2007-11-07 01:37
Hand Evaluation – Partnership ( Repeating Bids )
PITBULLS:
In golf , you must have
a repeating golf swing . In other
words , your swing must be the same each time so
that different clubs result in pre-determined
distances the golf ball travels. The fact that your golf swing repeats means
that you can trust it
time after time to deliver the golf ball accurate distances.
In Bridge
, an analogy to your golf swing is your
bidding. Your bidding must repeat so
that an element of trust is built
between yourself & your partner . By having your
bids “repeat” each time eliminates ambiguity .
Partner takes your bid “to the bank” so accuracy is achieved in reaching your
contract. In other words , the golf ball travels the
same distance each time. Reaching the correct contract means that both sides have described their
own hands as accurately as
possible.
You
get a reputation in Bridge as being wild “off the tees”. Your golf ball can go
anywhere. Sometimes it is down the fairway but more often it is in the woods or
a water hazard. In past articles , We have discussed
the effects of “bad swinging” i.e. undisciplined opening bids
, responses , overcalls , doubles , pre-empts & respecting vulnerability.
This lack of discipline destroys
trust & the partnership
aspect of Bridge is eliminated.
However , discipline is more than that . Your bids must repeat. You cannot open 1♦ & rebid 2♦ on a 5 or 6 card
suit & then do the same the next time
on an 8 card suit. You cannot make a 2/1 on a 5 card suit one
time & a 3 card suit the next time & have partner read it properly. You
cannot play canapé one time with 13 HCP & a 4-5 by bidding your 4 card major
first. Your bids are not repeating & become meaningless. You
cannot pass 10 HCP after partners T/O double one time & bid the next time
with 10 as your pass is not
repeating. You are introducing ambiguity. How is partner to know the difference
? Here is a Tormentee in action. You have ♠Qx ♥Axx ♦xx ♣AKJ10x so what do you bid
after a T/O double ? Reason this way
. A 2♣ bid can show zero HCP’s as partner forced you to bid with a double. A 3♣
jump bid was invented to show the T/O doubler that
you do not have zero to 8 HCP but an invitational
hand 9-12 HCP. A Q bid shows hands 13 HCP & above as with partners 13 HCP
for the double you are in the game range of 26 HCP. The Tormentee
with 14 HCP & a nice suit bid 3♣ , the same bid she would have made with 9 HCP ( too strong to bid 2♣) .
Bridge bidding is a language . How is partner supposed
to read that one time you may have 9 HCP & the next time 14 HCP with the same bid.
Same Tormentee ,
who held ♠KQxxx
♥Q ♦AQxx ♣Jxx who opened 1♠ in 1st seat. Her LHO doubled , partner passed & her RHO bid 2♣. Why
would you ever want to freely bid 2♦ to describe to
partner that you barely have an opener. What
if you had a nice 5-5 in spades & diamonds ? Would
you not like to reserve a 2♦ bid to show that hand ? Your bids must repeat. You cannot bid 2♦ with this hand &
2♦
with a nice
5-5 the next time as how is
partner to know the difference ? A pass was invented
to show a hand that you have nothing more
to say.
You
have ♠void ♥KJxxx ♦AKQxx ♣Axx & the auction goes 1♠
to your right . You play Michaels weak or strong so you bid Michaels. Partner
bids 3♥ so you carry on to 4♥. Partner has 9
unannounced HCP’s so she bid KCB so you get to +1430 in hearts. Say you hold ♠x ♥KJxxx ♦AQJ10x ♣Ax a nice 15 HCP .
You cannot Michaels & single handedly
force this hand to game. Partner may just have made a forced 3♥ bid which could have
been on nothing.
You make a T/O double & let partner have some input to the final contract.
You need help from
partner to make game , so let her have some say in the matter. In other words , make sure your strong Michaels bid “repeats itself”
each & every time.
You
play weak 5-5’s in the blacks by opening 1♣ initially. You have this hand
♠AKxxx ♥xx ♦x ♣Kxxxx so you open 1♣.
Partner bids 2♣ & they bid 3♥ so now what ? Resist
the urge to bid freely at the 3 level. You pass & partner
doubles. Now you bid 3♠ & partner gets a clear picture of your hand
as a weak 5-5 & bids 3NT which makes for +630. If you had a better hand ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦xx ♣KQxxx you can bid 3♠
freely & you get to your cold +1370. In other words ,
your bid has repeated . You have
what partner would reasonably expect for a free bid at the 3 level. You do not
bid a good hand & a bad hand the same
way. Discipline is quite
often resisting the urge to bid
if you do not have
a bid that describes your hand to partner. Bridge is not played in a vacuum nor is it a
single handed pastime like poker.
Here
is an example of not “playing the vulnerability “ .
You have ♠Jxxx
♥Kxxx ♦x ♣AQ10x & you are vul vrs not.
They open 1♦ so do you make a T/O double ?
You would if the vulnerability was different but you want your vul vrs not T/O doubles to repeat. In other
words, be trusted by partner. A Tormentee’s
partner doubled & they ended up in their best spot 2♣X for –500 &
of course a zero. What if you had a real vul T/O double the next time ? How is partner to know the difference
? Partners give each other leeway
from time to time but no leeway is given on this
vulnerability.
Playing
the vulnerability properly is
bidding discipline. When you are vul vrs not
, you do not operate. Your bids should “repeat” vulnerable & always be sound. ♠Qxxx ♥Q ♦Axxx ♣Q10xx & you are vul ,
they are not. You are a passed hand , LHO opens 1♣
& RHO bids 1♥ so do you back in vul
vrs not ? If your 10 HCPs were
concentrated in your two suits , why not ? ♠QJxx ♥x ♦AQxx ♣xxxx is not a bad hand for a
disciplined vulnerable bid. If you
have more distribution , HCP’s do not need to total 10
. Passed hand T/O doubles are not just
having the right shape with 10 HCP’s. Your points should be concentrated in your two suits
, controls or excessive distribution. The hand above resulted in –800
& the opponents were probably going to play the hand in a heart partial !!
You
have bought into the importance of
the hand evaluation concept of quick tricks for your opening bids
& other Bridge decisions like doubles .
This is a good thing . You hold ♠AK ♥xxx ♦10xxx ♣AJxx 1st seat vul in an IMPS match. You only have a balanced 12 count so
do you open ? You use your hand evaluation skills to promote or demote hands for an opening bid. 13 HCP’s can be demoted to a non opener due to lack of quick tricks &
distribution. Hands under 13 HCP can get promoted to
opening bid status due to quick tricks & good distribution. The Tormentee did not notice her quick
tricks so when her HCP total was
only 12 , she passed !! You have 3 quick tricks for defense so of course you open.
You want your opening bids to repeat showing your quick
tricks every time. You
will pass a flat 12 if you lack quick tricks but how can partner ever play you
for passing 3 quick tricks ? Partner’s judgment is
thrown off by your lack of discipline.
Your opening bids are not repeating
so they are becoming ambiguous. The Tormentee passed , partner opens 1♥ in 3rd
seat so you bid Drury . Partner signs off in 2♥ unsuspecting that
you passed 3 quick tricks. You have shown
your heart fit already & your HCP’s
already with Drury but you have not yet shown your balanced distribution.
You bid 2NT to give partner a picture of your hand &
suggest an alternative contract of 2NT with your bad hearts. Partner
may have opened on a 4
card heart suit in 3th seat. Partner carries on to
3NT with her balanced hand & you get rewarded with +600 as only 9 tricks
were available. The Tormentee instead bid 3♥ an ambiguous bid
repeating what she just said with her Drury bid & not giving any new
information to partner. Partner passed for a -12 IMP loss & the match.
Partner
opens 1♥ in 4th seat. You have ♠A10x ♥J109xx ♦K10x ♣xx so what is your bid ? You want to be disciplined
& have your bids repeat. A 2♥ bid shows 3 card support
with a hand under a limit raise. This hand is all
controls with 5 trump
which evaluates to at least 10 HCP. You cannot bid 2♥ as your bids are not repeating .
You would make the same bid with 3 card support
with the same HCP’s. You
bid Drury so partner bids a baby slam making 7♥.