Monday, December 04, 2006 11:52 AM

Hand Evaluation – Limited Hands ( Kickback )

PITBULLS:

It is very important in Bridge to have a way of dragging your feet when partner has visions of bigger & better things. The most common “death response “ is immediately returning to the trump suit when partner is inviting with a Q bid. If partner is Q bidding , even rebidding your 4 card suit as a “death response “ is perfectly acceptable.

In minor auctions or NT auctions, returning to NT at your first opportunity is the death response. Do not forgot that once you have announced your minimum , partner has heard you so is still trying , you should co-operate with a good minimum. If your minimum is truly dreadful , bail out to NT again. OK with all this pre-amble , lets bid this hand that nobody in a Spingold got to their cold 6♣.

You open a club with ♠109x ♥A109x ♦Jx ♣AKxx , partner bids 2♣ inverted showing limit raise or better. You bid 2NT which describes your weak NT type of minimum. Partner bids 3♦ which is a game force & showing where she lives ( we assume) for NT purposes. We have nice controls so we show our heart stopper by bidding 3♥. Partner now bids 3♠ which now clarifies her previous bids as trying for a club slam, rather than making sure that 3NT was the best spot.

What now ? Should we sign off in 3NT , Fast arrival to 5♣ or bid 4♣ ? Since you limited your hand with a 2NT bid, 4♣ is not KCB. The unlimited hand must use the Kickback bid of 4♦ , if she wants to take control. I think since you have nice controls with a genuine club suit , you should give partner that information by bidding 4♣. She has the information that you did not make the “death response” of 3NT which you would have with soft values & a 3 card club suit.

Partner now bids 4♦ which is clearly Kickback for clubs. You respond 4♠ showing zero or 3 key cards. Partner has ♠AJx ♥x ♦AK109 ♣QJ109x , 6♣ is higher than 75 % . Partner bids 5♣ so you carry on to 6♣ as you have 3 of them. Nobody in the Spingold final got past 3NT !! Note this auction showed a very important part of minor suit KCB . Once you have limited your hand in some way , forcing NT , 2NT rebid , even a strong NT you are not allowed to use minor suit KCB. Your job is just to advise partner you do not have the dreaded 3 card minor with soft values. Partner who is the unlimited hand must use minor suit KCB ( Kickback ) .