November 2022 - 56

Newer Players
Ask Jerry
Balancing - part 2
Dear Jerry,
Recently, one of my partners attended
a lecture where you mentioned
a few of your least favorite
conventions. Among them: sandwich
notrump, criss cross and,
to my surprise, Bergen raises.
Because we play and like all three
of these, I would love to hear more
about your objections.
Conventionally Confused
Hi C.C.,
Most of my theories on conventions
are primarily based on frequency of
occurrence and gain versus loss of
alternative meanings.
Sandwich notrump
Proponents of this convention use
a 1NT overcall after the opponents
have bid two suits as a " light takeout. "
Typically, this shows at least nine
cards in those suits with more shape
than strength. With the unbid suits
and a good hand, they would double.
They reason that it is illogical to
enter an auction with values in the
opponents' suits by bidding a strong
1NT. Methinks this is misguided.
In today's bridge, there is a strong
tendency for very light openings
followed by equally light responses.
For example, if the auction was: 1'-
Pass-1k, holding:
K J kA Q 8 lQ J 7 5 'K J 8 5,
sandwich notrumpers would pass.
If it now went 2k on your left, Pass,
Pass ... now what? While it is true
you might beat 2k, there's an excellent
chance your side could make a
partial in any of the other suits. To
double now, with only two cards in
the spade suit, is far too risky. It's
clear to me to immediately overcall
56 | Bridge Bulletin | November 2022
with a strong, natural 1NT. In addition,
your immediate overcall of 1NT
allows partner to compete with a long
suit, play in notrump, which could be
our best spot, or on occasion actually
reach a game when he holds a
shapely two-suiter! Is there a possible
downside to the immediate strong
notrump bid? Of course there is! But
I will live by my Jerry-ism: Look first
for reasons to bid, before settling for
an excuse to pass.
Keep in mind on the above auction,
you could have doubled immediately
to show values and length in the
unbid suits. To me, a sandwich means
something about bread!
What is criss cross?
1l-Pass-3' (3' = limit diamond
raise)
1'-Pass-2l (2l = limit club raise)
Playing criss cross, both auctions
above identify a limit raise in opener's
minor. With a weak, preemptive
hand, responder can jump immediately
to three of opener's minor.
With the above agreement, the immediate
raise of opener's minor can
be played as game forcing.
1l-Pass-2l (game force)
1'-Pass-2' (game force)
While this has merit, what you
gain is not worth what you lose in my
opinion.
The problem: Say partner opens
1l and you have one of the example
hands below.
6 k7 2 l8 6 2 'A K Q 8 7 4 3
J 6 2 kJ 7 2 l6 'A Q J 10 7 3
6 2 kA 7 2 l8 6 'K Q J 7 4 3
Using criss cross, and playing 2/1
as a game force, I defy you to find an
intelligent response unless you revert
CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH
Dlr: West  9 6 5
Vul: Both k 9 8
IMPs l K 5 3
' A J 6 5 4
 A K Q J 8 2
k 10 5 3
l A 10 4
' 10
West North East
2k Pass
Pass
South
3
Pass 4 All Pass
West leads kA K, East following
with the k7 6 (standard count). West
continues with the kQ. As South,
what's your plan?
continued on page 65
BY JERRY HELMS
askjerry@jerryhelms.com
jerryhelms.com
to Standard American over 1l, where
a 2' response is not a game force. I
prefer to keep two-over-one bids in
noncompetitive auctions as game
forcing.
My preference over 1l is to play
that a jump to 3' would show a good
six-card or longer suit with just under
the values to force game. A perfect bid
to express the values of each of the
three hands above. Surely you cannot
possibly consider bidding 1NT over
1l on these cards. If you do, I guess I
don't need to try to explain.

http://www.jerryhelms.com
November 2022

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