Monday, December 04, 2006 11:52 AM

 

Hand Evaluation – Limited Hands ( Kickback )

 PITBULLS:

 

            It is very important in Bridge to have a way of dragging your feet when partner has visions of bigger & better things. The most common “death response is immediately returning to the trump suit when partner is inviting with a Q bid. If partner is Q bidding , even rebidding your 4 card suit as a “death response “ is perfectly acceptable.

 

            In minor auctions or NT auctions, returning to NT at your first opportunity is the death response. Do not forgot that once you have announced your minimum , partner has heard you so is still trying , you should co-operate with a good minimum. If your minimum is truly dreadful , bail out to NT again. OK with all this pre-amble , lets bid this hand that nobody in a Spingold got to their cold 6♣.

 

            You open a club with ♠109x A109x JxAKxx , partner bids 2♣ inverted showing limit raise or better. You bid 2NT which describes your weak NT type of minimum. Partner bids 3 which is a game force & showing where she lives  ( we assume) for NT purposes. We have nice controls so we show our heart stopper by bidding 3. Partner now bids 3 which now clarifies her previous bids as trying for a club slam,  rather than making sure that 3NT was the best spot.

 

 What now ? Should we sign off in 3NT , Fast arrival to 5♣ or bid 4♣ ? Since you limited your hand with a 2NT bid, 4♣ is not KCB. The unlimited hand must use the Kickback bid of 4 , if she wants to take control. I think since you have nice controls with a genuine club suit , you should give partner  that information by bidding 4♣. She has the information that you did not make the “death response” of 3NT which you would have with soft values & a 3 card club suit.

 

            Partner now bids 4 which is clearly Kickback for clubs. You respond 4♠ showing zero or 3 key cards. Partner has AJx x AK109 ♣QJ109x  , 6♣ is higher than 75 % . Partner bids 5♣ so you carry on to 6♣ as you have 3 of them.  Nobody in the Spingold final got past 3NT !! Note this auction showed a very important part of minor suit KCB . Once you have limited your hand in some way , forcing NT  , 2NT rebid  , even a strong NT you are not allowed to use minor suit KCB. Your job is just to advise partner you do not have  the dreaded 3 card minor with soft values.  Partner who is the unlimited hand must use minor suit KCB ( Kickback ) .