Monday, July 21, 2003 12:44 AM

Hand Evaluation – TIPS ( Bad Bidding )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            The purpose of bidding is to communicate information to the partnership so that a joint decision can be made to arrive at the correct contract . Any deviation from this purpose is called “bad bidding” the most common of which ,  I will outline below:

 

1)    Jamming partner – A partnership has found a fit so are Q bidding . All of a sudden one partner leaps to a 6 contract opposite an unlimited hand thereby jamming the partnership out of a grand slam. Frustrating , as the grand is just a guess now so the partner reluctantly passes.

2)    Undisciplined Pre-empts 1st & 2nd -  Partner is still in the picture as an unpassed hand . Outside cards & bad suits will get partner way more times than the opponents.

3)    Splinters & limit raises – These bids were designed to have 4 trump . Partner evaluates her hand base on the assumption that you have 4 trump. Bid a forcing NT with 3 trump & jump raise later.

4)      Jumping to game – Jumping to game in a major is a pre-empt . Do something else if you have outside stuff.

5)    Rock one bids – The purpose of opening 2♣ is so game will not be missed if partner is unable to respond. Use that as your guide for opening 2♣ .

6)    Bad game tries – 1 of a major , a forcing 1NT , a minor rebid & a major preference is a horribly weak auction . Game tries after that bidding sequence blow partials 99 times out of a 100 !!

7)    Taking control when you should not – If partner may still have something useful to say , give her a chance . Do not take control of the auction. The worst example of this is leaping to Blackwood so partner does not have a chance to show her distribution or point count.

8)    Not taking control when you should – When you have the appropriate hand , do not leave up to partner what you can do yourself. Take control of the hand !

1)      Guessing partners hand -  Do not assume because partner opened a diamond that she has a nice 5 or 6 card ♦ suit . 1♦  , a 2♥ overcall so you double with ♠Axxx ♥Ax ♦Qxxx ♣K109 . LHO bids 3♥ so around to you . Do not “guess” partners hand , give her a chance to describe it by doubling again.

2)    Penalty Doubles – If you have a lot of points in a competitive auction & nothing useful to bid , double giving partner an option to pass .Doubles should be D.S.I.P. ( do something intelligent partner ) in these competitive auctions.

11)Forcing passes – Do not bid in front of partner when you own the auction.  Forcing pass theory applies so all actions including a pass have a  meaning.

12)Negative doubles – Make negative doubles when appropriate rather than  misleading partner with a competitive 2/1 bid.

13)Bad hand evaluation – Aces & Kings are controls so they should be   upgraded. Queens & jacks are not good cards . 4-3-3-3 are bad hands so should be treated as such.

14)Suicidal bids – Opening a weak 2 vul on xxxxxx , opening 3 on Qxxxxxx  vul & overcalling at the 2 level with Jxxxx is just giving the opponents  options for a huge set and misleading partner . Single handed bids that do  not allow partner any say are quite often suicidal.

15)Opening bids 3rd & 4th – Show where you live when you open in this  chair. Choose a good 4 card major over a bad minor suit for lead directing purposes.

16)Balancing – Know how to recognize misfit auctions & stay out of the  bidding when  appropriate.

17)Know thy system – Forgetting your system is just throwing IMPS away.

18)Seek partners input – When trying for a slam or game make your  intentions clear early so you allow partner an out when she has an inappropriate hand . Use serious 3NT & Q bidding rather than blasting to your spot.

      19)Concealment vrs revealment – When you know where you are going –  go there . Do not help opponents with their opening leads.

      20)Ambiguous T/O doubles – Shape before strength . Overcall with  good offensive hands rather than double . Double with defensive hands

      21)NT Auctions – With the opponents NT auctions , double to show  strength of your  hand rather than overcalling . Allow partner to be a part of the decision making           

           process. Doubles of NT auctions at any level is penalty.

      22)Redundant Bidding – When you have described your hand & partner has heard you , do not bid it again . Partner is in charge of the auction so is “captain of the ship”

      23)Overcalls – Need a good suit to overcall rather than just HCP . Pass &  trap if you do not  have the suit requirements.

      24)Play the vulnerability – Bad bidders are not aware that bids change with the vulnerability & seat position. Do not bury partner when she opens in 3rd chair or  unfavourable vulnerability.

      25)Bid the table – Good bidders will not only bid their own hand but bid  depending on what she has heard so far from the opponents. Balancing  is based on this premises.

      26)Non Constructive Bids – Given a choice of bids , make the bid that is most constructive towards game . Rather than making an ambiguous 3 of  a minor bid , bid NT which describes your hand in a range in which partner  can base a decision.

      27)Support Partner – First consideration should be making a Q bid that  supports partner or  supporting partner directly. Simplifies auctions when  the trump is set initially.

      28)Unusual NT / Michaels Q – Do not make these bids with intermediate hands. Overcall or double instead. These bids should be weak or strong so that  partner can make an informed decision.

      29)Take your fix – If the opponents have pre-empted & raised to the 5  level , take your fix & double with your good hand rather than bidding at  the 5 level. Partner had a chance to bid at the 3 level & did not , so go  after the plus. Bidding at the 5 level is not a balance & shows an  extraordinary hand.

      30)Trump Stacks – Stay out of the auction with a “trump stack” in the  opponents suits . Do not encourage pseudo sacrifices. Double later.

      31) Psyches – These bids are part of Bridge . If something “smells rotten” ,  act accordingly.

      32) Passing – Do not push opponents into makeable games & slams if you kill partners hand defensively by having length in her suits. If they are in a bad spot , pass rather than double if you can not double their escape.

      33) 2 suited fits – When both sides have two suited fits , keep bidding .

      34) Duplication of value – When you have cards opposite partners known singleton or shortness in  her known strength , slow the auction down by  doubling .

      35) Lead Directors – Bend over backwards to get in a lead director by bidding or doubling a Q bid  or Blackwood response. Bad bidders do not  help partner out with leads.

      36) Flat minimums – Do not open flat minimums (12 HCP ) , unless they have some  redeeming quality like quick tricks or a good suit .

      37) Rule of 20 -  Give 6-4’s & 5-5’s the respect they deserve. Add your HCP to the length of your two longest suits so if they reach 20 consider opening if  you have the controls.

      38) Take out insurance – Avoid disasters in IMPS by favouring bidding over penalty doubles in close decisions. Leave the “almighty plus” to match  points.

      39) Stayman -  Do not Stayman with very good hands . Dependence on the  trump suit breaking  may change 660 to –100. Avoid Stayman with flat  hands as 9 tricks might be the limit of the hands.

      40) Psychological tactics – No free rides for opponents . Play with their  minds when you smell a vulnerable game or slam  there way. Bad bidders do  nothing to disrupt auctions so make life easy for opponents.