Thursday, August 31, 2006 2:19 PM

Hand Evaluation – Systemic ( Minor Fits )

PITBULLS:

4NT is never Blackwood when you have a minor fit & left alone by the opponents. We have minor suit KCB or Kickback at our disposal. When the opponents have interfered , we may just be finding our minor fit at a high level so playing 4NT as a contract still may be reasonable. In these situations , a Q bid of their suit at the 4 level is minor suit KCB.

The opponents open a weak 2♥ , you overcall 3♦ with ♠Jx ♥x ♦AKQJ98 ♣K109x . Partner bids 4♣ so you bid 4♥ KCB ( their suit) for clubs. You may want to play 4NT as a contract if you have a stiff club with a heart stopper. Partner bids 4NT showing 0 or 3 so now what ? Partner most likely has 6♣ so the queen is probably not an issue. You bid 7♣ , partners hand is ♠A10x ♥AJx ♦10x ♣AQJxx.

They open 3♦ , you overcall 4♣ with ♠Axx ♥x ♦xxx ♣AKQ10xx & partner bids 4NT with ♠J10xx ♥AKxx ♦QJx ♣Jx . This is to play so you pass and make your +630 with a diamond lead. 5♣ has no play as diamond ruffs are obvious. Over 4 clubs , when partner has ♠KQxx ♥AQxx ♦x ♣Jxxx she would bid 4♦ ( their suit ) KCB for clubs . You would now get to your +1370 in 6♣.

There are auctions ( depending on context ) where 4NT to play would be ridiculous on that particular competitive auction. This 4NT can only be interpreted as KCB for the minor on those auctions. 4NT as KCB for a minor should be avoided though as you zoom past your contract pretty fast without the required controls. Use their suit for KCB is handy as all you lose is a Q bid probe. 4NT is still KCB for majors , Q bids are still Q bids when majors are involved.

In competitive auctions , minor suit KCB or Kickback does not exist with your minor fit ( sorry Ray ) . The reason is that a game force has not been established which is why minor suit KCB works in the first place. A jump to the 4 level in partner’s minor in competition is pre-emptive rather than KCB. 4NT or a Q bid in their suit must be KCB by agreement in competition.

Most experts have an agreement that you do not pull 3NT to 4 of a minor from a position of weakness . A minor bid at the 4 level in these auctions is defined to be KCB. Not so in competitive auctions. A pull to 4 of a minor just means that you feel 3NT is not safe so I am bailing to 4 of a minor which may be passed. There is no minor suit KCB in competition. You simply do not have the needed forcing to game requirement.

Minors are important in IMPS so sound understandings apply when you are not competing & when you are.