2008-02-29 04:20

Hand Evaluation - Pre-empting ( 3 of a Minor )

PITBULLS:

When partner pre-empts 3 of a minor , her main purpose is to disrupt the opponents. Her secondary purpose is to describe a 7 card suit so partner may be able to bid 3NT. What if you hit partner with a good hand where 3NT is not a good contract ? Normally 3NT is bid when you have a fit for partners minor & not just because you have HCP’s. The opponents will hold up & the board will be useless since you do fit partners minor. You cannot count on partner to always be undisciplined & hold an outside king for an entry.

Some experts have built on the fact that a 3♦ response to a 3♣ bid is a totally useless bid. Instead they define 3♦ to ask the pre-empter for a 3 card major in order to arrive at nice major suit games. A 3♥ bid after a 3♦ opener is an either /or bid . It is simply single suited hearts or both majors. The 3♦ pre-empter will always bid her 3 card major if she has one. If partner retreats to 4♥ after your 3♠ fragment bid it shows hearts but does not rule out 5 of your minor. The 4♥ bidder does know 10 of your 13 cards however.

Partner opens 3♣ on the terrorist vulnerability so the bid does not have to be too disciplined. You hold ♠Axxxx ♥AQxx ♦AJ ♣xx so with no values in clubs , 3NT would need a miracle to make. You are all controls rather than soft values so 5♣ might make. You do not want to bid spades as you do not want to encourage a raise with ♠Jx or ♠Qx . Your spade suit is not very strong so enter the 3♦ bid . Partner now bids her 3 card major if she has one. Partner surprises you by bidding 3♠ & you raise to 4. Luckily you make 5 spades when they lead a diamond. 3NT goes 3 down with the same diamond lead.

What if the vul opponents stick their nose in with 4♦ ? Your action should be dictated on whether you are playing matchpoints or IMPS. The rule for doubling opponents into game in IMPS is can we beat them two tricks ? This cushion is necessary in case they make their contract as it could be a double game swing & a horrible loss in IMPS. Partner has pre-empted on the terrorist vulnerability , so I play her for no defensive tricks. I have 3 ½ defensive tricks so there is no 2 trick set. You now bid 5♣ which makes 6♣ unless they find a heart lead. 5♣ is of course , taking out insurance against a match point type disaster of 4♦X making. Thinking in “quick trcks” rather than HCP’s should be the basis of all penalty double decisions. Never under estimate the value of quick tricks in the game of Bridge. Too many Bridge players think in HCP’s rather than in the nature of HCP’s ( quick tricks ) .