accordingly, lin valutng hand for