Wednesday, November 19,
2003 10:04 AM
Distributional Hands
PITBULLS:
The
game of Ghoulie starts bidding at the 5 level
with a method of dealing the cards that induces wild distribution. Bridge
players can learn from that game
. If you have distribution , jump
many levels of bidding to
describe your hand. The following hand was bid by Canada in the Bermuda Bowl.
QJ10x void x AQJ1098xx
You
are in 1st seat with
equal vulnerability so what do you open ? This is a time to learn from the Ghoulie
players and open 5♣ . You are not qoing to ever scientifically describe this
hand. The Canadian player opened this hand 1♣ and they got to 6♣ down one in a
competitive auction . You can buy this auction at 5♣ if that’s the way the bidding starts and ends.
Opening at the one level
with 9 or 8 card suits is not a matter of style. It is plain wrong. Bridge does not have any
defined rebids for distributional
monsters. Opening them at the 4 level or higher brings partner into the picture
in describing your hand and puts pressure on the opponents. Some misguided
players think that opening these 8 or 9 card suits at high levels are a
pre-empt . No , No and No. You are opening at high levels because the length of
your suit is impossible to describe and this length takes away from your
defense. Opening at the
one level implies defense usually measured in quick tricks.
Due to your severe distribution , your points are eliminated for defensive purposes and the 30 pt deck rule
comes into play. Do not worry if you have some
outside cards as the end justifies the means.
You
hold KJ109xx void x AKQxxx
and open 1♠
with partner responding 1NT . Now what ? A jump shift to 3♣ is a distortion so
you invent a bid of 4♣ ( unless you play auto-splinters
). Alternatively you could make a “prepared bid” of 1♣ and rebid 4♠ . Partner should figure
out you have 12 black cards .The fact that you went even higher then a jump shift brings the
“ghoulie” principles into play . You must
have a distributional freak . Partner held Ax
Jxxxx Axxxx x and should realize the Aces are golden with these
types of hands and bid 4♦.
This brings 6♣ which gets returned to 6♠ and you chalk up a well
bid slam that makes.
A
good player held K10xxxx void x AQxxxx and
broke every rule of handling distributional hands. Instead of opening 1♣ (
which is an ideal prepared bid ) she open one spade and rebid a simple 2♣ which
resulted in missing a 50 % grand slam in
clubs . This hand is unbiddable
so extraordinary measures of “Ghoule principles” are needed. Not to be undone ,
her partner also violated Ghoulie Principles.
Void Axx KQJ109xxx xx . There is
no bid at the one level that describes this hand. You can never play “catch up”
and describe this hand accurately by opening 1♦ . You also let the vultures in cheaply by opening at the one level. Who cares if you may miss a magical 3NT !
Open this hand 4♦
or 5♦
and put pressure on the opponents and give some semblance of describing your
hand to partner. If you open 5♦ ,
the opponents do come in and they are at the +500 level and you can not make
anything but a diamond partial. Make the best
bid possible and not the best possible bid !
You
hold void x Axxxx AKJ10xxx and
somehow this reaches you in 4th chair vul against non vul. Opening
1♣ is ludicrous as the non vul vultures are just waiting to pounce in the majors. One player chose 2♣
in an effort to buy the hand but it did not work as they came anyway . The
winning bid was a 5♣ opening bid . 6♦ is cold but the opponents will never let you
play it and they go for 300 in the majors. 5♣ bought the contract and the +620
was worth a lot of IMPS. Opponents are less likely to come in initially at the 5 level.
Anyway with distributional freaks up the ante and level when you bid !!
These
distributional hands are impossible to describe with traditional methods anyway.
You are in 3rd seat with AKxxxxx
xx void Kxxx . If you open 1♠ and partner bids 1NT or
some other bid what is your rebid ?
A 2 spade bid certainly does not show 11 black cards , a 7 card suit and
a void. Open the hand 4 spades as it is semi-descriptive and puts maximum
pressure on the opponents. Sure it might not work out but you only need QJx of clubs to make game if the spade suit
comes in. I watched a veteran player
bid a 7-5 like he had a 5-4 . AQ109xxx A10xxx
void x He opened one
spade and partner bid 1NT . Following the lead of the Ghoulie players I would
get this auction high very fast.
I would rebid 4♥
knowing that its not the perfect bid but I do have 12 cards in the majors. He
bid a quiet 2♥
and they ended up in 4♦
down one when 620 in either major works. If you have a hand that you can not
describe anyway “ leap before you look
“ !
The
7th or 8th card is not
bidable in any standard system. Jumping
the bidding is the tried and true method to show partner extra length in your suit. The key is
to show partner. You let her in on the
decision making process. Here is a horrible way to bid a distributional 7-4 . AKxxxxx xx Axxx void. You vul open 1♠ and LHO doubles and
partner bids a constructive 1NT. LHO bid 2♣ which is your void. Using the
opponents as a stepping stone your hand has grown with them bidding your void.
There is no scientific way of showing your 7th spade so the worst
call you can make is to bid 2♠.
Partner will never read you for a 7-4. Why not bid 3♠ right away and put partner
in the picture ? Partner raises to 4♠ and all is well.