Saturday, September 23, 2006 10:08 PM

Hand Evaluation – XYZ ( 4^th suit forcing)

PITBULLS:

XYZ is a popular fix for the ugly 4^th suit forcing auctions at the one level. The letters stand for 3 bids at the one level which with the rank of suits can only occur if partner opens a minor. The structure is therefore “minor orientated” so works exactly like the Cabay 2 way NMF. If responder bids 2♣ that shows all the invitational hands , if responder bids 2♦ that is forcing to game. XYZ also frees the Goren jump shifts or jump preferences by responder as slam tries. We are again recovering the useful form of the strong jump shift by responder. Showing your intentions as responder immediately via a strong bid has a powerful theoretical advantage.

Here is a hand from the Bermuda Bowl. ♠xx ♥AKJxx ♦AKQJx ♣x opposite ♠Axxx ♥Qx ♦10x ♣AQJxx . Partner opens 1♣ , you respond 1♥ with partner bidding 1♠. All three bids have been made at the one level so XYZ comes into effect ( triggered) . You now bid 3♦ which reverts to Goren which shows a strong two suiter with a slam try. Partner likes her Aces & the heart queen so she bids 3♥ rather than 3NT. Getting to 6♥ is now very easy.

Jump preferences playing XYZ are now slam tries. Change the above hand to ♠x ♥AKJxx ♦Ax ♣K10xxx with the first 3 bids remain at the one level. You now make a forcing slam try of 3♣ . This slam try makes investigation easy for getting to a grand slam in clubs. The beauty of the Goren method of forcing jumps is that you flash your slam interests immediately. Modern bidding does not do this very well. On this auction , you would have to make a phony 4^th suit bid before supporting clubs. Even then , you are not necessarily showing slam interest. With the first hand you bid 2♦ , you hear partner alert as 4^th suit forcing which may not show diamonds !

Here is another hand where playing XYZ makes bidding easy. Partner opens 1♦ , you respond 1♥ with ♠Kx ♥AJ10xxx ♦AQ10x ♣A . Partner rebids 1♠ , you bid 3♦ announcing your slam aspirations early. Partner co-operates with a 3♠ bid so you take control with 4♦ KCB . Partner bids 4NT showing 2 without. You bid 5♥ as a suit ask , partner bids 7♦ with her singleton heart. Partners hand ♠AQJ10 ♥x ♦KJ987 ♣Qxx. Try this auction with 4^th suit forcing instead of XYZ & you could get messed up very badly. Partner raises your ♣ bid to 3 so now you are fearing duplication of value. The wrong side took control as you want opener to be the captain . Playing XYZ you can choose the captain. I hate 4^th suit forcing .L