| Show Better Bridge By Charles H. H Goren North I I. I KO KG West Vest East 10 8 2 A 7 S 10 8 4 9 7 3 3 t J 10 42 42 87 87 South 4 VA A Q 10 6 5 It is unfortunate that the term reverse re erse in modern contract bidding bidding bidding bid bid- ding has gained such wide cur- cur ren ency rency y For the very use of that term erm has led to a confusion of ot ideas deas Reduced to simple terms The bid of a higher ranking suit after a lower ranking suit has has previously been shown such mch as W bidding Idding hearts first and then naming nam nam- ing ng spades or as in the thc above example example ex ex- example ample bidding clubs first and then diamonds is technically known as asa a reverse Why I do not know enow However it must be agreed that such uch a sequence of bids should denote denote de- de note ote a strong hand for the simple reason eason that a high level of bidding biddings is s automatically reached in this manner When partner opens with 1 club and subsequently bids diamonds diamonds diamonds dia dia- monds you are to presume not only that he has five clubs and four our diamonds but that he has a a. powerful powerful hand in the bargain sin since e ea a preference for his first suit will win require your bidding at the level of f 3 clubs That Is to say it willbe will willbe be je impossible for tor you to return to 2 clubs Instead of resorting to the misleading mis- mis leading term reverse it would be e sounder policy to state slate Any time me you manage to get the bidding bidding biding bid bid- ding ing up to three of something or orther other ther other you o ought to have hav a very fine nc hand If you haven't you ought to deliberately deceive partner parter partner part- part ner er as 88 to the exact number of cards In each suit Bult in order to keep the ie bidding at an economical level So o that holding S-A S K 9 5 K H-K J 9 5 3 D 6 4 5 C 2 it Is better to open pen the bidding with 1 spade pretending that you have only tour four our hearts so 80 that the hearts may be shown at the range of two and a preference made by partner at t that level North of ot today recognized what an enormous s hand he held opposite a partner who could afford to bid 1 club and then 2 diamonds such sucha a sequence generally denotes a holding of at least 4 honor tricks He e therefore Indicated his by a sizeable leap South realizing that he was not subject to o the immediate loss loan of ot two sp spade de tricks ricks went on to slam At this point we normally hear the he protesting voices of or the vintage vintage vin vin- tage tags players who contend th that t norths north's jump to 5 clubs was what they quaintly refer to as as WI a shutout shutout shut out ut I d dont don't nt know exactly what shut out means but evidently north orth thinks his side aide can make 5 clubs lubs And he wo wouldn't be in a position to think so 80 if he didn't have lave some pretty good goad cards Th Then Thena n too oo it must be recalled that north norths vas willing o to talk things over because be- be cause ause he first took the pains to bid bidone bidone one heart and then made the vio via i lent jump Whatever else north may be charged with he cannot be accused of ot having a bad hand Copyright 1948 by Charles H H H. Gor Goren n |
