Saturday,
September-13-08
Hand
Evaluation – Fast Arrival ( Pre-empting Partner )
PITBULLS:
Some aspects of standard bidding based on HCP's only
are silly. The more HCP’s you have , the higher you leap is archaic
& bad bidding. "Fast arrival" to game with huge hands does not
describe your hand well & pre-empts partner from describing her hand.
Most experts avoid these auctions like the plague .
The reason is that responder has some chance in determining the
best game , slam or partial contract. Maurice had this
hand recently playing with Tom. ♠KQx ♥Kxx ♦A987 ♣AQx & opened 1♦ in 4th seat. Tom Gandolfo responded 1NT so what do you bid ? Most experts follow the philosophy of "you do not
pull a 1NT response " from a position of
weakness. In other words, you do not improve the 1NT partial to play in a better partial if you are weak. Why ? because in modern bidding
when you deny the majors , the vultures are coming in with their majors. You
are not going to play a 2♦ or 2♣ partial with a weak hand , it is that simple. If you think otherwise
, you need a reality
check. Experts are resigned to passing 1NT with any weak hand. Improving
the 1NT partial with a weak hand usually just brings in the
balancers.
Experts have the understanding when you pull a 1NT response to a minor. you have invitational values ( a good
14 to 17 HCP's ) .This bid is obviously with distribution or you would have
opened 1NT ( 15-17) initially. Balanced invitational hands do not exist
in these sequences because they have already been opened 1NT. A 2NT rebid is in effect
idle ,
so experts define the bid to mean a good balanced 17-19 &
virtually game forcing unless you have psyched a response. This prevents the
Goren stupidity of jumping to 3NT to show these hands & pre-empting partner
to the 4 level to describe her response. Investigation for the best
game/slam/partial starting at the 4 level , beyond 3NT
? Absurd.
Maurice plays standard Bridge so as Goren would have done, he bid 3NT. This contract was doubled for a diamond
lead. Tom had ♠10xx ♥AQx ♦x ♣J109xxx so did not like the smell of a
diamond lead against 3NTX so he pulled 3NT to 4♣. Maurice passed but 6♣ makes which would have been the end
result of a 5♣
contract doubled. Tom would not have psyched a response with both
opponents being passed hands & partner opening in 4th
seat. The culprit in this auction is the 3NT
bid which pre-empted
Tom . A 2NT bid after a 1NT response must show 18
HCP's. Tom would never pass 2NT unless that is the limit of the two hands.
Bidding 2NT leaves partner some room to describe his response. Tom would have
bid 3♣
& with the nice club fit , Maurice would have bid
3NT. Now when the double comes , Tom can pass as he
has described his hand. Maurice looking at nothing wasted in diamonds is in a
win -win situation. I would leap to 5♣
which makes even if the club King is off side. 3NT X makes also but needs the ♣K onside. They might get -800 in 3NTX
if there is a solid 6 card diamond suit around with the club king. 5♣ is a far superior contract when the
opponents announce for
you that partner is unlikely to have diamond cards . No diamond
duplication of value for a 5♣ contract. You are in effect using the
opponent’s silly double to get to your best
contract.
Good players play one of a major
- forcing 1NT followed by 2NT as 18-19 & virtually forcing to game also for
the same reasons as above. You just do not
need an invitational
2NT given the opening 1NT inference. Other horrible Goren
sequences are 1 of a major followed by a forcing NT & a jump to game in your major with a huge hand . Look at all the
bidding room you have wasted to "show" your 20
HCP's. Experts use a bid of convenience the 3♣ strong jump shift to avoid this atrocious
bidding. Partner opens & responder bids a major. Jumping to 4
of a major with a huge hand is also silly. Experts bid 2NT if balanced or
find another bid. Jumps to game are "fast arrival" & show distribution.
You take it slowly
with big hands to allow bidding room. Most players play
some degree of “fast arrival” but the concept should be extended to all
auctions. There is no need to jump to
game to show a strong hand.
Standard bidding systems were built for the masses. In parts
, a very theoretically
weak system to cater to newer or average Bridge players.
Experts look for ways to improve standard rather than bending over
backwards to play standard methods. Pitfalls of standard bidding
were recognized by the experts of their day in the 1950's & 1960's . These standard bidding shortcomings spawned forcing club systems
to get around this idea of pre-empting
partner to show strength. If you do not play a
forcing club system , you need a way of fixing gaping
holes in standard bidding. Experts invented "fast arrival" which
contradicts archaic standard bidding. Jumping to game is a "picture
bid" so it does not
pre-empt partner.
1♦-P-1NT-P
3NT
is a picture bid showing a gambling long diamond suit with outside cards . With a good 17 to 19 balanced , a simple 2NT will suffice. Goren would not approve but
we certainly do. Responder should be captain of these
auctions not the balanced 18-19 count.