Saturday, April 28, 2007 8:21 PM

Hand Evaluation - Responder ( Patterning Out )

PITBULLS:

The knock against 4^th suit forcing is that it is not natural in a natural bidding system. When you use 4^th suit forcing , partner has no idea about your distribution or where you live, The bid is a meaningless noise designed just to force to game. The godfather 2NT bid as a one round force after opens 2 level rebid is a much more natural bid as it shows stoppers , length & values in the 4^th suit. Does the bid have to be balanced ? Usually , but not necessarily. You can actual pattern out with 2NT where you cannot with 4^th suit forcing.

The godfather 2NT encourages proper hand evaluation. You “pattern out” as opener so you know how hands fit through natural bidding. What is really nice about this bid is you can “pattern out’ as responder also !! Warned about serious duplication of value , you can stay out of bad slams.

Nancy Cook opened 1♦ with ♠x ♥xx ♦Axxxx ♣AKQxx , partner responded 1♠. Nancy rebid 2♣ so partner bid the 4^th suit 2♥ . Nancy bid 3♣ so partner now bids 3♦. Do we have any idea about responders distribution ? Not a chance . He could hold ♠AKxx ♥xx ♦KQJx ♣xxx or just about any combination of diamonds & spades. We have no idea about responders hand. What if partner bid the new suit 2NT followed by supporting diamonds? Partner promises length & stoppers in the 4^th suit with the godfather 2NT. With this inference , responder has actually patterned out when she supports diamonds. Made a response , showed the 4^th suit & supported partner. Nancy’s partner actually held ♠K10xxx ♥AJ109 ♦KJxx ♣void so with the new suit 2NT he maps out the shortness in clubs. Warned about this duplication of value they stay out of a bad 6♦ .

This hand shows the importance of a Bridge fundamental. Supporting partner at the earliest possible opportunity. Do not make fancy Q bid’ s first to confuse the issue. Taking control without knowing the severe duplication of value in clubs is just guessing & not bidding. At Nancy’s table , her partner took control by bidding 4♦ KCB which means you luck out or you do not. Change Nancy’s HCP’s to ♠Ax ♥K ♦AQxxx ♣J1098x , 7♦ is easy. By bidding new suit 2NT , this hand knows you are very short in clubs so she can take control. 4^th suit forcing is really a terrible bid in a natural bidding system. Most of the time , the bid just causes confusion. Good players use XYZ at the one level & godfather 2NT at the two level to minimize using the awful 4^th suit forcing bid.