Sunday, March 06, 2005 8:54 PM

5 of a Major

 

PITBULLS:

 

          A jump or a bid of 5 of a major is a very weird bid in Bridge so there is multiple definitions for taking that action . The bid is an invitational bid taking into consideration the “context” of that particular auction. Like a chameleon its definition changes with the auction. The most common 5 level bid is the direct jump to 5 of a major 1♠-P-2NT-P  5♠  . This hand probably has a void so using Blackwood is difficult. The jump is asking for trump quality.  3♠-P-5♠-P  is the same idea – how good are your spades ?   If the opponents are in the auction and you jump to 5 of your agreed major , it asks for a control in their suit. A variation of the theme is jumping to 5 of your major when the opponents have bid in the auction. 2♦-3♣-5♥-P  ?  Bid 6♥ with 1st round control of diamonds otherwise pass or Q bid 1st round control of their suit.

 

          If all 3 of the suits have been bid or Q bid, a jump to 5 of the major demands you bid 6 with little as 2ND round control of the unbid suit. What if you need more than 2nd round control of the unbid suit ? Scott and I had such an auction . I opened 1♥ on KQxx KJxxx K AQx  and partner bid 1♠. I splintered to 4♦ and partner held Axxxx x AQ109x xx . He can not bid Blackwood with a worthless doubleton in clubs so what is his bid ? A jump to 5♠ is no good as I could hold KQJx KQJ10x K KQJ  and must bid 6 as I have 2nd round control in the unbid suit which is clubs. What about a 5♦ Q bid ? Is that a demand to bid 6♠ with 1st round control of clubs ?  Last train Q bid to the rescue . You bid 4♥ which is the suit below the trump suit as a last ditch slam effort. Partner Q bids 5♣ and you bid 6♠ which makes.

 

          Susan had a hand which makes use of the jump to the 5 level . She held Q KQ1098 Qxxx Jxx and Maurice opened 1♠ and Susan bid 1NT . Maurice rebid 3♥ so now what ? You can not bid 4♥ as partner could hold Axxxx Axxx AKx A and be cold for a grand or many other hands where 6 is lay down. If you bid at the 4 level , it is a Q bid in support of hearts.  A 5♥ bid is defined as I have good hearts but nothing to Q bid so over to you. I have no controls in the minors so I can not bid KCB.

 

          What are some other bids of the agreed major at the 5 level ?  You hold Jxxxx xxx AKxxx void and partner opens 1♥ and you respond 1♠. Partner rebids 4♥. A 5♥ bid can not be asking for hearts as partner has shown good hearts already. Should it say I have good spades and can you control the minors or should it mean I have the minors under control do you have good spades ?   This must be partnership agreement .  A 4 spade bid is ludicrous to play as natural after partner leaps to 4♥ . 4♠ , 5♣ & 5♦ must all be heart slam tries and Q bidding. Therefore , I would play 5♥ as saying I control the minors but I am weak in spades as I bypassed the spade Q bid.

 

          What about this freaky auction ?. You hold AKQx xx xxxx xxx and partner opens 1♥ and you respond a spade. Partner rebids 5♥ so what is he trying to convey with that bid ? He has xxx AKxxxxxx void AK and must be asking for spades . You should bid 7♥ !  5 level major bids – do not leave home with them !!

 

          BJ and I had an auction which uses this control asking bid to solve a problem. BJ opened 1♦ and I bid one spade on AKQJ10x xx Jx 10x . BJ bid 3♣ so I took the relay to 3♦ as a temporizing bid ( he can show natural clubs , strong diamond hand or strong spade support with the bid) . I could have broken the relay but I had a plan to find out about his heart control. BJ bid 4♣ which shows a strong hand in clubs and diamonds. Slam must be right sided so 5♠ asking for a heart control sticks out. Partner will bid 5NT with the King and 6♠ with a stiff heart and 6♥ with 1st round control. As I have the boss suit , I can place the contract.

 

          Tom and I had an auction which comes up time and time again. How severe is the duplication of value in their suit ? Tom opened 1NT and the infamous Mr. Willard overcalled 2♣ . I held AQJ10x KQ10xx Jxx void so I jumped to 4♣ . This got doubled and Tom bid 4♥ . It is standard agreement to play a redouble as 1st round control of clubs so is there a bid that asks how severe is the duplication of value ?  I bid 5♥ as an invitational bid and in this context it must ask to rate your hand depending on club duplication of value. Tom held the worst possible holding in clubs KQx and 5 is the limit of this hand despite my void in the opponents suit.

 

          The 5 of a major invitational bid is not a demand to bid six if you meet partners criteria. You are allowed to make a “courtesy Q bid” along the way if partner is unlimited in the auction. Giving this extra information might come in handy if the opponents bid again or a grand slam is not out of the question.