Show I BETTER BRIDGE BRIDGEt BRIDGEs e 4 t s Iv c C H IL GOREN GORN 4 Both sides vulnerable South deals NORTH NORTHA A K KG 5 V Q 10 9 6 J 1 4 3 2 52 5 2 Y WEST VEST ST EAST EASTA A J 9 4 A Q 6 3 2 V K 4 V 1875 8 7 5 4 Q 10 S 8 4 K 9 6 Q J 10 8 6 9 7 4 SOUTH SOUTHA A A 10 8 7 V A J 3 2 A 5 A K L 3 Bidding South West North East Eat l Pass INT Pass Pass Pass Pass Opening lead Nine of clubs We Ve ought to show a profit on this hand partner said South as ashe ashe ashe he proudly spread four aces upon the he table He was right They did show a profit of 50 points on the deal The fact that game and rubber had been his for the asking asking ask ask- ing has not yet occurred to him Hands such as that held by South present a distinct problem at the outset Strange to say no opening bid Is completely satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory and it appears that the choice must fall upon the lesser of evils The hand counts 20 points and is therefore too strong for an opening bid of one no trump Yet it is a shade below the strength required for an open- open ign bid of two no trump There is a distinct disadvantage in opening with one spade on hands counting in the neighborhood neighborhood neighborhood neighbor neighbor- hood of 20 points about five honor tricks where support is held for forthe forthe forthe the other major maior The reason Is to tobe tobe tobe be found In the circumstance that with so little honor strength outstanding outstanding outstanding out out- standing partner may find it difficult difficult difficult dif dif- to respond inasmuch as a aone aone aone one over one bid is not available to him Visualize for example the following holding A Axx x x y K J x x x 4 x x x A J x x Holding less than si six points responder responder responder re- re would have insufficient values for a response of one no trump and would have to pass to toa toa toa a spade bid but would make malie a asha sha shaded ed one over one response of ofa a heart to an opening opening- bid of one in a minor To facilitate partners partner's partners partner's partners partner's part part- ners ner's response therefore we recommend recommend recommend rec rec- an opening opening- bid of one club and this is not part of any convention or system it is a mere act of convenience However having opened with one spade and been fortunate to get het a response South should have taken full advantage of his op op- op- op He was right in concluding concluding concluding con con- that there should be game g-ame in the hand because he held 20 points and partner had promised six but there was no need to restrict himself to the three no trump contract He could afford himself two chances by making a jump shift to three hearts forcing forcing forcing forc forc- ing to game If partner has no fondness for hearts he must either return to three spades or orbid orbid orbid bid three no trump If North should return to three Spades South could then bid three no trump and cash the h honors nors If North should bid four hearts South should rest assured that that t is the best contract Played at three no trump everything everything everything ev ev- ev- ev hinged on the heart finesse which failed At hearts declarer could hold his losses to two tricks Note that South's second bid must be a jump in hearts in order to be sure that North does not pass The mere naming of a new suit is not forcing upon a player who did not open the bidding and a of two hearts might be passed by North though in this case he probably would not have done so Copyright 1949 C. C H. H Goren |