Port Macquarie Hastings Bridge Club - Learn & Play Bridge
YVONNE’S CONVENTION CORNER
 |
THE GOLDEN RULE OF DUPLICATION – SPLINTER BIDS
Partner opens 1S then shows a void in diamonds. Which hand would you prefer to hold?
a) |
A765 |
or |
b) |
A765 |
|
432 |
|
|
KQJ |
|
AKQ |
|
|
432 |
|
432 |
|
|
432 |
This is partner’s opening bid: KQJ982
A765
- A76
Note that 6S makes easily with hand (b) but has no chance with hand (a). With hand (a) 3 losers can be discarded in one suit but there are still 2 losers in the other suit.
With (b) you can discard a losing club on the heart Ace, making 12 tricks.
SHORTAGE OPPOSITE WEAKNESS IS GOOD
For example, a singleton opposite 432 is a good sign because it means the high cards will be in the long suits where they are pulling their weight. But STRENGH OPPOSITE A SINGLETON IS A WASTE. e.g.
West East
AKJ875 A765
98 KQJ
972 432
K3 432
These two hands make a good slam because West has nothing wasted in East’s short suit. If West’s diamond K was changed to club K slam would not be possible. Accurate slam bidding calls for one partner to show short suits they hold so that the other partner can write off any wasted strength. One convention that slows you to pinpoint shortage after a major suit sit is:
SPLINTER BIDS
This is a useful tool for slam bidding. Over partner’s 1H or 1S opening a response of 4C or 4D shows a shortage (singleton or void), 4+ card support and 10-13 HCP. It is similar to raising partner’s major suit to game and showing a shortage on the way. This allows a slam to be bid with 26TP provided they are outside the short suit.
Partner opens 1H – what do you respond?
i) |
ii) |
iii) |
iv) |
Answers: |
i) |
4D – shortage & 4 trumps |
|
ii) |
4C |
|
iii) |
1S – you do not have 4 trumps so do not splinter |
|
iv) |
4H – preemptive raise – shorts & little defence |
JUDGING SLAM AFTER A SPLINTER BID
When your partner makes a SPLINTER BID you can count on 10HCP. You need 26TP for slam, excluding the short suit. E.g.
i) |
AQJ86 |
1S - 4D |
Bid 4S – only 13 HCP |
ii) |
AK4 |
1H - 4C |
Bid 4NT asking for Aces. |
Remember – you will not be able to use 4C as an Ace ask!! Ace ask can be done in other ways and Splinter Bids are a great asset in slam bidding.
HAPPY BRIDGING ☺
FOURTH SUIT FORCING
After your partnership has bid 3 suits responder’s bid of the 4th suit is an ARTIFICIAL game force.
Responder uses this important convention when he has an opening bid but needs information from
opener to determine the best game (or
perhaps slam). This bid says nothing about the 4th suit. It normally shows 5 cards in responder’s
first bid suit.
If the bidding goes 1D – 1S – 2C with each of the following hands you should bid 2H (artifical)
because you are uncertain of the best contract.
i) AQ97 ii) KJ942
iii) AQ8542
832 A4
K74
A54 75
8
AQ0 KQ82
AJ5
WHEN YOUR PARTNERSHIP HAS BID 3 SUITS AT THE ONE LEVEL, RESPONDER’S JUMP IS NOT FORCING –
IT IS INVITATIONAL!
This is the great advantage of the 4th suit forcing convention. When responder has opening bid
values he forces to game by bidding the 4th suit. With 10-11 HCP he is content to invite game by
jumping at his second turn.
MORE ADVICE FOR RESPONDER
When partner promises a 6 card suit, you can support with a singleton honour.
i) 1H – 1NT – 3H - ??? South’s hand
964
Q
9543
AK852
Opener has promised 16-18 HCP + a 6 card heart suit. Responder should bid 4H. Do not be tempted to
bid 3NT with weak spades & diamonds.
ii) 1D – 1H – 1S – 2D – 2S - ????? South’s hand
832
AQ543
K
8754
Bid 3D with your singleton K. You are unwilling to defend 2S & 3D must be a
playable contract.
iii) 2S – P - ???? South’s hand
A A2
AKJ9
875432
North has opened 2S – weak hand with 6 spades. You definitely have enough values for game and your
spade A will be great support. Bid 4S.
SUPPORT WITH SUPPORT
With a choice between raising partner’s 1H opening bid to 2H or responding 1S – support with
support.
e.g. responder’s hands:
i) KQ986 ii) AQ1082
Q87 1043
Q6 Q83
975 54
Both the above hands contain good values but that is not relevant. With a fit in hearts and single
raise values just bid 2H. However, if you have game-going values you can bid spades first and then
support hearts.
e.g. KQ986 1H – 1S – 2D – 4H A87
A6
975
Roman Keycard Blackwood (RKB)
This convention greatly assists your accuracy in slam bidding. RKB is far superior to regular
Blackwood as it
gives information about the K & Q of trumps.
Points to Remember:
You and your partner have agreed the trump suit
The King of the agreed suit and the four Aces are considered KEYCARDS – 5 in all
A slam should not be considered unless you have 4 KEYCARDS
If one KEYCARD is missing and the trump Queen bid the slam if you hold 10 trumps
Stay out of slam if one KC and trump Queen are missing when holding 4/4 or 5/3 fits
Using RKB below 4NT
Gerber 4C is not recommended in suit auctions (as it conflicts with splinters and cue bids).
However, if you and partner do not use these conventions by all means use 4C to ask for Aces. The
REPLIES would be:
4D = 1 or 4
4H = 3 or 0
4S = 2 KC without trump Queen
4NT = 2 KC with trump Queen
After the first response if partner has not shown the queen the next highest ranking suit (not
agreed trump suit)
asks partner if he has the queen. This is called the Queen ASK. The responses are:
Return to trump suit shows NO Queen
New suit shows Queen + King of that suit
NT shows Queen but no King
For Advanced Players
A new suit at the 6 level before or after making a Queen Ask is a grand slam try, asking partner to
evaluate his holding in the suit. If he has no losers in this suit he will bid the grand slam.
This is called either a DIRECT
ASK or DELAYED ASK.
For New Players
STAGE 1: In this first stage include both the K & Q of trumps. No ASKS. Once that is
under control you can go onto
STAGE 2: Queen Asks.
STAGE 3: Direct & Delayed Asks.
The Importance of the King of trumps. Compare the following:
1 AQJ72
AKQJ
AKQ
7
1 AQJ72
AKQJ
AKQ
7
1 8654
98
J53
K863
2C 2D
2S 3S
3NT 4C
4S
1 K654
98
J53
8632
2C 2D
2S 3S
Baby Blackwood 3NT 6S
Note: Although East has the same value in
both hands – Hand 1: missing 2 KEYCARDS - stay out of slam.
Hand 2: missing 1 KEYCARD – bid slam.
ROMAN KEYCARD GERBER (RKG)
It is recommended that you use RKG over 1NT and 2NT openings.
1NT – 4C Replies (1430) 4D – 1 or 4
4H – 0 or 3
4S – 2 + min range of points
4NT – 2 + on top of range (see Hand 3)
RKG AFTER A MINOR SUIT AGREEMENT
After a minor suit agreement at the 2 or 3 level 3NT is to play. After a minor suit agreement 4NT
RKB can push the partnership
too high when 2 key cards are missing. One way to overcome this is to treat a minor suit raise to
the 4 level as RKG: 1S – 2C –
4C asks for key cards with clubs as trumps (see Hand 1)
Another situation where RKG is used is when partner has removed 3NT to 4 of a minor (the suit
agreement is inferred): 1S – 2D –
3NT – 4D* - * RKG with D as trumps
ASKING FOR KINGS
Discard Q ask when using minor suit RKG and use the revolving bid to ask for kings. Use standard
replies:
Step 1 = none, Step 2 = 1, Step 3 = 2, Step 4 = 3. e.g.
1S – 2C – 4C – 4D (1KC) 4H* (how many kings?) 4NT (1 king)
OTHER STRATEGIES WORTH CONSIDERING: Weak Keycard Responses…
When there is a 2C opening partner often has few points and few key cards. It can be useful to show
a different set of replies in
this situation:
Step 1 = no key card – no trump Q Step 2 = Trump Q but no key card
Step 3 = 1 key card + no trump Q Step 4 = 1 keycard + trump Q Step 5 = 2
key cards (see hand 4)
After a Demand Opening:
If opener supports responder after a game force opening treat the raise as RKG. Responder shows key
cards at once.
HANDS KEYCARD GERBER + MINORS DEMAND OPENING
Hand 1 AKJ83
Dealer North 8
9
AK9862
Q109 654
QJ654 K1097
842 AQ10765
J10 -
| Hand 1. | Dealer North | Hand 1. | Dealer North | |||
| ♠ AKJ83 | ♠ | |||||
| ♥ 8 | ♥ | |||||
| ♦ 9 | ♦ | |||||
| ♣ AK9862 | ♣ | |||||
| ♠ Q 10 9 | ♠ 6 5 4 | ♠ | ♠ | |||
| ♥ Q J 6 5 4 | ♥ K 10 9 7 | ♥ | ♥ | |||
| ♦ 8 4 2 | ♦ A Q 10 7 6 5 | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| ♣ J 10 | ♣ - | ♣ | ♣ | |||
| ♠ 7 2 | ♠ | |||||
| ♥ A 3 2 | ♥ | |||||
| ♦ K J 3 | ♦ | |||||
| ♣ Q 7 5 4 3 | ♣ | |||||
| 1C - 3C | ||||||
4C - 4D (1 keycard) |
||||||
| 6C | ||||||
New bids by responder after 2C opening: Step 1 = no keycard no trump Q
Step 2 = trump Q only
Step 3 = 1 keycard no trump Q Step 4 = 1 keycard + trump Q
Step 5 = 2 keycards
The true value of honor cards.
Traditional 4-3-2-1 point count is not totally accurate. It underrates aces and 10s and overrates
queens and jacks.
In one of last year‟s newsletters when I revised the Rule of 20 I discussed the fact that the
traditional 4-3-2-1 point count is not totally accurate. Kings are evaluated correctly, but it
underrates aces and 10s and overrates queens and
jacks. I propose something that is more accurate called Adjust-3.
A quick review of Adjust-3.
Step 1 Count your high-card points in the traditional way
Step 2 Underrated honors: How many aces and 10s? Step 3 Overrated
honors: How many queens and jacks?
Step 4 Subtract the smaller number from the larger
Step 5 Consider the result of the subtraction:
If fewer than 3, make no adjustment
If 3-5 adjust by 1 point
If difference is 6 or more (rare), adjust by 2 points
Step 6 If you have more underrated honors, add: if you have more overrated honors,
subtract
Let's look at two examples:
You hold
KQ4 AJ95 KJ93 K 10
You have a traditional 17 HCP. You have two underrated honors (one ace and one 10) and three
overrated honors (one queen and two jacks). So the formula is: 3-2 = 1. Look at Step 5 – you
don‟t need to make an adjustment. The
Adjust-3 total is 17, the same as the traditional method. The computer says 16¾ so 17 is close
enough.
You hold
A74 10943 AK106 K2
Your traditional point count is 14HCP. You have four underrated honors (two aces and two 10s) and
no overrated honors. The formula is 4 – 0 = 4. Look at Step 5 and you see you should add 1HCP.
The Adjust-3 total for this hand
is 15HCP. The computer says 15½.
At this point I hope your thoughts are “that wasn‟t so bad at all”. Both examples that illustrate
Adjust-3 have more in common than the fact that they represent opening bids with identical
distribution. After applying Adjust-3, both are balanced hands with 15-17 HCP and I would,
therefore, open each one of them with 1NT (if you and partner are opening 1NT with 15-17HCP).
An EASY way to remember this method of evaluation.
If you like shortcuts, here are some Adjust-3 quickies for HCP based on Adjust-3.
With three underrated honors, add 1HCP. With three overrated honors,
subtract 1HCP:
Therefore:
three aces = 13HCP
two aces + one 10 = 9HCP
three 10s = 1HCP
one ace + two 10s = 5 HCP
Therefore:
three queens = 5HCP
three jacks = 2HCP
two queens + one jack = 4HCP
one queen + two jacks = 3HCP
Many hands require upgrading or downgrading, and accuracy is a must. This is especially true on
slam deals, because good slam bidding is extremely difficult. That‟s not an opinion – it‟s a fact.
Even with the best expert partnerships often fail to hit the mark. Adjust-3 can be the first step
in good hand evaluation.