Evening star., 1948-05-21
'Goren on Bridqe
tThis is the fourth Of . .

! tThlS is the 1OUfLn Oh . series Oh
articles on the Blackwood Convention.)
In this convention as 1t was orig.
inally published it was provided
that any four no-trump bid after .
suit had been mentioned by the four
no-trumper's side, was conventional.
This proviso has been modified to q
certain extent by the successful
tournament players of the country.
Today, If these players are asked II
they employ Blackwood, the answer
is almost invariably. only in obvi.
Gus cases."
What is meant by obvious cases?
An obvious case Is one in which the
common sense of the situation
makes it clear that the four no.
trump bidder could not possibly in
tend to play the hand at no-trump.
He must therefore be asking for
aces. But if it is at all likely that
the four no-trump bidder is salts
fed with no-trump. then the bid is
not Blackwood. For example:
South. North.
spade. 2no-trump.
4no-trump
Is this Blackwood? No. South Is
perfectly willing to play at no-trump
and desires to give his partner
double raise. Briefly, it is not .
Blackwood bid if you are merely
raising partners no-trump bid. But
sudden burst to four no-trump
when a suit has apparently been
agreed upon Is Blackwood. For ex-
ample:
South. North.
1spade. 3spades.
4no-trump.
This is Blackwood bid and not
an attempt to play at no-trump.
It is important to determine
whether or not information as to
how many aces partner has will
solve your problem. After all many
a hand with all the aces has no
chance to produce a slam. A SINGLE
ton in partners hand may be the
decisive factor. In such cases de-
scriptive bidding will produce better
results. There you must tell" in
contrast with the Blackwood bid
which asks"
Where specific aces are required,
as when void Is held, Biackwood
should never be employed. Cue
bidding should be used. Bear In mind
that the use of the Blackwood con-
vention does not bar the use of cue
bidding, they may be used as COM
panion tools.
1t is important to determine
whether you or your partner will
receive the most benefit from the
response. Usually the maximum con-
tract is more accurately achieved If
the stronger of the two hands Is
permitted to call four no-trump.
The presence or absence Of sec
ond and third round controls deter
mines whether or not you are the
proper partner to start the Black
wood. In other words, don't ask
about the first trick in the suit if
you are unable to take care of the
second and third.
North.
4 A92 KITS o A963 %A75
| South.
a KQJ86 0AQ3 o KQJ@ K4
North should not ask. For when
he finds that South has one ace and
three kings he still Is unable to esti-
mate the number of winning tricks
held by the partnership. But II
South is permitted to ask, and ascer-
tains that his partner has three aces
and king he can count to 13.
To put it in another way. don't
use Blackwood unless you have
everything but the aces and the
kings.
Here is another type of holding on
which Blackwood should not be
used:
QJ62 A9432 953 "A
But here is one that is made to
order: You are South, the bidding
has proceeded:
North. East. South. West.
spade Pass 2clubs Pass
| 2 hearts Pass +?
a y KQ964 OF 4 AKJ976
The only thing missing is aces.
Bid four no-trump. If partner has
three, bid seven hearts.
1OdS hy rborIa. ~ 1n...N