Tuesday, January 17, 2006 12:59 PM

Hand Evaluation - Hearts & Spades

PITBULLS:

There is an axiom in the game of Bridge is when you have found a fit you do not try and find another trump fit. This simplifies auctions and allows Q bids to come into the picture. The majors have a unique relationship . If you have support for partner’s major , there is no need to find a fit with the other major. Partner opens 1♥ and you have ♠KQJ109 ♥xxx ♦xxxx ♣x . This is not a 1♠ response but a 2♥ bid. Why ? because you have found your trump fit already so bidding spades serves no purpose. Your hand is only worth one bid. Another reason is when you bid spades and then make a simple preference to hearts , you deny 3 trump. This is helpful as partner will not make bad game tries thinking that you have 3 trump on those auctions.

A tormentee held this hand ♠A10x ♥AQJxx ♦void ♣QJ10xx and opened 1♥ . I responded a spade and she rebid 2♣. I gave preference to 2♥ so now what ? Partner must have 5 or more spades and only two hearts so you “pattern out” and bid 2♠ . Partners hand could be ♠KQxxx ♥xx ♦xxxx ♣Kx and 1430 in spades is on the heart finesse. Passing 2♥ is an impossible bid as you will be on a 5-2 fit taking the diamond tap. Also by passing you have made a single handed decision that game is not probable when slam might be possible . On this auction, if you describe your distribution, your hand is worth 14 HCP +3 for the void 17 Goren pts minimum in support of spades . At one table , opener rebid 3♣ as she felt that the one spade response improved her hand to that extent. Not a bad overbid but an overbid nevertheless.

Some people play a spade response to a heart opener promises 5 spades. I do not go that far but close. If I have a bad 4 card spade suit , I prefer to bid a forcing NT. In earlier days of Bridge a suit had to be “buiddable” i.e. somer honours in it. 5 Card majors changed that concept but I think this style should remain for this one instance. I only lose in one case and that is if partner has the weak flannery hand. In matchpoints that is bad but in IMPS who cares what partial we find ? In all other cases , the 1NT bid simplifies the auctions as we find our minor fits easier. ♠Jxxx ♥xx ♦KQxx ♣Qxx and partner opens 1♥. I bid 1NT & we end up in a minor or heart partial. Therefore if I respond a spade after a heart opener , partner knows I have 4 decent spades or 5+ spades. The forcing NT with 4 spades catches a lot of spade balancers also as well as causes lead problems for the opponents.

Also if you have a NT type hand with soft values its best to right side the NT. ♠Q10xx ♥xx ♦KJx ♣KJxx and partner opens 1♥ . Your values are very “soft” and getting the NT in to protect your hand is a good idea. I would bid 1NT rather than a spade and over partners minor rebid , I would bid 2NT. Right siding 3NT contracts is an excellent strategy. If game in spades is possible , partner must be strong enough to reverse into spades anyway in many hands.

You hold ♠xxxx ♥x ♦AQxx ♣AJxx and partner opens 1♥. I prefer to bid 1NT rather than 1♠. Why , becaue you are better prepared if partner rebids a minor. You now have a 2♠ bid available to show a show minor raise. You do not misrepresent your hand by showing where you live in the spade suit. If partner has a stiff spade , this is gold rather than duplication of value. You may get to 6 of a minor making when 3NT goes down as they cash the first 5 spade tricks.

This hand came up in the Bermuda Bowl. ♠xxxx ♥Ax ♦J109xx ♣Ax and partner opens 1♥. I respond 1NT and not 1♠ & partner rebids 2♦. Now you have the 2♠ bid at your disposal and you get to +1370 in diamonds as partner holds ♠void ♥KQ1098x ♦AKxxx ♣xx a 21 HCP slam !

I also avoid the ugly practice of bidding one spade after a 1♥ opener with a good 6 card minor. ♠Qxxx ♥x ♦xx ♣KQJ109x . I prefer bidding 2♣ & 3 ♣ non forcing after a heart opener or 1NT if I do not play that system . With a better hand ♠Qxxx ♥x ♦xx ♣AKJ109x , I bid 2♣ forcing to game rather than distort my 6-4 and respond a spade. Spade fits can be found from partners side ! . Bidding spades is not a reverse by partner after a 2/1 . By responding a spade you have impossible rebids and you can never convince partner you are 4-6.