March 2024 - 53

Newer Players
Ask Jerry
BY JERRY HELMS
askjerry@jerryhelms.com
jerryhelms.com
Dear Jerry,
Recently my partner and I missed
a cold slam. Partner opted to open
1NT holding:
sQ 5 hK Q 6 5 dK 3 cA Q J 3 2.
I suggested that perhaps he
should have opened 1c and then
reverse into hearts. Part of this
was because I thought you had
written that you should not open
1NT with a 5-4-2-2 hand including
a major suit. Am I confused?
John
Hi John,
It is certainly possible that I confused
you by not being completely clear
about 5-4-2-2, 15-17 HCP hands.
For this, I apologize.
Suppressing a five-card major is not
a high priority in the bidding process;
however what matters ultimately is
how opener plans to best describe
both his shape and values as quickly
as possible. To cite one of my frequent
" isms, " which I actually borrowed
from Alvin Roth: " Always plan a second
bid before you choose a first. "
First let me clarify what I think
was your misunderstanding about
5-4-2-2 hands. When you hold 15-17
HCP, including a five-card major, you
don't need to open 1NT unless you are
specifically 5-3-3-2, holding either
five-card major. With this shape, if
you open one of your major, it often is
difficult to find a rebid which reflects
those values. For example, you hold:
sQ 7 hK Q J 6 4 dA J 5 cQ J 4.
If the auction proceeds:
1h
Pass
?
1s
Pass
Over the 1s response, what rebid is
attractive?
1) 1NT, showing 12-14 with your 16
HCP.
2) 2NT, showing 18-19 with your 16
HCP.
3) 3h, accurately reflecting 16-18
points, but showing a good six-card
or longer suit.
4) 2c, on a three-card suit which
partner could pass.
5) 3c, a game-forcing jumpshift on
your three-card suit. A vast overbid!
Opening
1h on this hand is what I
call a " reflex mistake. " You are proud
of your hearts and hope to display
that pride by opening 1h. Unfortunately,
your 1h opening bid simply
says you have five or more hearts
with no inference as to the quality of
the suit.
A very simple solution would be to
open 1NT to begin with. Change the
hand just slightly to:
sQ 7 hK Q J 6 4 dA J cQ J 5 4.
With this shape, open 1h and plan
to rebid your club suit over an expected
1s or 1NT response.
The 2c rebid is a " third-suit rebid "
which is nonforcing. It defines opener's
values as somewhere between
the worst hand he has ever opened up
to not enough values to make a game
forcing jumpshift. Once again, this is
nonforcing, however, responder must
be aware that opener's values could
be a near jumpshift and should strain
to keep the bidding alive if possible.
So the point is, with a five-card major
and another four-card suit, you do
not have to suppress the major suit
by opening 1NT. Your second suit
provides a rebid option. Note that five
hearts plus four spades and 2-2 in
the minors could present an awkward
option over a 1NT response.
Minor suits are a different animal.
Consider your partner's hand which
I would also open 1NT - although it
is almost too strong! You mentioned
that possibly he should have opened
1c and reversed into hearts. I disagree.
Reverses describe two-suited
hands generally at least at the top end
of a 1NT opener, usually distributional
with two strong suits, almost always
a singleton or a void somewhere.
A typical example might be:
sQ 6 5 hA Q J 5 d3 cA K J 10 3
With this hand, I would happily
open 1c, planning to reverse to 2h
over a 1s response. Your partner's
actual hand had neither the shape nor
the strong suits to meet my requirements
for a reverse. I concur with
your partner's decision to open 1NT.
Keep in mind, it's all about planning
a second bid before choosing
a first. Consider these two similar
hands, each with a different plan.
First, your partner's actual hand:
1 sQ 5 hK Q 6 5 dK 3 cA Q J 3 2
A normal 1NT opening bid to avoid
an awkward rebid over a 1s response.
However, switch his holdings in the
majors:
2 sK Q 6 5 hQ 5 dK 3 cA Q J 3 2.
Although you could open 1NT,
a better plan might be to open 1c,
planning to rebid 1s over any red suit
response.
Because I don't know what your
hand actually was, I can't comment
on the continuation of this auction,
but I would have also opened 1NT. 2
March 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
53
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March 2024

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