Friday, September 06, 2002 1:08 AM

Hand Evaluation  - 2/1 In competition ( Top 10 )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            One aspect of standard bidding I have always disagreed with is that 2/1 in competition reverts to Standard American so shows 10+ pts. . Wrong , wrong and wrong. In the first instance HCP’s in competition should not be the criteria for a 2/1 , the suit quality should be . Bidding a 2/1 in competition should be a suit unless holding a natural game force hand. This exception to a game force should be a good suit  , so a 2/1  does require a scattered 10+ HCP criteria to bid . The 2/1 should be more like a negative free bid  ( suit ) except that it is forcing to game unless rebid . As long as your suit is good , you do not need 10+ HCP’s to bid a 2/1 . This is similar to negative free bid theory but not quite.  Throwing out splinters in competition clarifies the 2/1 & your negative double theory ( no good single suiters )  . A jump shift in competition is weak with a long suit. Bidding right away with your suit prevents Bergen labeling you as a “pass & guess later”  type. Scattered HCP’s can always be shown via negative doubles. Equate HCP’s to doubles & bidding to suits. Do not let the requirement for 10 HCP’s ruin your Bridge life in competition.

 

Ex    ♠AQJ10xx ♥xx ♦xxx ♣xx                                           ♠xxx ♥x ♦xxx ♣AK109xx

 

               2♣                                                                                 1♠ 

   1♥                   2♠                                                       1♥                       2♣

 

 

♠Kxxxx ♥xx ♦AQx ♣Jx                     Do not bid 2♠ with this hand even though you have 10 HCP after the opponents make a two level overcall . This is a negative double or even a pass after partners 1♥ opener.

 

♠Qxx ♥x ♦AKx ♣Jxxxxx                     This is not a 2♣ 2/1 bid even though you have 10 HCP .  Over a heart overcall bid 1NT or double

 

            Some people like Peter Jones or the Bartons go too far so will not bid a 2./1 in competition without a forcing to game hand . This goes too far the other way . You have to get in their with your suits. I was trying to convince Peter Jones to be less rigid so I came up with a Dave Lettermans top 10 reasons why a systemic understanding that a suit bid & rebid should not be forcing to game :

 

Dave Lettermans Top 10

 

The 10 most obvious reasons why a good suit that is rebid should not be forcing to game …

 

1.       Allows the partnership to compete and push the opponents higher

                          

                       2♥  P

  Ex       2♣                3♣

             P         

                        1♦   P                  ♠AKxx ♥x ♦KJ10xx ♣xxx          Probably beat 3♣

 

2.       Allows the partnership a lead

 

 

ex             2♦

     2♣                    3NT

                 1♥

 

 

        ♠AQx  ♥KQxxxx  ♦Jxx ♣x

 

 

3.          Finds the fit fast

 

                 2♥

      2♦                   3♦                         

                 1♠ 4♦                                  ♠Axxxx ♥Kxxx ♦x ♣AKx 

 

4.      Prevents dangerous "back ins " later 

 

                      P 3♥

       2♣ P                      3♣  DBL

 

                      1♠ P                    ♠AQxxx ♥x ♦KQxx ♣Qxx

 

5.       Prevents the opponents from jamming you out of your game

 

                       P                               ♠x ♥AK10xxx ♦xxxx ♣xx

2♦                                     4♦

                       1♠                              ♠Axxxx ♥xxxx ♦x  ♣AKx               Have a chance for 6♥ and 2/1 forcing to game types would not even be in the auction unless he backs in 4♥ ( risky vul )

 

6.       You can jam the opponents out of their game and find sacrifices

 

                        2♠

2♥                                         4♥

                        1♦ 4♠

                                                             ♠KJxx ♥x ♦AKxxxx ♣xx        4♥ makes and 4♠ goes 1 down or also makes

 

7.       Makes slam bidding easier as fit found at a lower level    

 

            2♦

2♣                        P

           1♠  4♣                            ♠AKxxx ♥AQx  ♦Axxx ♣x

 

 

8.       Clarifies negative doubles ( do not make a negative dbl with 1 suit or 1 suit with a fit for partner )

 

Can bid 2♠  instead with QJ10xxx and a fit for partner with negative double range HCP’s . A negative double might be converted for penalty and a disaster with a 2 suited fit could occur

 

 

9.       Gets you to those nice 3NT's that make with a running 6 card minor

 

                    2♦                            ♠xx   ♥Kxx  ♦AQ1098x ♣xx

2♣                                3♣

                  

                   1♠ 3NT                       ♠AQxxx ♥Axx ♦KJx ♣Kx

 

10.  Daves #1 reason you should not play 2/1 forcing to game in competition - Lee Barton does J              

 

 

       With a strong hand with a rebidable suit  that you want to force to game,  you just have to bid a phony suit or Q bid the opponents suit . A small price to pay indeed . If partner does anything but rebid the suit, its forcing to game anyway . This understanding gives away a little to gain a lot . The only obligation is for partner to rebid the suit & resist the temptation to raise partner which misrepresents his hand .

 

♠AKJxxx ♥xxx ♦xx ♣xx         Partner opens 1♥ ,  RHO overcalls 2♦ so you bid 2♠ . If partner bids 3♣ do not give her preference as that misrepresents your hand.

 

You must bid 3♠ to show a weak hand .

 

 

♠xx ♥xx ♦xx ♣AKQJ10xx                Partner  bids 1♦ , RHO bids 1♠ so you bid 2♣ . Partner bids 2♦ . Do not bid 3♣ as it is not forcing . Bid 2♠  as a Western Q bid to steer the hand to 3NT .

 

 

            There are a lot of good inferences & understandings that you have when a 2/1 is forcing to game . Why throw all those out and start bidding with 10 pts just because the opponents have overcalled ? You are in effect letting them destroy your system . As long as you can get your good suits in quickly ,   make negative doubles with your 10,11,& 12 HCP hands . Even passing will work out better than making a 10 pt 2/1 with bad suits !! Garazzo says Bridge is a game of suits. Believe him !