March 2011 - 43

Mike's Bridge Lesson
What do you bid - part 2
This month is the second of a four‑
part quiz. You are the opening bidder
in all cases, but be careful to note
what seat you are in. Assume none
vulnerable.
What do you open?
4. You are the dealer and you hold:
A J 8 7 4 3 A 10 8 7 4 5 3
West North
East
South
?
Answer:
Open 1. In last month's issue, I
showed you a 12 high‑card‑point hand
that had nice distribution, and sug‑
gested that you pass it. This was the
hand:
K K 9 7 6 4 A Q 9 5 4 2 8.
The reason for passing is that you
have a difficult shape that is awkward
to describe. No. 4 is a 9‑point hand,
has excellent shape that you can eas‑
ily bid, and it has two aces. Any player
who has been faced with an awkward
shape in the bidding knows that this
9‑point hand is a clear opening bid.
Even the rule of 20 tells you to open
this hand. (The rule of 20 gets lucky
now and then.)
5. You are in third seat and you hold:
Q 8 3 4 3 K 8 7 3 K Q J 9
West
Pass

North
Pass

East
?

South

Answer:
In third seat, almost anything goes.
There still are, however, standards
that you have to meet. This hand fails
to meet some of these standards. A
good general rule of thumb is that if

you open with light values, you have
to be prepared to pass if partner bids
something at the one level. If you
rebid, your partner will expect you to
have normal values. If you bid 1 or
1, you will often be faced with a 1
bid by partner. The rule says that if
you bid something now, it shows a full
opener. If you rebid 1NT, you promise
12-14 high‑card points.
This hand is not worth 12 points.
In fact, in some ways it's not worth
11 (two queens and one jack with no
aces). If you rebid 1NT, your partner
will raise to 2NT when he has a maxi‑
mum pass - you don't rate to make
it and it probably won't even be close.
If you had one more heart and one
fewer diamond, bidding 1 would be
an acceptable choice. You would pass
partner's 1 or 1 bid and now he
knows that you have a dog. After that,
he would likely end up in an accept‑
able contract at the one level.
6. You are in fourth seat and you hold:
2 Q 9 7 6 4 Q J A Q 7 6 4
West
Pass

North
Pass

East
Pass

South
?

Answer:
It is tempting to open this hand.
The rule of 20 says you should. Good
judgment, however, should cause you
to think twice. If you open 1, there
are many ways for the bidding to go
out of control. Here are bids partner
can make:
1 - If partner bids 1, you will
rebid 2. From this point on, there
are many bids you do not want to

Mike Lawrence

hear your partner make. Among them
are 2, putting you in a bad 5-2 fit,
or 2, a contract in which your hand
decreases in value.
1NT - You may escape here
because your partner won't often
get you too high, but if the bidding
becomes competitive, you won't like
it unless you find a good fit.
2 - You have great clubs, but
little else.
2 - At least he has a long dia‑
mond suit with 10 or more points and
you have a partial fit for him.
2 - It is good that he can raise,
but the bidding will likely be competi‑
tive and you won't enjoy defending
with this hand. It is true that some
good things can happen.
If you insist on opening 1, you
may survive, but you will be nervous
until the auction is over.
r

March 2011 Bridge Bulletin

43
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2011
