Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:01 am 

 

Hand Evaluation – Q bids ( Obligatory Q )

PITBULLS:

          We feel Q bids should be obligatory only with "serious 3NT" theory with the majors opposite unlimited hands in forcing to game auctions. When an auction is “limit raise or better” like a splinter you require a “death response” to show the lower range This style of obligatory Q bidding means that there is an unlimited hand across from you  so you are Q bidding as a courtesy in a game forcing auction. All other Q bids in Bridge are in accordance with standard bidding , they show extra . Do not Q bid just for the sake of Q bidding . Evaluate your hand first so when you have something more than you have shown already or indicated systemically, by all means Q bid. Failure to Q bid in these auctions does not mean you do not have the control , it just means "you are all in" with your previous bid.

            I was kibitizing Moss & Gittleman & they had this auction. ♠AQ10xx ♥xx ♦xxx ♣xxx , Fred opened 1♦ vul & a 2♥ nv pre-empt by the opponent. This hand made a negative double & LHO jumped to 4♥ & Fred bid 4NT. This was alerted as showing the minors so Moss bid 5♦. Fred now bid 5♥ forcing the hand to slam & looking for 7♦. Do you make an obligatory Q bid ?  I think you are all in for your negative double & having nothing in the minors is a danger signal. I retreat to 6♦ as if all partner needed was one Ace for a grand why is he opening at the one level ? Anyway , Moss thought a Q bid was obligatory so Q bid 5♠. The next bid was 7♦ & the opponents collected +100 instead of -1370. A negative double is not forcing to game but can be unlimited. I think you have the obligation to show your minimum range first especially when you doubled at the 2 level with a flat 6 HCP.

            The inventers of Standard bidding thought that must be a way of telling partner that you do not have anything extra for your previous bidding. When you impose "obligatory Q bids" on the partnership , this hand evaluation concept goes out the window. You introduce ambiguity in the bidding. Does she or does she not have extra when she Q bids ? The "serious 3NT" allows courtesy Q bids in that you always have the inference that she did not bid the 3NT Q bid in a game forcing auction. A Q bid as a serious slam try & unlimited hands factor into the equation. Therefore , a Q bid does not necessarily show extra in specific major fit  forcing to game auctions. . You do not have this understanding in other auctions. We feel you should revert to standard Q bidding understandings. Q bids mean you interested in bigger & better things. Partner should discourage or encourage these efforts not just be a robot for partners Q bidding efforts..

                    A hand came up tonight where there was an “obligatory Q bid “ misunderstanding. A splinter is limit raise or better & is not forcing to game . There is no need to impose obligatory Q bids in these non forcing to game auctions. ♠AKxxx ♥Kxxx ♦Jxx ♣x with vul partner opening 1♠. You splinter to 3♣ so partner bids 3♦ so now what ? You could have had a weak limit raise but you do not. With a weak limit raise , you would bid 3♠ , so a 3♥ Q bid should show extra. After hearing 3♥ , opener bids 4NT needing to know about the ♠ suit. ♠J109xx ♥AQ10x ♦AK ♣xx . Playing with a 30 HCP deck & partner showing extra,  there is no room for her  extra HCP’s other than in spades. Where are they ? Partner shows 2 key cards so +1430 is cold.