Under Control

26th January – Board 15. North/South Game. Dealer South.

Trial bids are designed to help you find games on minimal values or with a good fit in a second suit. Generally speaking a trial bid asks for help in the bid suit if the responder is half way between a raise to two or three in the first case. You can play long suit trial bids – my preferred option – or short suit trial bids. See how they work in action: -

	North: S K 10 9 4 3 H Q 7 D J 3 2 C 9 7 2
West: S 8 5 2 H 8 6 5 2 D K Q 7 6 C K 6		East: S A J H A K 10 9 3 D 9 8 C A 10 5 4
	South: S Q 7 6 H J 4 D A 10 5 4 C Q J 8 3

West	North	East	South
			No
No	No	1H	No
2H	No	3C	No
4H	End

West has a nine loser hand, not eight, because he has no first round control and a loser must be deducted, hence the raise to just 2H. Similarly East has a six loser hand but with a good ‘fit’ in clubs game might be on, hence the trial bid of 3C. West is maximum for his raise on all counts and has an easy raise to game and with the benign lie of the cards eleven tricks should be an easy make.