Friday, December 22, 2006 8:08 AM

Goren Q Bids

PITBULLS:

Back in the Goren days , a Q bid of the opponents suit did not mean “limit raise or better” , or asking for a stopper or Michaels. The Q bid meant , I had a hand in the demand two bid range. Over the years Q bidding of the opponents suit developed more sophisticated meanings & the Goren style Q bids became virtually extinct.

Not quite extinct though. I recover the Goren Q bids in two instances. Pre-empts at the 3 level or higher & in the balancing spot. These are two Bridge situations where very strong single suiters or two suiters are almost impossible to describe. In fact , Goren Q bids help define T/O doubles in these two scenarios. If the opponents pre-empt at the 3 level or above , a double can never be a single suited hand. You would jump ( never pre-empt over a pre-empt ) or make a Goren style Q bid . This understanding helps with equal level conversion understandings in pre-emptive or balancing situations. This Q bid understanding also prevents penalty conversion disasters. You just do not double with a single suited hand , period. A T/O double now means two or more suits. Partner is allowed to convert for penalty but it is impossible to convert a Q bid for penalty J.

In the balancing spot , there are many strong distributional one suiters or two suiters where you do not want partner converting the double. Enter the Goren style Q bid. A weak Michaels hand can be handled by overcalling and an intermediate Michaels hand can be handled by doubling. Of course , the strong Michaels hands are covered by the Goren Q bid & not the Michaels Q bid. This Q bid is not ambiguous as to strength.

OK lets bid a hand. They open 3♥ and you hold ♠AKQJxxx ♥void ♦AJ10x ♣KJ so avoid a T/O double or a leap to game. This hand was built for the Goren Q bid. You bid 4♥ and partner leaps to 6♦ ! You bid 6♠ and partner trusts your Q bid & on to the grand slam with ♠xxx ♥xx ♦KQxxx ♣AQx . Partner just has to apply “strong two’s” type of thinking in these auction to visualize partner’s hand. The Goren Q bid gave a good reference point for the hand type. Would you have opened a demand two bid or very close ?

The trouble with playing non Goren two bids over 3 level pre-empts as that you must bid again to show your strong hand. Say you held ♠AKQxx ♥KQ1098x ♦xx ♣void and they open 3♣. Playing Goren Q bids this is easy as you bid 4♣. You now brought partner into the picture so you can safely pass 4♥. What if you do not have this understanding so you bid 5♣ as a slam try. Unlucky as they cash the ♦AK and the heart Ace for one down. Ambiguity at the 4 level is not a good idea.

Pre-empts & light openers were designed to impede you from your best spot. Goren Q bids used in pre-emptive & balancing situations are a way of fighting back. These Q bid understandings are highly recommended. One thought though , I still play Michaels Q bids over pre-empts on the terrorist vulnerability. I find another way to show my demand two on this one vulnerability.