May 2024 - 51

Newer Players
BY LYNN BERG
lynn7ntxx@icloud.com
T
rust but verify. Many of us remember
when Ronald Reagan
made this Russian proverb
famous. But the bridge version should
be, " Verify, then trust. "
We need to have partnership
agreements verified as we develop
a partnership. Once we have made
agreements, we have to trust partner
to remember what we've decided and
to apply that agreement properly in
the bidding. Using our agreements
well can be a challenge because so
many hands don't just slip into easy
decision slots.
Consider this hand: Partner has
opened 1s. You bid 2c with:
s6 hA K 4 dJ 7 5 cA J 10 9 7 3.
If you are playing 2/1, you're now
in a game-forcing auction. Even if it's
not a game force in your agreement,
a new suit by an unpassed partner is
forcing for one round. A lot of players
don't realize that even in Standard,
the 2c bidder promises to bid again
unless partner bids 2s or 3c. With
this opening hand, of course you plan
to keep going to game.
To your shock, partner passes.
Yikes! You trusted partner to remember
your agreement and to keep
the bidding open. Partner likely has
forgotten your agreement. Of course
Startup Bridge
Verify, then trust
we're all human and will forget once
in a while, but this is a fundamental
understanding you must get straight
with partner. In this case, partner
no doubt realized the error when you
took 11 or 12 tricks.
Partner's hand:
sA K 7 5 2 h9 3 dA Q 2 c8 6 5.
I have some sympathy for opener.
She was hoping partner would raise
spades or bid notrump and she could
retire quickly from the auction. Not
this time. What should she bid? Pass
is not an option, nor is 2s a good idea
with only a five-card suit. That leaves
2NT, 3c or 3d.
* 2NT is scary with no heart stopper
but does show a balanced minimum.
*
3c acknowledges that partner has
made a forcing bid and shows at
least three-card support.
* 3d tends to show a four-card suit,
but diamonds are well stopped,
which might help if partner hopes
to bid notrump.
Which one partner chooses is
tough to decide, but the bidding has
been kept open so responder can continue
with answering the two questions
which are the objectives of the
auction: Where should we play this
hand? How high should we get? 2
West hands for the
May Bidding Box
Bid these hands with a partner. The East
hands are on page 57. The North-South
players are silent unless otherwise
noted. Scores on page 40-43.
Problem 1. North deals. None vul.
sJ hA K 9 7 3 dQ J 10 5 cK 8 7
Problem 2. East deals. N-S vul.
s7 6 2 hJ 10 8 3 d10 7 6 2 cK 3
Problem 3. South deals. E-W vul.
sQ hA 9 8 5 dA K Q J 10 4 3 c4
Problem 4. West deals. Both vul.
sK Q 9 6 h- dQ J 10 9 cA K Q 10 3
Problem 5. North deals. N-S vul.
s3 h7 5 4 3 dK Q J 8 4 3 2 c6
Problem 6. East deals. E-W vul.
sQ J 9 2 hA K Q J 9 d9 c8 5 2
Problem 7. South deals. Both vul.
s6 4 hQ 4 3 2 dK Q J 10 8 2 c5
Problem 8. West deals. None vul.
North overcalls 2c if possible.
sA 10 hA K 8 dK Q 10 9 7 5 cJ 3
May 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
51
May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2024
