3rd November – Board 5: N/S Vul. Dealer North.
Sometimes a hand low in point-count can suddenly seem so much better when a fit with partner comes to light and such was the case with the hand shown below:
West
|
North
|
East
|
South
|
|
No
|
No
|
1D
|
No
|
1S
|
No
|
2S
|
No
|
3H
|
No
|
4S
|
End
|
|
|
|
Even though that North hand is low in points it is high in potential and at any rate an ace and a king is so much better than an assortment of queens and jacks – or ‘quacks’ in bridge parlance. Once South has raised spades it is worth a game try and a long suit trial bid of 3H seems the best way forward. In effect it is asking opener to reconsider his 2S bid and whether he considers himself to be good or bad for the bid, and if in doubt to consider the trial bid suit. Here South would have no hesitation in going straight to game and with the nice lie of the cards should come to an easy eleven tricks.
Would it not be right to respond with 1H first? Otherwise any heart fit could be missed if South isn't strong enough to reverse? After a 1H response a spade fit could still be found if South had four spades.
ReplyDeleteWith two five card suits you always bid the higher ranking first because you always aim to bid both suits and partner can then always go back to your first suit at the same level. If on the cited hand you bid hearts first and opener rebids 2D then 2S by you would be a responder's reverse and forcing.
ReplyDeleteYou'll never win the championship not knowning the basics......
ReplyDeleteAs north I'd normally count 3 points for the singleton and 1 for the doubleton, once a good fit has been found. Yet I often find that my hand worths even more than that. Do you have in mind any way to attribute points to a distribution like this?
ReplyDeleteI never actually add more points mentally but am just aware that the Losing Trick Count can be quite low with not many points. Of course that is no good until a fit is found but even so you have to be careful. In the hand shown South could be much stronger in terms of points - he might have KQJxx in diamonds for example - but now the game contract would be much worse, relying essentially on a 2-2 trump break. But that North hand just feels good to me.
ReplyDelete