Sunday, January 26, 2003 12:32 AM

Taking Control

 

PITBULLS:

 

          There are more Bridge guidelines for when one partner should take control of the bidding . Sometimes that decision has to be made immediately . Partner opens a major and you have a choice between bidding a splinter or Jacoby 2NT . if you have a monster hand why tell partner that you have a singleton ? Take control by bidding 2NT and ask partner about her hand . Also just because partner bids 2NT and you have a singleton you are not obliged to show it . You may want to bid a “serious 3NT” instead and take control of the hand . Do not fall into the trap of rote rules .

 

          Over Q bidding is another pitfall partnerships fall into . At some point in an auction one side has to decide to take control by “serious 3NT “ or by bidding Blackwood . Here is a hand from last Wednesday night that demonstrates  that point .

 

x

A

A

Q

x

K

10

x

x

J

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

1♣

 

1♥

 

2♦

 

2♥

 

3♦

 

4♣

(1) 

4♦

 

4♥

 

4♠

 

?

 

 

    Sets trump with partner being a 6-5.

 

 

 

 

          Comments on the bidding . Do not jump in forcing auctions . You have way more points than partner can possibly imagine so keep the bidding nice and low. Italian Q bidding comes to the fore in this auction . The king of diamonds can be shown before your spade control to save bidding room . Anyway , what should you bid after 4♠ ?  Another Q bid is not productive . Partner has described her hand as a 6-5 with a spade control and the King of diamonds. She can’t possibly know that you have this rock ,  so take control by bidding Blackwood. Partner shows the AK of clubs and the Ace of spades as well as the King of diamonds you knew about. You can bid 5NT as a grand slam invite or just bid 7 clubs yourself . By not taking control , you are discounting a grand slam which is very possible on this auction . The 5NT bid puts partner back in the picture for grand slam purposes .

 

          Playing “serious 3NT” it is very important for one partner to assume control . The negative inference of one partner not doing so is a building block of the system . Do not shirk your duty and take control when you should and do not take control when you should not . Experience and bidding judgment is your guide.

 

          Another auction where not taking control led to disaster. 1♣-2♠-P-P   X-P-P-2NT  X-3♦-4♥-P ?

You hold x Kxxx Kxx AKQJx so what do you bid ? Playing the Italian style of Q bidding it is very important to play Q bids above game as 1st round control and Q bids below game as either / or . You have received enough information to take control of this auction. Partner has shown at least 10 probably 11 cards in the majors and enough to jump to a heart game. Showing her a stiff spade is redundant. She knows that you have a stiff spade but more importantly so do you. So take control by bidding Blackwood. Do not fall into the “over Q bidding” trap.

Partner may infer that since you did not use Blackwood , Aces are not a concern so may bid 6 with any good 6-5. This is what happened and two Aces were cashed. Not using Blackwood or “serious 3NT” are two very important negative inferences for slam bidding.