Thursday, September 26, 2002 7:45 AM

Hand Evaluation - Pre-empting ( Strategy )

PITBULLS:

The following is from Fred G on a particular aspect of Eric Kokishs coaching methods .

“ Each partnership received quizzes to fill out. One of these quizzes consisted of 40 hands that you might consider preempting on. Each player had to write down what bid he would make in first, second, and third position, and at each of the four vulnerabilities. That's 480 questions. After the quizzes were filled out, each set of partners got together and compared their answers. Eric never tried to alter our style as to what hands we preempted on. His emphasis was on each member of the partnership knowing what to expect when the other one preempts.”

On Thurs nite I played with a well known Polish player , I made an off colored pre-empt in 3 rd seat . The opponents bid their game & Piotr feeling that I would have a nice disciplined pre-empt sacrificed . It was not a success & we lost 11 IMPS . Afterwards when we were discussing the hand I asked Piotr don’t you play the “Subash rule” . Piotr said he never heard of it however it goes like this “Partners are not allowed ( barred ) to bid over a Subash pre-empt if they are a passed hand “ . Subash says that once partner is a passed hand , it is taking liberties time with pre-empts . He does not want partner to submarine his efforts.

O.K. I do not go that far . I do not think partnerships should have the leeway that an Osama or Maurice does ( vary a pre-empt depending on what they had for supper ) J but 3 rd & 4^th seat should have different rules & vulnerability should have different rules . Here are my thoughts . 1 st and 2^nd seat , my pre-empts are disciplined . In other words , I will not have an outside King or Ace ever . Partner can take that to the bank in judging the auctions . Equal or unfavourable vulnerability 1^st or second seat my suit will be appropriately disciplined . Not vul against vul my suit & hand could be a disaster also I may have an outside King . I would open 3♦ 1^st seat nv vrs vul with ♠x ♥Kxx ♦KJ10xxxx ♣xx but never on any other vulnerability.

I was playing with a partner recently who was nv vrs vul. I was not a passed hand , they opened 1♥ my partner pre-empted 3♣ & they played 5♦ eventually. I misdefended the hand & they made it. My partner held ♠Axx ♥xx ♦x ♣KQJ109xx for his “pre-empt”. I saw the KQJ of clubs come out of his hand & said to myself he could not have the spade Ace so I defended passively & we lost our Ace. My partner said indignantly did I not see my signal ? I said I did but I also saw your pre-empt. Declarer only had one discard so we can only lose a trick if the pre-empter had an Ace . Too tough for me.

3^rd seat , I agree with Subash , it is time to operate . I will have outside stuff some times . ♠Axx ♥KJ10xxxx ♦Qxx ♣x I would open this 3 hearts in 3^rd and 4^th one heart in 1^st or second . Partner has to be aware of this style or there are going to be a lot of pseudo sacrifices flying around or missed games for the other extreme. Partner has to be aware of this shift in discipline & tread lightly as a passed hand . Totally being barred is extreme but let’s say bids should not be based on partner having a classic disciplined pre-empt . If the opponents ask to describe my 3^rd seat pre-empts , “variable” would be a good answer .

Skilled match point players use their knowledge of the ability of local players in guiding their pre-emptive action. My partner pre-empted 2♠ vul against not vul with ♠Qxxxxx ♥x ♦QJxxx ♣x against a weak pair the other nite. Instead of going for his life for -800 the opponents missed their baby slam their direction. I do not think my partner would have tried this pre-empt against most other pairs.

Pre-emptive 4♥/♠ bids also vary as to position & vulnerability . I will not have outside stuff in 1^st and 2^nd seat either . 3^rd seat or 4^th seat , if I can not envision slam with a passed hand partner , I could leap to 4 with anything . Gambling 3NT’s are a part of your pre-empt structure . Should they vary as to 3^rd or 4^th seat ? I think the odds of you playing 3NT diminishes when partner is a passed hand ( the opponents will not let you play 3NT ) . In 3^rd & 4^th seat gambling 3NT’s may not be so much of a gamble.

Weak 2’s . weak jump overcalls & weak jump shifts could all vary according to 3^rd seat of vulnerability . 3^Rd seat weak 2’s are quite often just lead directors with a 5 card suit . Understandings are also needed in these situations .

“Action doubles” come with the territory of 3^rd & 4^th seat pre-empts. If you tried one of your “tactical” pre-empts of 4 or 3 of a major in 3^rd seat , the opponents crawl in , advise partner of that fact with an “action double” . This double means partners is to take some action like converting for penalty or retreating to your suit. This bid has paid big dividends for me in the past. I opened 4♥ in third seat with ♠x ♥AKJ109x ♦AQx ♣xx and they crawled in 4♠. Around to me and I made an auction double , hit partner with 5 spades ! It was not pretty for them.

Anyway , Eric Kokish is right . Your understandings re pre-empts have to be worked out & self discipline is required once the agreements are in place. I strongly feel that pre-empts should not be used to “get partner” as well as the opponents . The philosophy of “let them guess” should not include partner unless you are a solo artist.