English Bridge Competitive Bidding Andrew Kambites G N Understanding I D D I B competitive E V I T I bidding T E P M imagine that opponents might make 4 ♥ extra values; it just shows a desire to com - O while you can make 4 ♠. With spades as pete. By this time, North has described his C Andrew Kambites trumps your hand is likely to be worth six hand well: five spades and a tolerance for tricks; if hearts are trumps your hand may the other unbid suits. not contribute a single trick to the def en - In Auction 2, North’s 2 ♠ bid on the IN this new series of articles I shall be sive cause. A 1 ♠ overcall is essential (or second round shows at least five good examining competitive bidding: when to 2♠ if you play weak jump over calls). This spades in a hand too good to bid 1 ♠ on compete and how to compete. sort of hand explains why a one-level the first round (say, 17+ points). In order to understand competitive overcall can be made on a hand that would Clearly with Hand C you must either bidding it is important to understand that not open the bidding. bid spades straight away (via an overcall), there are some hands where each side can Natural no-trump overcalls with or be prepared to suppress the fifth spade make a lot of tricks if it can choose the balanced and semi-balanced hands have for ever. trump suit, and there are others where already been dealt with in my article in With Hand D you are not so concerned nobody can make much at all. If your side the December 2007 English Bridge , which about losing a 5-3 minor fit. It is best to can make 4 ♠ while your opponents can was part of the series on no-trump bid - double 1 ♥ to bring your spades into the make 4 ♥, clearly the side that sells out too ding. You can show a one-suited hand game. quickly will regret it. On the other hand, if with an overcall. Three-suited hands with So what haven’t we covered? One area nobody can make a contract above the two shortage in opener’s suit can be shown that needs careful consideration is really level, it is silly to try to outbid your oppo - by a take-out double. Sometimes you have strong hands. There is no upper limit to a nents at the four level. The key is an a choice between making an overcall or a take-out double but if the doubler likes his understanding of the difference between take-out double. partner’s choice of suit, he must exercise a offensive and defensive values. certain amount of restraint. Hand C Hand D Auction 3 Hand A Hand B ♠ Q 9 6 3 2 ♠ A J 2 West North East South ♠ A 3 2 ♠ K Q J 10 3 2 ♥ 8 ♥ 8 1♦ Dble Pass 1♠ ♥ A J 3 2 ♥ 6 ♦ A Q 5 4 ♦ A Q 5 4 Pass ? ♦ A 6 4 ♦ J 10 9 8 ♣ A J 2 ♣ Q 9 6 3 2 ♣ 8 4 3 ♣ 6 4 In Auction 3 North must curb his enthu - siasm and remember that South could Your right-hand opponent opens 1 ♥. have a Yarborough with only three spades. Suppose your right-hand opponent opens With Hand C, overcall 1 ♠. Unless you A good rule of thumb is for North to 1♥. overcall 1 ♠ you are unlikely to find a 5-3 imagine that he opened the bidding with a If you hold Hand A you have three and spade fit. Compare these two auctions: minor and South responded 1 ♠ (in that a bit tricks, no matter who plays the case, showing 6 points) as in Auction 4. contract. Your offensive and defensive Auction 1 strength are almost identical. There is no West North East South Auction 4 point in competing. Most balanced hands 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ Pass West North East South are like this, which is why you can afford Pass Dble 1♣ Pass 1♠ to pass a 1 ♥ opening bid with a hand that Pass ? you would have opened 1NT. It is also true Auction 2 that a 1NT overcall here would be very West North East South In Auction 3 North decides the level to dan gerous: if the third hand has 10 points 1♥ Dble 2♥ Pass which he would have supported South’s it can double, which could leave you with Pass 2♠ spades in the hypothetical Auction 4 and a hefty minus score. A 1NT overcall shows then bids one fewer. Thus in Auction 3 a a good 15 to 18 points. In Auction 1, North’s double on the second raise to 2 ♠ shows 16-18 points (or six If you hold Hand B, it is not hard to round of bidding does not show significant losers), 3 ♠ shows 19-20 points (or five 34 English Bridge June 2008 www.ebu.co.uk losers) and 4 ♠ shows 21+. Even this will take you too high if South has got total rubbish but you can’t cater for everything. makers of playing cards since 1824 PRIZE PLAY Auction 5 www.piatnik.co.uk QQUUIIZZ West North East South ( 020 8661 8866 1♦ Dble 1♥ 1♠ A competition you can all enter Pass ? TAKE a look at the play situation below and give your answer. Please include very Common sense demands these values brief details of your reasoning. change if South’s 1 ♠ is a free bid. In There are three categories in our Auction 5, South’s 1 ♠ takes on the values comp etition: for players up to and of a genuine response to a one-level including County Master; for those opening, so North would raise to 4 ♠ with up to and including Regional Master; and for those with higher ranking. 19 points. This twin-pack of playing cards (‘Mosaic There might not be an upper limit to a from Florence’) is the prize on offer in our take-out double but there has to be an series of play posers set by Julian Pottage. ♠ A 10 3 upper limit to a suit overcall (to be ♥ K Q J decided by partnership agreement) and a ♦ 9 7 5 4 3 1NT overcall (18 points). ♣ Q J playing cards now on sale online. For more information visit N W E www.piatnik.co.uk S Hand E Hand F ♠ A Q J 7 6 ♠ A Q J 10 7 4 Entries to Julian Pottage, 17 Beach ♠ ♥ ♥ K Q J 8 6 Road, Porthcawl CF36 5NH, or e-mail ♥ A 9 7 5 ♦ A K Q ♦ A 9 [email protected] . Entries ♦ K Q J 2 ♣ A J 9 2 ♣ A K J 2 must arrive by June 20. Please indicate ♣ A 9 on the top left-hand corner of the envelope, or in the e-mail subject line, the category for which you are entering. Hand E is too strong for a 1 ♠ overcall of ♥ ♠ Julian Pottage will judge the entries and You play in 6NT after an uncontested 1 . Hand F is too strong for a 2 overcall the first correct answer drawn in each auction. West leads the nine of spades. (even if you are playing strong jump over - category will win a prize. What is the best line for the contract? calls). In each case you start by doubling 1♥. Partner will believe he is being asked to choose, but you will then overrule him. With Hand E your next bid will be spades at the cheapest level. With Hand F your next bid will be a jump in spades. It is a general principle that if you ask partner to choose and then ignore him by making your own bid in a different denomination, READERS of this magazine are amongst ago – she was almost 90! you are showing a hand too strong to bid a privileged community, sharing at least She logs on a couple of times a week that denomination on the first round. one interest, often spending hours reading, from the comfort of her own home – Equally, unless you have a very strong talking and perfecting our expertise in it. partnering players young and old, good hand, if you make a take-out double you Unlike most other activities, in bridge and not so good. must be prepared to accept your partner’s neither age nor language create barriers. If she has problems with mobility, choice of denomination. The International Language of our vision or dexterity, we don’t see it. So if you hold Hand E the bidding is ‘torture of choice’ is English. All play all – All we know is that she is there, playing likely to proceed: regardless of nationality, creed or which bridge and being part of our club. cereal they eat for breakfast. Some time ago, we had a couple of West North East South I was reminded of this when a member young sprogs – about nine years old – 1♥ Dble Pass 2♣ of Bridge Club Live had a minor technical who were active members. Now they are Pass 2♠ problem. A member since June 2000, old-timers. surely she should know how to update I am on the lookout for our current, North’s 2 ♠ rebid shows a hand too strong her profile by now? Having played more youngest on-line player. Are you her or to overcall 1 ♠ on the first round. 2 ♠ in than 8,000 boards, her player-rating him? this sequence does not show the ‘other two shows that she is in the top 40% of our Meantime, I hope to reach my nineties suits’.