Bidding Quiz                                      8th November, 2006

 

                                                    Board 1      Dealer North       None Vul

 

 

Normally, when we use Stayman, our hand is at least of invitational strength, but there are a couple of exceptions when we might want to try it with a weaker hand:

-         We are at least 4-4 in the majors and are willing to gamble that 2 of a major will play better than 1NT … if Opener responds 2♦, our plan is to bid 2♥, asking Opener to choose her better major (the so-called “Garbage Stayman”)

-         We are short in Clubs and are prepared to pass any response by Partner, even 2♦.  Typical distributions are 4-3-5-1 or 3-4-5-1 or 4-4-4-1.

 

Our own guess on this hand (and it really is not much more than a guess) is to bid Stayman and pass Partner’s response even if it happens to be 2♦.  But there are other plans which might work as well or better … such as the Garbage Stayman route, committing to play in 2 of Partner’s better major … and just a plain old simple Pass opposite partner’s 1NT opening.

 

 

                                                    Board 1      Dealer North       None Vul

 

 

As mentioned above, Stayman is usually bid on a hand that has at least invitational values, though occasionally it might be used as an escape mechanism with a weaker hand.  South does not know which hand Partner has, she could be broke or invitational without 4 Spades.  But, either way, it looks safe to bid 3♦ … if Partner was in Garbage Stayman mode we have a 4-4 Spade fit … and if Partner was planning to pass any Stayman response then she is short in Clubs and, if there is no Spade fit, then there must be a Diamond fit.

 

System Note:

In this situation, it surely makes sense for a Double of 3♣ by North to show values, at least invitational in strength, rather than for it to be an out-and-out penalty Double.

 

 

                                                    Board 3      Dealer South       E-W Vul

 

 

How sound are your 2-level vulnerable overcalls?  If you would overcall 2♦ with this hand, then they are far from sound!  We wouldn’t, the suit is weak with only 5, there’s no distribution, and there are some wasted values.  But this is mostly a style thing, some people like to get into the auction quickly … others prefer sounder initial action and, as a result are more likely to balance later in the auction.  On a Soundness Scale of 1-10, we’d give this stinker about a 2, and even that is probably being generous.

 

 

                                                    Board 3      Dealer South       E-W Vul

 

 

North could just trot out 4♠ here, but that would be an impatient bid.  It’s possible that the hand belongs in 6♣, for example.  So we would temporize here with 2♥, the so-called “Fourth Suit Forcing”.  Do you play this as forcing for one round?  Or forcing to game?  We prefer the latter, not necessarily because it is theoretically superior, but because it is simpler (no need to worry later in the auction about which sequences are game-forcing and which are not).  Our plan is to follow up with another Spade bid, of course.

 

 

                                                    Board 3      Dealer South       E-W Vul

 

 

North’s 2♦ bid was Fourth Suit Forcing, and let’s assume that the partnership agreement is that it is forcing to game.  South’s 2NT was natural, usually 12-14, with something in the fourth suit.  Then Partner bid 3♠ which surely shows at least a 6-card suit … she wouldn’t waste time rebidding a 5-card suit when we have denied 3-card support with out 2NT bid.  What next? 

 

It looks as if we belong in Spades, all the more so considering our tenuous holding in Diamonds.  So, is a 4♠ bid in order here?  No, that would be a rather lazy bid.  We have splendid controls and should let Partner in on the fact that we have a good 4♠ bid.  We still only have 13 HCP’s, of course, and when we say “good” here we mean “good in relation to our bidding so far”.  Our suggestion is 4♦, a cue-bid on the way to 4♠.

 

 

                                                    Board 8      Dealer West       None Vul

 

 

If North feels the urge to get that 6-card Heart suit into the auction, it seems more appropriate to do so with a bid of 1♥ rather than 2♥.  Why?  The hand has altogether too much potential defense to start preempting.  We’d probably dredge up the 1♥ overcall, but it would be difficult to argue with a Pass.

 

 

                                                    Board 10      Dealer East       Both Vul

 

 

Here are our options:

-         Michaels:         Our least favorite of the three, as it not only risks the possibility of playing in the 4-3 instead of the 5-3, but it also gives up on the Club suit … just a plain bad bid in our view.

-         Double:           This keeps Clubs in the picture, but, again, it runs the risk that we’ll play in the wrong major, or even miss the 5-3 Spade fit altogether.

-         Overcall 1♠:    Yes, this is the best way to get to the right major suit contract.  Our plan is rebid 2♥, if the opponents will allow us.  But 1♠ is also far from ideal, the danger is that the opponents will bid lots of Diamonds and the Heart suit will get lost in the shuffle.  Overcalling 1♠ and rebidding Hearts also has the defect of abandoning the Club suit.

 

We reckon that it’s pretty close between Double and overcalling 1♠. 

 

                                                    Board 13      Dealer North       Both Vul

 North           South

♠ J43           ♠ AQT98

♥ AK8         ♥ T9762

♦ AT73        ♦ K5

♣ KQ5         ♣ A

 

This time we show both hands and attempt to unravel this complex auction, bid by bid:

 

North   South

 

1NT     2♥

2♠        3♥        This change of suit after a Jacoby Transfer is game-forcing.  If N-S are

                        playing Smolen, then that convention takes care of the 5-4 hands, so it’s

                        logical that this sequence should be used for the 5-5 hands.

 

4♦                    Over the game-forcing 3♥, Opener can agree Spades, agree Hearts, or

                        disagreeably bid 3NT.  If she wants to agree Spades she can bid 4♠

                        (discouraging slam), or 3♠ (maybe slam-suitable, or may just not be

                        sure whether the hand belongs in Spades or No Trump).  If she wants to

                        agree Hearts she can bid 4♥ (discouraging slam), or cue-bid 4♣ or 4♦ to

                        show Hearts and a slam-suitable hand.  It makes sense for the cue-bids

                        to show Heart support, because the low-level 3♠ bid is available for the

                        good Spade hands.

 

            4♠        A dangerous bid if N-S are not on the same wave-length!  But they should

                        be, with Hearts agreed this can be nothing other than a cue-bid.  It would

                        not be a good idea to use Roman Key Card Blackwood on this hand.  Here

                        we are more interested in getting Partner’s opinion of her hand … if

                        Partner’s values are concentrated in the majors then slam will likely be a

                        good proposition.

 

5♣                   Another cue-bid.  North is happy to cooperate with the slam hunt, with

                        a maximum and good controls.  However, she is aware that her Q♣ is

                        wasted, and that, if Partner has the K♦, that the K♣ will also be wasted.

                        Remember, Partner only has 3 minor suit cards, and 2 Aces and a King

                        are all that we need to cover those suits … additional minor suit values

                        would be wasted.

 

            5♦        South is still unable to bid the slam, but still trying.

 

5♥                    North has done enough.  She has too much stuff in the minors.  With this

                        hand, however, she would surely go to slam:  ♠ K43  ♥ AK8  ♦ AT73 

                                ♣ K75.  In fact, with that hand even the K♣ is unnecessary.

 

            Pass    Okay.

 

                                                    Board 15      Dealer South       N-S Vul

 

 

There’s nothing wrong with passing the West hand in second seat, but we rather like that 1♣ opening bid.  Of course, at favorable vulnerability, it’s always tempting to preempt the opponents but that would be dangerous with a hand that has two or three potential defensive tricks … Partner will also notice the vulnerability and might be persuaded to take a phantom sacrifice.  Therefore, we take the constructive route, showing opening values (well, almost!).

 

Now, when the bidding comes back to us, do we make a craven Pass, feeling guilty that we opened on our 10-count?  No, of course not!  We opened because we had a good 6-card suit and we still have that same good 6-card suit.  So, we bid 2♣, showing extra Clubs, not extra values.

 

 

                                                    Board 15      Dealer South       N-S Vul

 

 

Opposite an opening 1♣ or 1♦, a 1NT bid by Responder typically shows something in the 6-10 range.  But, opposite an overcaller, we need a slightly stronger hand, let’s say around 8-11 HCP’s.  Therefore, South’s hand here is at the lower end of her 1NT range and she declines North’s invitation to game.

 

 

                                                    Board 16      Dealer West       E-W Vul

 

 

Let’s not miss the opportunity here to make a “pre-balancing” Double.  What this Double does is anticipate Partner’s problem if we were to pass, and so did East.  Now, Partner is in the balancing seat, no doubt with 3 or 4 cards in the opponents’ Spade suit.  With such a hand, she would find it difficult to make a balancing bid.  So, in anticipation of that, as we have the shortness in their suit, it behooves us to pre-balance.  As so often in these auctions, the one with shortness in their suit is the one who must stretch to take action.

 

 

                                                    Board 16      Dealer West       E-W Vul

 

 

We don’t know whether Partner has 3-card or 4-card support, but we do know that we have an extra trump and would be tempted to compete further over their 3♣ or 3♦.  If that is the case, why wait?  If we are to bid 3♠, let’s bid it immediately!  Could this be construed as a game try?  No, we can Redouble if we have a good hand.

 

Having said that, it’s not entirely clear that we should be competing to the 3-level.  Our main point was originally made by an Englishman a few hundred years ago:

            If it were done when ‘tis done,

            Then ‘twere well if it were done quickly.

 

 

                                                    Board 19      Dealer South       E-W Vul

 

 

Anyone for a Redouble?  Not us, it’s not quite strong enough, and, anyway, when we have a fit with Partner, there’s not much point in suggesting to Partner that we penalize the opponents.  Our choice is the simple and obvious 1♥, getting our best suit and a major into the auction.  Some players are under the misapprehension that this bid shows a 5-card suit, but it does not.  As a general rule, our bids at the one-level after a Take-out Double are not so different than they are without the Take-out Double.  The main difference is that with a marginal hand we are more likely to pass after the Double, not feeling obliged to keep the bidding open.

 

 

                                                    Board 21      Dealer North       N-S Vul

 

 

Before you answer this one, let’s impose these methods on you for this Reverse auction:

-         2♠ (the 4^th suit) is artificial and shows a bad hand

-         2♥ shows 5 Hearts but is ambiguous in terms of strength

-         All other bids are game-forcing

-         3♥ shows a good suit, and enough for game, but not necessarily a big hand

 

If that is the framework then we’d expect a lot of votes for 3♥, showing a good suit.  Was that your choice?  Well, it’s not ours, though we may be a voice in the wilderness on this one.  Our thoughts are this:

-         If we have a 6-2 fit in our (Heart) suit, we can no doubt find it by rebidding Hearts.

-         If we belong in a 6-1 Heart fit, then the success of this fit will depend upon the quality of the suit.

-         The 6-1 fit will be more attractive if we don’t have a slow loser … we don’t mind losing the Ace or King, it’s the slow loser that is disadvantageous (when compared with alternative contracts)

-         So, if we are to show a good suit, it needs sufficient interior strength to avoid that slow loser opposite a singleton.

 

South’s Heart holding is good, but is it good enough for a jump rebid?  We don’t think so, it doesn’t pass the “Singleton Test”.  Opposite a small singleton, this suit will play for one loser just 36% of the time.  Suppose that we upgrade the suit to KQJ9xx.  Now we are getting closer, opposite a small singleton our chances of just one loser is up to 52%, and we would say that this is a 3♥ rebid, but only just.  Improve the suit further to KQJTxx, and we are up to a whopping 81% and a no-brainer 3♥ bid.

 

The bottom line here is that, on the actual hand, we would bid 2♥ not 3♥.  That suit is just not good enough for a 3♥ bid, in our opinion.

   

                                                 Board 24      Dealer West       None Vul

 

 

The ideal 4♥ bid would be KQJTxxxx and out, but we are a passed hand so who knows what horror might have been committed by Partner, he has a certain amount of latitude in this situation.  Nonetheless, we should feel free to take a call with this hand, it looks like 4♠ is going to make and 5♥ will likely be a good sacrifice. 

 

Does that mean that we should bid 5♥?  No, we don’t think so!  Whether or not we should bid to the 5-level is not really the issue here, it seems pretty clear that we should.  The real question is “Should we bid 6♥ over 5♠?”.  We don’t know the answer to that question, and they have not bid 5♠ yet, anyway.  But, if they do, maybe we can help Partner make the correct decision.  We suggest a bid of 5♦ here.  This says “I have good Diamonds and a 5♥ bid”.  It’s a bid that invites Partner’s cooperation if the opponents bid again.  We are showing values in the red suits and giving Partner the green light to push on to 6♥ if it looks right.

 

Suppose that we were not a passed hand.  Would 5♦ have the same meaning?  Absolutely!  Perhaps once every decade or so we’ll have a hand that wants to play in 5♦, but the rest of the time we’d be better advised to use the bid as a “5♥ with Diamonds” bid.

 

 

                                                    Board 24      Dealer West       None Vul

 

 

If you’ve been reading this Bidding Quiz sequentially, you’ll know that 5♦ was Partner’s way of saying “I have Diamonds, bid 6♥ if you think it’s right”.  And, yes, it most certainly is right with this double fit!

 

The bottom line is that both sides can make 11 tricks in their major, and so 6♥ is most certainly right here.  Actually, both sides can make 13 tricks if the defenders fail to cash their minor suit tricks on the go! 

 

 

                                                    Board 26      Dealer East       Both Vul

 

 

Square hand, 15 HCP’s.  1NT, right?  Well, that’s certainly the mainstream bid, nobody would fault you for making it.  But please consider also the following:

-         This hand is square and though the hand adds up to 15 it doesn’t look like 15.

-         Not a filler in sight.

-         There is no positional benefit to be gained by having this hand declare No Trump, it would surely be better if Partner declared.

So, we would open 1♣!  Yes, we admit in public, we really would!

 

 

                                                    Board 29      Dealer North       Both Vul

 

 

Clearly, letting Partner struggle in 1NT is likely to lead to -200 or -300.  It must be better to look for a fit, at least that way our hand might actually be able to contribute something to the proceedings.  We can think of three possible plans:

-         Bid 2♣ and pass the response … not a good idea, Partner might be 3-3-2-5 and we’ll end up in a 3-2 Diamond fit

-         Transfer to Hearts … that’s more like it, at least this way we’ll be in a 5-2 fit at worst.

-         Bid 2♣ and, if Partner bids 2♦, bid 2♥.  This is the so-called Garbage Stayman (aka Creeping Stayman and Crawling Stayman).  Partner is supposed to pick her better major in this situation.

We’d go the creepy-crawly route ourselves, it gives us two ways to win.

 

 

                                                    Board 31      Dealer South       N-S Vul

 

 

Here we revisit a recurring theme.  Is West’s hand a 2♣ opening bid, or is it not?  We say not, those big minor suit hands just don’t work well after a 2♣ opening bid (not that they work so wonderfully after a 1♣ bid either, by the way) … it’s enough to drive a partnership into playing a Strong Club system!

 

 

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