M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Bidding
The principle of fast arrival
When there are two or more forcing routes available to the same contract then the most direct route route will be the weakest, suggesting little interest in any higher contract.
Slower routes will suggest at least full value for the bidding to date and may hint at an interest in higher things.
A simple example is to be found in a game raise opposite partner’s opening one of a major.
Suppose that you play a game-
I shall confine the present discussion to the two routes available to game in that suit -
The direct jump is weaker than the Jacoby route. Indeed, most partnerships will play it as quite weak -
The route via Jacoby on the other hand should be full-
♠
♥
♦
♣
A
K T 8 6 4 3
Q 8 3
T 5 3
You want to bid up, and you want to bid up fast before your opponents find their spades, but you do not want to encourage partner to get excited.
Bid 4♥.
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
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1♥ |
- |
? |
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You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
1♥ |
- |
2♦ |
- |
3♣ |
- |
3♦ |
- |
3♠ |
- |
3NT |
- |
4♦ |
- |
4♠ |
- |
6♦ |
- |
- |
- |
♠
♥
♦
♣
A K
K T 4 3
K 8 7 3
Q 5 3
This time you are full value for your force to game.
Bid 2NT (Jacoby) agreeing hearts and telling partner the good news.
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
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1♥ |
- |
? |
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In response to Jacoby opener has a similar choice.
You should have a whole system of responses to the 2NT bid, but amongst these will be 3♥ and 4♥ both of which are game-
♠
♥
♦
♣
9 3
K Q 8 6 5
A Q 7 4
5 2
You have a perfectly respectable opener, but with no features such as a shortage or a source of tricks, and no more than you should have by way of high points.
Bid 4♥.
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
1♥ |
- |
2NT |
- |
? |
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Using a bid in the fourth suit
Frequently a bid in the fourth suit will offer an alternative to a direct game bid.
The slower route will be the stronger route.
An example is given at the bottom of the page on fourth suit forcing in this section.
The following example cropped up recently on a regular club night, although I should admit immediately that I didn’t get it right on the night.
♠
♥
♦
♣
W
Q
K Q T 7 3
A K J
K J 9 3
♠
♥
♦
♣
E
A J T 5
Q T 8 6 5 4
A 8 7
West was the dealer and opened 1♥. East responded 2♦.
West bid a natural and forcing 3♣, and the onus is now on East.
In the event he showed his sixth diamond with 3♦.
West can now see the fit and the possibilities. He makes a fourth suit bid of 3♠, both to show interest and to find out more.
East can hardly do less than 3NT, (although 4♠ might be an interesting alternative).
The critical bid is west’s at this point. Even if the auction were not game-
East must now come alive. Voidwood will work on the day but my choice is a cue-
That is all West needs to know, and 6♦ is an easy bid -
Diamonds makes thirteen tricks, but that contract is seriously difficult to find in anything resembling a certain manner. On the night just one pair bid to 6♦.
Three pairs bid 3NT and two pairs bid 6NT making twelve tricks on each occasion, but four of these were played by West, and no trumps by West can be held to eleven tricks on a spade lead -
Of the others one pair finished in 5♦, and one pair stopped in a rather sad 3♣.
6♦ scored just under 80% on the night, but it is the right contract to be in unless you can manoeuvre your way to 6NT by East.
Well done the pair which reached 6♦ -
Opener |
Overcaller |
Responder |
Advancer |
Opener's rebid |
Responder's rebid and beyond |
Overcaller's rebid and beyond |
The continuing auction |