2008-02-18 23:09
Hand Evaluation – Overcalls ( Rank of Suits )
PITBULLS:
The rank of suits in Bridge
, define equal level conversion.
The ranks of the remaining suits must be such that there is a choice of suits
at the same level. Hence the name , equal level conversion.
1♥-X-P-2♣
P-2♠ is not equal level conversion as you did not give partner a
choice of two suits at the same level.
This sequence shows a strong hand.
1♥-X-P-2♣
P-2♦ is equal level conversion
as partner can now choose spades & diamonds at the two level.
This
is why equal level conversion does not work
with the lowly club suit. Due to
the rank of that suit , you cannot offer partner
a choice between two suits at the same level.
Whenever
partner makes a jump bid after his
T/O double , equal level conversion no longer applies.
You just pass the invitational
bid if you have a weak hand with the two other suits. Therefore
, if partner makes any bid after a jump bid , a game force
is on. My partner had this hand ♠Kxx ♥AKQxxx ♦xx ♣Ax & they opened 1♣.
She felt this hand was too strong
for a mere heart overcall , so she doubled . She also
has support for the other major which probably influenced her decision to
double Anyway , I responded two spades to her T/O
double so now what ? A 3♥ bid describes her
hand nicely showing a strong heart overcall type of single suited hand. I bid 3NT so partner has a choice of passing
or returning to 4♠. 3NT is cold on a club lead & 4♠ has a
chance with favourable breaks. 4♥ does not make as my
hand was ♠Q10xx ♥void ♦AJ9xx ♣Q98x . 3NT is simple as I
win the expected ♣ lead & lead a spade. If they jump with the spade Ace , they give me 3 spades so along with my two clubs , ♦A & 3♥’s that is 9 tricks.
If they duck the spade Ace , I establish the hearts
& take 2♣ , 5♥ , 1♠ & 1♦ for 9 tricks .
The
worst bid you can make is 4♥ as that is just guessing my hand & unilaterally
placing the contract. This sequence demands a pass which I would do
if I held 5 spades or even 6 , as partner may have a spade void for all I know. Also 3NT is
taken out of the mix when your heart suit could be a source of tricks for that contract. 4♥ has a nice pre-emptive effect on partner so the bid
should be based on solid hearts . You preserve useful bidding space to find the best contract
& invite partner’s opinion on
determining the final contract. Nowhere during this auction did responder say
he had any sort of heart tolerance.
Equal
level conversion might confuse T/O doubles on what is forcing & what is
not. It should not though , as you let the rank of suits decide that issue. Any bid
after an invitational bid is game forcing
though as you are not trying to improve a partial in IMPS. If partner jumps to
a new suit after a making a T/O
Double this is an intermediate two suiters.
We have other ways to show two suited hands.