Tuesday, February-17-09

Hand Evaluation – Bridge Basics ( Religion )

PITBULLS:

        The game of Bridge could be simplified a great deal if only Bridge players would tune into the "5 Bridge Basics " . In my mind , these "commandments" should be followed religiously. Commandment #1 should be to bid with distributional hands but double with defensive hands. A player held this hand ♠K10xx ♥Jx ♦AK10x ♣xxx with  partner opening 1♣ . He responded 1♦ & my partner put in a vul lead directing bid of 1♥. All pass & around to him in the re-opening seat. He holds a balanced defensive hand with 2 1/2 quick tricks. A double in the re-opening chair is never penalty by definition. What describes your hand better , a double or a one spade bid ? Partner envisions a distributional hand without defense when you bid 1♠. 5-4 in your two suits minimum but without defense. Partner converts your double & the vul opponents go for -800 in 1♥X & yes you can make 3♣ your way after you rescued the opponents by bidding 1♠ rather than double :).

The 2nd commandment is to describe your hand type ( pattern)  immediately rather than bidding up the line ( opener ) . All Bridge hands are either balanced or distributional. Let partner in on your pattern type immediately by bidding NT with a balanced hand. Do not "muddy the waters" by bidding a major suit with a flat hand. When you bid a major , it should imply that your first suit is longer as in basic Bridge bidding . A picture of your hand pattern emerges for responder to make an informed decision as the bidding progresses. You can always find your major fit or your stoppers later in the auction. What is the hurry ? Describe your hand pattern first & find out other details later in the auction.

The 3rd commandment is indicate ownership of the auction. In the game of Bridge , only 3 scenarios are possible. You own the auction , they own the auction or neither of you do so competition takes place. Use a penalty double or a Q bid or a strong systemic bid to inform partner that you own the auction. Forcing pass theory "kicks in" when your side owns the auction. Your decision making improves immensely as you have "two heads instead of one" making the decision whether to bid or make a penalty double..

The 4th commandment is have jumps & fast arrival show suits or distribution but not a preponderance of HCP's. The principle of fast arrival should be applied more religiously and not just for 2/1 auctions. Jumps to game should not mean a great deal of HCPs. A jump bid shows a good suit or distribution not just more than your share of HCP's. There are other means to show HCP's rather than pre-empting partner by raising the level of the bidding. Charles Goren was wrong with this notion of Standard bidding . This concept was the incentive for forcing club systems to be developed. Forcing club systems keep the bidding low so maximum information can be exchanged before game is reached. Jumping to game with huge hands are for kangaroos not Bridge players. This fast arrival concept includes leaping to a 3NT game when partner responds 1NT to either a minor or major. Preserve the leap to game as a “picture bid’ & conserve bidding room with a 2NT bid with the 18-19 HCP hands. Raising a major suit response to game or your own major to game should mean distribution , not HCP’s.

The 5^th commandment is to have a 2/1 not forcing to game when the suit is rebid after a major opener. Bridge is a game of suits so allow good suits to escape the clutches of the garbage bucket of Bridge , the forcing NT. Keeping nice 6 card suits from the forcing NT structure allows right siding of NT contracts , alternate meanings of a jump bid after a forcing NT & makes the forcing NT more manageable. Benito Garozzo says Bridge is a game of suits , so getting suits “out in the open” with a repeated 2/1 non forcing to game pays dividends. Quality & length of suits is very much an important Bridge basic.

Following the above commandments will simplify the game of Bridge for both you & your partner. Try it , you will like it.