May 2019 - 28

bid 2NT, that means we don't have a
spade stopper and that the partnership should head towards a 5♣ or 5♦
contract.
(Note: There are other reasons to use
fourth-suit forcing, but that topic is
also for another day.)
It's confusing: showing or asking?
We have seen that in certain situations, we are showing a stopper, while
we are asking for a stopper in others.
How can you keep this all straight?
Here is a silly-sounding, not-verygrammatical mnemonic device, that
will help you to understand the difference: 1-NOT, 2-GOT.
1-NOT, 2-GOT means that when
there is one danger suit, a bid in that
suit means you do not have a stopper there; you're asking for one. But if
there are two danger suits, a bid in one
of them shows a stopper in that suit.
You're bidding what you've GOT. It's
a silly rhyme, but it helps keep things
straight. It just works! Here are some
examples.

❶ ♠8 7 3

♥9 ♦A K Q 6 4 3 ♣A 8 2

Partner Opponent You
1♥
1♠
2♦
2♥
Pass
2♠

Opponent
Pass

We saw this hand previously. Your
bid of 2♠ asks for a spade stopper because it's a 1-NOT situation. They have
bid spades; that is the only danger suit.
2♠ does not show a spade stopper.

❷ ♠A 4

♥9 7 ♦K 8 2 ♣A K J 7 6 4

Partner Opponent You
Pass
1♥
2♣
3♣
Pass
3♥

Opponent
Pass

3♥ does not show a stopper. There is
only one danger suit: hearts. 1-NOT.

❸ ♠K 7 6

♥10 3 ♦A J 6 5 ♣9 8 7 4

Partner Opponent You Opponent
1♦
2♦ (1)
3♦ Pass
3♥
(1) Both majors 5-5
The Michaels cuebid (2♦) shows
both hearts and spades. Therefore,

28 Bridge Bulletin May 2019

there are two danger suits and it is a
2-GOT situation. 3♥ shows a heart
stopper and game interest. You have a
spade stopper. Bid 3NT.
Side-suit bidding quiz
In each auction, what does the last
bid mean?
1. Opener Opp.
1♥
Pass
3♦

Responder Opp.
2♥
Pass

2. Opener Opp. Responder Opp.
1♦
Pass 2♦ (1)
Pass
2♥
(1) Four-card or longer support, 6-10
HCP
3. Opener Opp.
1♠
Pass
4♦

Responder Opp.
3♠
Pass

4. Opener Opp.
1♠
Pass
3♦

Responder Opp.
2♠
Pass

5. Opener Opp.
1♠
2♣
2♠
Pass

Responder Opp.
2♥
Pass
3♣

6. Opener Opp. Responder Opp.
1♣
2♣ (1) 3♣
Pass
3♠
(1) Michaels: both majors
7. Opener Opp.
1♥
Pass
3♣
Pass

Responder Opp.
2♣
Pass
3♦

8. Opener Opp.
1♣
1♠
2♠

Responder Opp.
2♦
Pass

9. Opener Opp.
1♦
2♣

Responder Opp.
3♣

10. Opener Opp. Responder Opp.
1♦
2♣
Dbl (1)
Pass
2♦
Pass 3♣
(1) Negative double
Side-suit quiz answers
1. Side-suit game try. If responder
can help opener with fitting diamond
honors or shortness, opener wants responder to bid 4♥. Otherwise, retreat
to 3♥.

2. Showing a heart stopper for
notrump. There are two danger suits
here, hearts and spades, the two suits
we most expect them to lead; partner
has denied a four-card major.
3. A control bid for slam. Showing the
♦A (occasionally a void or a singleton)
and looking for slam. We can no longer
stop below game in spades, so 4♦ cannot be a game try.
4. Side-suit game try. Responder
should bid 4♠ with fitting diamond
honors or shortness. With neither,
responder retreats to 3♠.
5. A cuebid, almost always looking for
stopper for notrump. This is an example of 1-NOT, 2-GOT. Because there
is only one danger suit for notrump
(clubs), bidding that suit does not show
a stopper. If the responder wanted to
play notrump and had a stopper, responder would just bid notrump.
6. Showing a spade stopper. Both
hearts and spades are the danger suits,
so 2-GOT applies. Bidding one of the
two suits shows the stopper you've got.
7. Another example of showing a stopper based on 2-GOT. Both diamonds
and spades are danger suits, so 3♦ is
showing the stopper you've got.
8. 2♠ is a cuebid, and responder's first
responsibility is to bid notrump with
a stopper. Your 2♠ bid does not show
a stopper because there is only one
danger suit (spades), so 2♠ (1-NOT)
is not showing a stopper. (Of course,
opener may not be looking for notrump
at all, but for slam instead, but this will
be clarified later in the auction.)
9. 3♣ is an old-fashioned cuebid,
promising diamond support. It will
deny a club stopper if balanced, but
responder would be charmed to hear
about a club stopper from you (3NT).
10. Again, there is one danger suit
(clubs), so 3♣ does not show a stopper. Opener will need a stopper to bid
notrump. Don't worry about hearts or
spades: Be happy.
◾
Mel Colchamiro is an expert player,
author and bridge instructor from
Merrick NY.
May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2019
