Sunday, September 11, 2005 6:44 PM

Hand Evaluation – Systemic ( Major Suit Structure )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Established partnerships have a well thought out major suit structure. Major suit games & slams are obviously very important to reach so using  the best tools available are a decided advantage. The major suit structure we play is based on the law of total tricks principle. We assign values to the 4th trump in our bidding structure. The basis of our major suit structure is that simple raises promises 3 card support a la Bergen . A jump raise promises 4 trump but only simple raise values. This treatment assigns a value to the 4 th trump ! Knowing the raises that have only 3 trump , assist us in game try decisions, competing and penalty doubles. This treatment also brings in “known count” for signaling purposes. Middle encourages & hi-lo suit preference.

 

            Since a jump raise is handled in this manner , we include limit raises in our Jacoby 2NT understandings. We use a catch all 3♣ after a Jacoby 2NT to show all weak hands so a return to the major shows the limit raise hand. What other understandings do we have ? We will not splinter or make a Jacoby 2NT with a good suit & 4 trump. We prefer bidding a 2/1 followed by a jump preference to show these hand types. ♠ Axxx ♥ xx ♦ x ♣ AKQxxx  . This hand after a 1♠ opener goes 1♠-P-2♣-P  2♥-P-3♠ , the jump preference shows the 4th trump.

 

            Another important understanding of our major suit structure is that 2/1 are not game forcing if the suit is rebid. This includes hearts over spades. 1♠-P-2♥-P  3♦-P-3♥   is non forcing. We also play 1♠-P-3♥-P as non forcing with a weaker six card suit ( weak jump shift)  . This structure has the excellent side effect of keeping 6 card heart hands out of the forcing NT structure. This allows a 2♥ bid to be used as a relay in forcing NT auctions to show strong minor raises or BART like 5 card heart hands with invitational values.

 

            Splinters are an important part of any major suit structure. Splinters are only in effect without competition or after T/O doubles. When our side overcalls , splinters are in effect. Splinters do not exist as a passed hand. They are strong jump shifts showing a fit with the suit bid. In competition,  its more important in our opinion to show a 7 card diamond suit that a stiff diamond. We can always Q bid and show the singleton diamond later as a control.

 

            Splinters give away too much information , if you do not have slam intentions. The opponents trump leads & defense all of a sudden become devastating assisted by splinter auctions. Information should be given to the opponents on a “right to know” basis. If we want to know where partner has a splinter,  we must have lofty ambitions so we do not care if they have this information. Subash Gupta introduced me to the concept of “masked” splinters. A 3♣ splinter is a splinter in the minors & 3♦ a splinter in the other major. Opener can ask where the splinter is located only if she wants to , otherwise a game is bid or a partial is bid . The opponents are guessing on their opening leads. These “masked splinters” include the forcing & non forcing to game heart/spade splinters which allows 1♥-P-2♠-P & 1♠-P-3♥-P to be weak jump shifts.

 

            I think it is very poor hand evaluation to splinter without slam intentions especially in competition. Think about it. Unless you are strong enough to buy the hand , you are just helping them play the hand. Partner is allowed to apply patterns from the bidding , so she knows you have a singleton in their suit anyway. It is like “crying wolf” . What if you do have a great hand & want to splinter ? Partner will remember the nothing you had last time. Concealment is a legitimate Bridge strategy. Do not splinter without a very good hand.

 

            This treatment follows the same principle of our Jacoby 2NT structure. If we have a weak opening hand even with a singleton , we mask it with a 3♣ bid after the 2NT bid. We do not give information to the enemy unless partner gives the go ahead & asks. We use step responses to locate the singleton both in the Jacoby 2NT & splinter structure. 3♦ always asks so we just go up the line . 1st step club splinter , 2Nd step diamond splinter , 3rd step other major so with three bids the deed is done.

 

            Leap to games in a major are always pre-emptive lacking controls useful for slam purposes. Splinters at the 4 level showing voids do not exist. We prefer these bids to be Exclusion Blackwood if the 4 level bid is a minor & natural if the 4 level bid is a major.  A case can be made to make all jumps to the 4 level as exclusion but natural for the other major is what we play now.

 

            Serious 3NT with Italian Q bids are an important part of our major suit structure. If have a 2/1 or a conventional bid like Jacoby 2NT , 3NT is a Q bid so indicates a “serious slam” try. Last train Q bids i.e. bidding the suit just under the trump suit in a Q bidding auction is an integral part of the system also.

 

            Passed hand understandings & forcing 1NT understandings all derive from these basic major suit  understandings above. Taking hand types away from the forcing 1NT bid is a good idea, Your 2/1 understandings define your forcing 1NT of course.