October 2006 - 49

Reversal of fortune -
part 2
Last month we began a series of
articles about reverses. If you've
been getting poor results on your
reverse auctions or just plain don't
understand what reverses are all
about, why not reverse that trend.
Rule #2: Don't distort the
lengths of your suits just so
you can reverse.
Understand the difference between:
I have extra points, so I'll reverse;
I have reversed, so I promise extra
points.
Here's an example. Suppose you
have:
5  K 8 A K 8 7 3 A K 7 3 2.
Don't open 1 just so you can
reverse to 2. Your first suit should
be longer. Open 1 and then
rebid 2. Bidding in this normal
higher-suit-first fashion with 5-5 or
5-4 distribution shows a hand with
at least minimal strength and up to
one that is just short of a jump shift
(11-18 high-card points). This is
a very wide range, but that is the
nature of bidding one new suit after
another. That is why the modern
trend is to try to make "limit"
bids - what I call "bracket bids"
- whenever possible, particularly
in the form of a 1NT opening. But
what if my 15-17 point hand is
flawed in some way? Should I still
open 1NT?
Two specific questions are: Should I
open 1NT with two doubletons? Can I
open 1NT with a five-card major? My
answer is the same as Rule #3.
October 2006

Rule #3: It's OK to open 1NT
with a five‑card major, and
it's OK to open 1NT with two
doubletons. But it's not OK
when they both occur on the
same hand.
Let's look at some examples, with
my suggested opening bids below:
1. Q 5 A Q 8 4 K J 7 4 3 A 7
Answer: Bid 1NT. If you open 1
and partner responds 1, you're
stuck for a rebid. 1NT would be
too weak and 2, a reverse, would
be sort of flimsy. At least the 1NT
opening is accurate as far as highcard points, and you're almost certain
to get to play the contract!
2.  A 7 K Q 7 4 3 Q 6 2 A J 8
Answer: 1NT. Once again, if you
open 1 and partner responds 1,
you don't have a convenient rebid. If
you rebid 1NT, that describes 12-14
HCP. Opening 1NT with a five-card
major is a winner more often than
opening the major. Most experts
agree with me. (But some don't
agree, including the late Hall of Fame
member Edgar Kaplan.)
3. 9 3 A K 8 5 4 A Q 8 7 K 2
Answer: 1. Having two
doubletons and a five-card major is
too much. You have an easy rebid of
2.
4. 8 4 K 9 K Q 8 4 A K J 7 4
Answer: 1NT. If you open 1
and rebid 2 - a skinny reverse
- you can survive if you and partner
have done your reverse homework
and know how to bid accurately
thereafter. I recommend you open
1NT and simplify your bridge life.
You'll usually get to the best contract
anyway.

INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS

Claim with
Colchamiro

Mel Colchamiro
mcolch@optonline.net
5. J 8 7 4 3 A Q 10 K 3 A Q 9
Answer: 1NT. If you open 1
and partner responds 1NT (whether
forcing or not), what now? 2NT may
be too high. If you pass, you may
miss game. If you rebid 2, you
may receive a preference bid of 2
on two low ones. No thanks. (After a
2 preference, if you then try 2NT,
you may be too high. Partner only
promised 6 HCP.) Open 1NT and life
is simple.
6. K 2 Q 9 A Q 9 7 6 3 A J 5
Answer: 1NT. Opening 1NT with
a six-card minor has become routine.
Don't let that six-card suit (in a
minor) stop you, but don't even think
about it with a six-card major.
After a 2/1 response, does a reverse
by opener promise extra values? Stay
tuned next month for Part 3.
r

Next month: A report
on the Buffett Cup,
the Europe vs. North
America match in
Dublin, Ireland.

49
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2006
