Evening star., 1947-07-04
Goren on Bridge

I conclude today the discussion OF
my methods OF no trump bidding.
The opening bids and the various
responses have been briefly sketched
and now a word or two may be IN
order on the problems OF the reoid
by the opening no trumper.
The player who opens with one no
trump must pass If his partner
raises to three. presumably each
player has already given his all
and there can be no slam. Opener
must also pass when responder
jumps to four of a major suit. Re-
sponder has announced that the
partnership cannot possibly possess
'enough high cards to produce
slam, since responder holds less
than two honor tricks.
When responder raises to two no
trump opener should pass only If he
has a bare minimum Of Is points.
When responder bids two Of minor
suit opener should not carry on the
bidding unless his no trump was
near maximum. In those cases the
opener should not proceed unless he
has reasonably good fit in his
partners suit, and If the opener has
two of the high honors in his part
ner's suit he may so indicate by
raising that suit to three. This may
permit the responder to 60 on to
three no trump with very weak
hand, when he knows that a six
card suit can be run against the OPP
position. For example:
Opener Responder
AKJx AK
0QJX 2xx
0AXxx HKxx
&AKX l0xxxx
Over the opening one no trump
bid, responder bids two clubs, deny
ing the high card requirements for
a raise to two no trump. Opener
having near maximum no trump
(18 points, indicates that; as well
as two honor in clubs, by raising to
three clubs. Responder, with the
knowledge that he can run six club
tricks returns to three no trump for
which there must be good play.
Where the response to the opening
bid has been two of major opener
should pass only if he has bare
minimum. Whether to go on with
the no trump or raise partners suit
| is a matter involving judgment and
no hard and fast rules should bo
laid down.
Where partner has raised to two
no trump and opener has enough to
warrant his going on to three, If the
opening trump bid contained a four
card major suit, opener may now
show it at no cost whatever. For
example:
AKXx 1Axx
0AQ10x &AJx
Holding a count of 18 you have
opened with one no trump. Partner
has raised to two no trump. You
have the excess to warrant your
proceeding to three no trump, but at
no additional cost to you may bid
three hearts. If partners raise cop
tanned four hearts and there Is some
suit which he fears at no trump he
may take you to game in hearts. If
he has less than four hearts he will
automatically return to three no
trump. In this simple manner, the
precaution Is taken not to miss a
possible major suit game, and the
opening no trump bidder is assured
of being declarer, should he hold
tenaces which he would like to have
led up to.
Where the responder makes strong
bids by overbidding the game and
inviting the opener to slam, opener
accepts or rejects on the basis of the
count which he holds. With only l6
points, all invitations must be de-
clined. With no trump that is near
the maximum all invitations should
be accepted.
In these discussions I have made
no pretense at completeness. I haye
attempted to give merely birds
eye view of my methods, which the
limitations of space have made 1t
impossible to outline in full. From
time to time shall discuss In great
er detail some further aspects Of
this subject.