2007-10-23 19:32
 
Hand Evaluation – Misfits ( Opponents Negative Double )

PITBULLS:

                 When the opponents make a negative double after your partner makes a major suit overcall, the odds are that this auction is a misfit  You do not fit partners overcall & they are showing the two unbid suits.  We all know it is best to let the opponents play the misfit , so natural bidding by our side should not exist. Why rescue them by bidding when they do not have a fit either ? A pass is the standard bid in these auctions when 3 bids have already been made & all 4 suits have been announced at the table. What if you do have a fit with partner’s overcall ? . Established partnerships usually think leads or fit showing bids in these auctions. The opponents usually have the balance of power with an opening bid & a negative double announced.  All your bids in this sandwich position assume a fit with partners overcall & you are showing where you live for lead directing purposes or game try purposes. We play “fit showing” bids after the opponent’s negative double in the sandwich position. Gone are the silly 1NT bids to rescue them from the misfit or the “punitive XX” to show 10 HCP’s. When we have no idea of the range of  partner’s  spade overcall for example , a XX showing no fit & 10 HCP’s makes no sense. It is just jumping into the misfit with no place to go. What if your lead directing  bid keeps them out of a 3NT which will go down ??  This is a good thing !  A disaster in Bridge is quite often defined when they bid games that should be defeated . It is too risky to put pressure on your side to find the correct opening lead & defense in “tight games’ all the time . Blind leads should be prevented in tight game situations & them making a partial is a small price to pay. This Bridge strategy of setting up leads is taking out Bridge insurance to keep them out of these so called “games” & direct them to a partial.  Tight games are where the big IMPS are won or lost. I like these lead directing  bids because they systemically keep Cohen like partners from rescuing opponents in misfit auctions.

 

 

 All bids fit showing after major suit overcall & negative double.

 

1©       1ª       Dbl      Rdbl                =  High spade honour ( Rosenkrantz )

                                    1nt                  =  Heart lead with spade support

                                    2§                   =  Club lead  with spade support

                                    2¨                   =  Diamond lead with spade support

                                    2©                   =  3 ♠, limit plus, 11+

                                    2ª                   = simple/comp raise, 4 to 8-

                                    2N                   = 4+ ♠, limit or better

                                    3§/¨/©           = splinter

                                    3♠                    = 4+ card 4-7 hcps

 

 

1¨       1©       dbl       Rdbl                =  High heart honour ( Rosenkrantz)

                                    1ª                   =  Spade lead with heart support

                                    1nt                  =  Diamond lead with heart support

                                    2§                   =  Club lead with heart support

                                    2¨                   = limit raise 3 card © support

                                    2©                   = simple/comp raise, 4 to 8-

                                    2ª                   = splinter

                                    2N                   = 4+ ♥ , limit or better

                                    3§/¨               = splinter

                                    3©                   = 4+ card 4-7 hcps

 

 

1♦-1♠-X-?

 

♠xxxx ♥KQ10 ♦xxxx ♣Kx   You bid 2♥ & they leap to 3NT with their solid 6 card ♦ suit & all pass. Partner knows not to lead a spade for their 9th trick with ♠AQJ10x  ♥xxx ♦xx ♣Qxx & leads a heart to beat 3NT.

 

            This “fit showing bid” also assists your side to get to game as it is similar to a Kokish game try. Where would I accept a game try ? By bidding where you live , partner evaluates her hand properly. Change partners hand to ♠AQJ10xx ♥xxx ♦x ♣Axx    & she would bid 4♠ based on your  fit showing heart bid. An offensive weapon as well as a defensive one !