October 2017 - 51

Intermediate Players

Mike's Bridge Lesson
BY MIKE LAWRENCE

michaelslawrence.com

A brief quiz
Your partner opens 1♦ and righthand opponent overcalls 1♠. How well
equipped are you to handle that? The
following hands illustrate some important issues to think about such as (a)
what is your immediate plan and (b) do
you envision bidding again later?
West

North
1♦

❶ ♠10 8 7 3

East
1♠

South
?

♥Q J 3 ♦K 3 ♣A 10 8 3

Bid 1NT. This is imperfect but if
partner has any spade honor, you have
a stopper. The problem is that you have
too much to pass. If you pass and your
partner bids again, you won't have a
way to show these values.

❷ ♠8 3

♥A 6 2 ♦4 3 ♣K Q 10 9 6 5

This hand requires an agreement.
You can bid 2♣, but the bid I suggest
is a variation on the weak jump shift
in competition. Jump shifts to the two
level such as 1♣-(1♥)-2♠ are mostly
played as weak today. If you don't have
a meaning for this jump, you should
confirm some agreement with your
partner. With this hand, the jump is to
the three level (3♣). It can be used to
show a six-card suit. It will look like a
decent weak two-bid. Partner can bid
or pass knowing pretty much what you
have.

❸ ♠K 3 2

♥Q 10 9 6 5 3 ♦J 2 ♣Q 5

You don't have enough to bid 2♥
and you don't have enough to bid 3♥.
Try making a negative double. With
luck, you can bid 2♥ later, showing a

hand that isn't good enough to bid 2♥
over 1♠. A fair suit and 7 or 8 points is
about right.

❹ ♠6 4 3

♥7 3 2 ♦J 8 ♣A K J 6 4

Pass. There is nothing you can bid. If
LHO passes and partner doubles, you
can jump to 3♣, saying that you have a
good suit and wanted to bid earlier but
couldn't.

❺ ♠8 5 4 2

♥5 3 ♦K J 5 ♣A 6 5 2

Bid 2♦. Raising a minor is not on
anyone's short list of favorite things to
do, but it should have a place in your
bidding tools. What are your other options? You can pass and likely regret it.
You can't double with two low hearts.
And you can't bid 1NT as you did on
No. 1 because you truly have nothing in
spades.

❻ ♠6 5 3

♥Q J 4 3 ♦K 4 3 ♣A J 8

Make a negative double. This is not
yet a problem, but it could become one.
If you double and LHO bids 2♠, a common event, and partner passes, you will
have a problem. What would you do?
The answer is to double again. When
you make a negative double and the
next player raises, a second double
by you says you have extra values for
your negative double. Because you can
double 1♠ with some 6- to 9-point
hands, your second double implies 10
or more. Partner knows you have extra
values and didn't have a better way
to show them. Note that your second
double says nothing about a penalty. It
is just a further request for partner to
bid something.

❼ ♠3

♥A 8 ♦K J 7 6 3 ♣A J 8 6 4

Bid 3♠. This jump in their suit is
a splinter bid showing game values
or better with a singleton spade and
excellent trump support. This is by far
the most descriptive bid you have. 2♣
doesn't show your diamond support.
3♦ doesn't show your values. 2♠, a
cuebid, doesn't describe your shape.
After 3♠, if your partner chooses
3NT, you can pass, comfortable that
you have given partner a good idea of
your hand. Remember that he might
have 4=4=3=2 distribution. He knows
what he has. He knows approximately
what you have. Accept his decision.

❽ ♠K J 10 6 5

♥3 ♦Q 9 8 5 ♣J 8 3

Bid 2♦. You could pass and hope to
double them in 1♠, but that isn't going
to happen. You know they have a heart
fit, and they are likely to find it one way
or another. Let your partner know of
your diamond support. He will be well
placed to judge the auction.

❾ ♠10 7 6

♥Q J ♦A Q 9 8 ♣K J 7 2

Bid 2♠. In the answer to No. 7, you
saw what a splinter bid looks like. If
you cuebid their suit as opposed to
jumping in it, you show a balanced
hand. My suggestion is that you promise game points with a fit, not invitational or better points with a fit. I think
that letting partner know you have
game values is more important than
telling him you have an unknown range
of values. One big plus for the cuebid
is that your partner knows you have a
balanced hand.
◾
October 2017 Bridge Bulletin

http://www.michaelslawrence.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2017