Wednesday,
May 23, 2007 11:45 PM
Hand Evaluation - Fast Arrival ( Games )
PITBULLS:
“Fast arrival” is not
just a 2/1 concept. Back in the early days of Bridge ,
these jumps to game were called “shut out bids” & partner was pretty
well expected to pass with anything. Modern bidders know that “fast arrival” pre-empts
partner so “bidding what you think you can make” is chosen carefully.
These bids should have some flaw that prevents reasonable
slam exploration. Horrible duplication of value in their suit , a lack of fit
in partners suit , minimum hand or a lack of controls are normally the reason for fast
arrival. All jumps to game in our system are “fast arrival” & are a “picture
bid” instead of a HCP total.
We define “fast arrival’ as also
ignoring the Goren jump to game with HCP totals concept. A jump to game in a major or a jump raise to game are
a “picture bid” instead . We play these bids as
showing a 7 card suit with an outside control & a distributional hand
respectively. An artificial 3♣ bid &
a 2NT rebid with a major fit is used to free the jump to game as “fast arrival”.
Raising 1NT after a major to 2NT is 18-19 HCP so a 3NT raise can be a picture
bid defined by the partnership. A raise of 1NT to 2NT after a minor opening is
18-19 so that a 3NT bid can be a gambling picture bid with a long suit.
Fast arrival is also bidding game without
Q bidding along the way. When you bypass a Q bid at the 4 level there must
be a reason & that is you are not interested in a slam
try. A Tormentee held this hand tonight ♠xxx ♥xx ♦AKQJ10x ♣Ax , partner opened 1♥.
She bid 2♦ & partner replied with 2♥. The auction continued with 2NT followed by 3♥ so now what ? You decide
that 4♥ is the spot but due to your source of
tricks so it does not hurt to Q bid 4♣ along the way. Partner now takes
control so you get to +1430 in hearts.
The fast arrival inference is
everywhere. You open 1♣ with ♠x ♥KQ109x ♦x ♣AKJ10xx vul
vrs not . LHO bids 4♦
& partner leaps to 6NT. This is a fast arrival bid so partner
is not interested in intelligently trying for a grand slam. The flaw in her
hand is probably soft values in diamonds eith KQx or KJx or the like. If she
had all controls , say a hand like ♠AJ10xx ♥AJx ♦AQ ♣Qxx she would take it slower
as a grand slam is possible. Normally when you have two suits as
a source of tricks for NT it is a good thing. Bidding 7NT on that basis
is fine but the “fast arrival” by partner should deter you from bidding
7.
Here is hand where “fast arrival”
cost your side 17 IMPS. Partner opens 1♦
vul vrs not and your hand
is ♠AQxxx ♥QJ ♦Ax ♣AJxx .
You respond 1♠ , partner bids 2♦. You make a 4th suit forcing bid of 3♣ with partner
bidding 3NT. Now what ? You now make a “fast arrival”
bid of 6♦ which shuts out exploration for an alternate
contract of 6NT & in rare cases a grand slam. 6♦
goes one down ( very unlucky ) & 6NT has 12 top tricks. A two suited
fit normally means 6NT is the superior contract. Partner had ♠KJ of spades
to fill in your suit but was never given the chance to describe it.
Pulling 3NT to 4♦ is a slam try and allows
partner a chance to bid 4♠. Now with two suits in the mix , it is best to bid 6NT as insurance
in case one suit does not come in. Have a reason for fast arrival
as you take partner right out of the picture. Partners hand is ♠KJ ♥Kxx ♦KQJ10xx ♣10x
so 6NT is claimed with any lead. Change partners heart to the Ace
& 7NT is cold on any lead.
When partner responds a major &
you leap to game in her major , fast arrival dictates that the bid
should be based on distribution even in competition or maybe especially
so. I think a jump raise should be stronger in HCP’s than a jump to game as we
leave room for the serious 3NT or Q bidding. My partner had such a hand
tonight. He opened 1♥ on ♠KQxx ♥QJ1098x
♦x ♣Ax , partner responded 1♠ . His RHO bid 2♦ so is this a 4♠ bid or a 3♠ bid ?
My partner judged that the stiff diamond was the deciding factor to show the stronger
of the two bids. When he had a doubleton diamond , he probably would
have bid 4♠.