Thursday, October 10, 2002
1:48 AM
Hand Evaluation - KCB
( Choice of Contracts )
PITBULLS:
One of the advantages
of the modern KCB is that all bids after a 5 level response have specific
meanings ( queen
ask , specific suit ask , specific king ask ) . However ,
unfortunately they are exceptions
to this treatment. If the asker gets a disappointing
response (zero or one ) then provision is
made to escape to the safety of one of your suits to play . Also at the 6 level a good suit can be shown as the
suit to play the contract or give you a
choice of contracts .
These choice of contracts bids are normally made after
a disappointing responses to KCB.
This includes a disappointing response to a queen
ask. We have discovered holes in our trump suit so let’s find a
different suit at the 6 level or higher. To avoid confusion between suit asking bids with an offer to play a contract
, depends on whether we got a “good”
KCB response or not. If the
KCB response was 2 with or better , we have a grand on our mind so the
suit bid is an asking bid. After JUMP of any kind or jump agreement
for the asker's first bid suit, a new suit at the six level
is an asking bid, it is not to play.
FOLLOW UP BIDS AT THE FIVE LEVEL AFTER A ZERO RESPONSE
At the five level most follow up bids by the RKB
bidder in the non-agreed suit are asking
bids, either the queen-ask (next step) or the SSA. However after a 0
response, a return to either player's first bid suit is to play.
ZERO, I'M NO HERO
Opener
Responder
S.
3
S.
KQ5
H.
AKQJ105 H. 8
D.
AK83
D. Q742
C.
KQ
C.
97432
Opener
Responder
2C
2D (1)
2H
2NT (2)
3D 4D
4S
(3) 5C (4)
5H
(5) All Pass
(1) Waiting
(2) Scattered values h
(3) RKB
(4) 0
(5) To play
FOLLOW-UP BIDS AT THE FIVE LEVEL AFTER A "1"
RESPONSE
1. A return to the asker's first bid suit is to play.
2. A return to any previously supported suit is to play.
3. A return to partner's first bid suit is to
play if it has been rebid, otherwise it is the queen-ask (next step) or the SSA
(not the next step).
4. If the queen-ask happens to be partner's rebid suit, the asker must skip
over that step and use the next step.
5. A return to 4NT after minor suit
agreement is to play after a zero or 1 response.
FOLLOW- UP BIDS AT THE SIX LEVEL
1. Follow up bids in the asker's first
bid suit at the six level is to play. What happened to the agreed suit?
It's still there, but there may be compelling reasons to play elsewhere like
the asker has a solid suit.
2. The asker may have a two-suiter and may have
received simple preference for the first suit (perhaps showing a doubleton) and
still wish to play in the second suit. Bidding the second suit at
the six level in simple preference sequences offer
responder a choice of contracts. It is not an ask.
3. The opponent's bidding may have made it impossible for the RKB bidder
to show support for partner's first bid suit. If so, a return to partner's suit
is to play.
GIVING PARTNER A CHOICE
Opener
Responder
S.
AK1042 S.
Q7
H.
84
H. AKJ63
D.
AKJ103 D. Q74
C. K
C. 1093
Opener
Responder
1S
2H
3D
3S (1)
4D
(2)
4H (3)
4NT
(4) 5C (5)
6D
(6)
All Pass
(1) Simple preference;
could be a doubleton honor.
(2) Natural
(3) Cuebid
(4) RKB (1430)
(5) 1
(6) Choice of slams
REBIDDING YOUR SUIT AT THE SIX LEVEL.
DON'T TAKE ME BACK!
OPENER
RESPONDER
S.
AKJ3
S. 8642
H.
4
H.
AKJ962
D.
AK
D. 93
C.
KQJ1076 C. 3
OPENER
RESPONDER
2C
2H
3C
3H
3S
4S
4NT
(1)
5C (2)
5D
(3) 5S (4)
6C (5)
(1) RKB (1430)
(2) 1
(3) Queen-ask
(4) No
(5) To play
Escaping from the agreed suit can also take place after a forced raise of
a suit that has been jump rebid if the asker returns to one of partner's
previously bid suits after a queen-denial.
The following hand was bid in international competition by former World
Champions, Alain Levy and Christian Mari of France.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Opener
(Mari)
Responder
(Levy)
S. 10
S. AK87532
H.
KJ742 H.
6
D.
A62
D. 9
C.
A976
C. KQ54
Opener
Responder
1H
1S
2C
2D (1)
2H
(2)
3S (3)
4S
4NT (4)
5H
(5) 6C (6)
All Pass
(1) 4th suit-to create forcing auctions.
(2) Weak rebid (2NT also possible).
(3) Confirming a powerful suit.
(4) Preferring 4S to 3NT.
(5) RKB (1430-opener limited)
(6) 2 without
(7) To play given the queen-denial of a known powerful
suit.
PARTNER, PARTNER, THEY ARE MAKING MY LIFE MISERABLE
Opener
Responder (you)
S.
J84
S. AK732
H.
6
H. A10
D.
AQJ84 D. K10732
C.
AQ43 C. 2
Opener
LHO
Responder RHO
1D
2H
2S
4H
4S
(1)
Pass 4NT (2)
Pass
5H (3)
Pass 6D
(4)
All Pass
(1) Showing extras-not a minimum opening bid.
(2) RKB (1430)
(3) 2 without
(4) Choice of contracts
When the opener's first bid suit is solid he may not want to play
in another trump suit even though the other trump suit is known to have the
AKQ.
Opener
(West)
Responder (East)
S.
A72
S. KQ932 .
H.
KQJ H.
7
D.
5
D.
A10973
C.
AKQJ96 C. 42
West
North
East
South
1C
Pass
1S
Dbl.
Rdbl
(1)
2H
4S
Pass
4NT (2)
Pass 5S
(3) Pass
6C
(4)
All Pass
(1) Support redouble showing three spades
(2) RKB (1430 opener unlimited)
(3) 2 with
(4) To play
Opener must have solid clubs without the SJ. If responder has the
SJ he might consider converting to 6S.
After JUMP any kind of jump agreement for the asker's
first bid suit, a new suit at the six level is an
asking bid, it is not to play.
Opener
Responder
S.
A
S. Q10832
H.
KQJ864 H. A93
D.
4
D.
A73
C.
AK1092 C.
85
Opener
Responder
1H
1S
3C
4H (1)
4NT
(2)
5H (3)
6C
(4)
6D (5)
? (6)
(1) Jump preference for
the first suit setting the trump suit.
(2) RKB
(3) 2 without
(4) SSA
(5) 3rd round control (A return to the trump
suit denies 3rd round control)..
(6) Close call between passing and bidding
7H. It depends upon whether the 3rd round control is the
queen or a doubleton and how good dummy's hearts are for ruffing
clubs.
Most partners find it easier to deal with bidding six and making seven as
opposed to bidding seven and making six.