June 2008 - 40

PLAY BRIDGE

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Ask Jerry

Jerry Helms

www.jerryhelms.com

Dear Jerry,
What does it mean when partner
opens 2 or 2 in fourth seat?
Susan
Dear Susan,
Even though this sounds like a
broken record, partnership agreement
is key! One thing that you should
always keep in mind in constructing
a bidding system is that you do not
need two ways to bid an identical
hand. What follows is my preference, the agreement I have in regular
partnerships and, perhaps more important, the logic.
In fourth position, you should not
open the bidding unless you have
a reasonable expectancy of a plus
score. This should eliminate for
consideration any minimal weak
two-bids that you might have opted
for in first, second or third position.
With this understanding, I play a
fourth-seat weak two-bid to suggest
10-13 high-card points and a good
six-card suit with values that would
not accept a Drury game invitation
from responder. The following hands
are good examples:

K Q J 10 5 3 J 6 Q J 8 Q 3
Q 7 A Q J 8 5 2 J 10 4 3 K
Note that each of these hands have
excellent playing strength, but lack
quick tricks. In fourth seat, left-hand
opponent's pass coupled with RHO's
failure to open in third seat where
light actions are common, marks
partner with a fair share of outstanding values. You want to be in the
auction in a manner that is constructively obstructive! Constructively,
responder will be forewarned that
opener may possess a lot of "quacks"
(queens and jacks) and not go overboard with his near-opening bid. The
obstructed opponents must choose
whether to enter the auction at the
two or three level.
Incidentally, note that both
examples fit the Rule of 15 that historically has provided assistance for
fourth-seat actions. As a review, the
Rule of 15 - sometimes called the
Pearson Point Count - is a guideline
that works phenomenally well when
deciding whether to open the bidding or pass the deal out. The Rule:
In fourth seat, count your high-card
points and add to this the number
of spades held. If the sum of these
equals 15 or more, open the bidding.
If not, pass. Examples:
A 6 5 4 9 A 7 6 5 3 K 8 4
Eleven HCP plus four spades
equals 15, so open the bidding 1.

www.acbl.org
40

7 A 8 6 4 A 9 8 7 3 K 8 5
Still 11 HCP, but only one spade,
therefore 12 Pearson Points. Mr. Pearson would tell you to pass.
The logic behind this guideline:
When values are evenly divided as
they seem to be after three passes,
the side with spades holds advantage.
If your side has a spade fit, the opponents must always push to a higher
level if they wish to compete. If you
hold spade length and the opponents
declare a spade contract, you have
defense and a better chance of going
plus.
r

MIKE'S
BIDDING
QUIZ
By
Mike
Lawrence
With this issue, we conclude the
discussion of takeout doubles.
Two examples will help bring
home the main points.

Answers on pages 42-43
Bridge Bulletin
http://www.jerryhelms.com http://www.acbl.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2008
