Show j BETTER BRIDGE By Charles H. H Goren rs Ii to S. S s. c I I South vulnerable are af H fOIl no not t and you l hold t a are afe K 4 t Q S S1 4 1 A 6 2 1 in v j 4 If h Las proceeded yo yot East t North 1 l t rl t 1 4 I OU bid now II II I e I A. A A.-A A. A bid of oC five fi spades spade would be slightly too aggresS aggressive e for partners partners partner's part hart ners ner's raise may have been made under pressure Yet a double would be rather on the conservative e side for fOl the penalty lly will hardly be ade Ide quate The Thc best procedure is loI to lo I pa pass s and permit partner to decide Your failure to lo double will make malte it clear that you would welcome a five spade bid This is a forcing pass Partner must choose Q 2 Opponent 2 opens with one club and md you YOli hold q KJ IJ 10 1074 7 1 1 VA A S 6 4 I 1 7 5 3 s What do you ou bid A. A This A.-This This hand has splendid offensive offensive of of- c possibilities and md may y well produce a game in the best suit thou though h partner may have ha a below belowa a average crae hand The best way to portray this strength is by a take takeout takeout out double even en though the hand docs does not possess the conventional three honor tricks A mere merc one spade overcall o will not do justice to your holding and partner may fail to act with just enough values alues for your purposes Q 3 As 3 As South you hold A It K 10 7 73 3 I A J 1072 4 A A A 5 The bidding bidding- has proceeded South rt North East Eal 1 A Pass 1 NT Pass 7 What do you bid now A. A Despite A.-Despite Despite partners partner's announcement announcement announcement announce announce- ment of a mediocre holding we would be inclined l to lo i insist upon a game contract If partner has a preference for one of the major suits there should be a good chance because of the highly favorable distribution It is true that if partners partner's partners partner's partners partner's part part- ners ner's strength is entirely in the minor suits the chance will not be good and a slight loss Joss may be in in in- But we cant can't be right on every hand and the chance for game justifies assumption of the risk The suggested bid therefore is three hearts A bid of only two hearts will very ery likely be passed by partner Q 4 As I As South you hold A A 9 S 6 4 1 2 V I K 3 9 A A J 10 8 S The bidding bidding- has proceeded South West ct North orth Hast East tt 1 A It Pass 2 A Pass 7 What do you ou bid now A. A There A.-There There may mayor or may not be a good play for Cor game g-ame in spades de depending depending de- de pending upon the quality of partners partner's partners partner's partners partner's part part- I de-I ners ner's raise If it is of minimum proportions proportions proportions pro pro- portions the chances are that a game contract would be an unsound unsound un un- un I sound risk but if partner has a ashow ashow show case raise you ought to I bring home a four spade contract wi with th ease The TIle way to clarify the I situation is by a bid of three spades placing the responsibility I as well as the ultimate blame should things go wrong squarely I upon partner Note your our hand had hadan hadan hadan an original vaua valuation lion of 15 points i but now that spades have ve been j I supported you add one point for fori ithe I Ithe the fifth spade and two tiro for the i sixth gl giving ng YOU an adjusted I of IS 18 points If partner has eight you should have a reasonable reasonable reasonable reason reason- able chance Q 5 As 5 As South you hold V J 6 4 t A 9 7 The bidding has proceeded North North Eat East at South West ct 1 t 4 Pass 1 A Pass 2 V tI Pass 2 NT Pass 3 A Pass 1 What do you bid now A. A Partner A.-Partner Partner has described a very ery stron strong hand by the sequence o of bids he ha has chosen Furthermore he has indicated that he has five diamonds four OUI hearts three spades and therefore no more than one club You should abandon no trump in m favor of bidding four diamonds This bid by you may enable partner to do something glamorous r Q 6 As 6 As South you hold 72 A J 4 The bidding bidding- has proceeded I North orth East South ul West 1 A It Pass 2 t 4 Pass PassI 2 A Pass 7 I What hat do you bid now A. A A.-A A. A distinct effort should be made to reach game g-ame and the indicated indicated in indicated in- in is two no trump While it is true that you have no no heart stopper if the Uie hand is otherwise otherwise other other- I wise suitable responder may probe for game in ln no trump even though he lacks protection in one suit The hand falls short by a mere whisker of the high card requirement requirement require require- ment for or a jump to three no trump Copyright 1950 C C. H H. Goren |