Friday, November 07, 2003 5:28 AM

Hand Evaluation – Tactics ( NT Probes )

PITBULLS:

A good bidding habit is showing where your values are located . This “showing where you live “ can show duplication of value , indicate opening leads or show stoppers for no trump . Two hands came up tonight which shows the value of this concept.

♠x ♥Axx ♦AKQJ10xxx ♣A

I opened 2♣ , partner bid 2♥ which is a 2^Nd negative showing no controls. I bid 3♦ , partner bid 3NT . Now what ? When partner has ♠QJx ♥xxx ♦xx ♣Jxxxx or the like 5♦ has no play as you lose a spade & 2 hearts . 3NT is cold for 630 or 660 with that hand though. It turned out partner was ♠Jxx ♥QJxx ♦xx ♣Jxxx so it’s a time to “show where you live” with a NT probe. 2♣-P-3♥ jumping to 3♥ initially is weak showing a 6 card heart suit or better with no controls. Partner did not make this bid so the 3♥ bid over a minor should just show values in that suit. Once partner bids a minor , the goal is 3NT when you have a weak hand. Knowing partners points are in hearts makes a 5♦ bid easier . Bidding stoppers rather than suits is common by responder when the 2♣ bidder has bid a minor suit . 3NT probes are the order of the day rather than bidding a suit which the 2♣ bidder is unlikely to support anyway..

When you have an inverted minor sequence or a 2/1 with minors being bid , the goal is 3NT. Q bids are interpreted initially as suits or NT probes rather than looking for a slam. This is the principle of “game before slam” in action. When partner makes a probe in one major , it is a very good assumption he lacks values in the other major or he would have bid NT himself. A western Q bid is of course a NT probe when the opponents are in the auction. When you have bid 3 suits , you bid the 4^th suit under 3NT , it is asking partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in that suit. This is true do the simple fact you did not bid 3NT yourself.

You hold ♠x ♥J109 ♦AQJ109xxx ♣x , the auction goes nobody vul 1♠-4♥-4♠-? You have an 8-3 heart fit but is it time to conceal your diamond suit ? There are opponents lurking & they hold the boss suit . I think on these auctions it’s good to have the partnership agreement that a suit bid is lead directing with the Ace . This puts partner in a better position to judge further action by the opponents . I bid 5 diamonds , LHO jumped to 6 spades !! Partner had a stiff diamond with two Aces so a double is in order to prevent me from taking the pseudo sacrifice to 7 hearts . If you play undoubles , a pass is in order which says the same thing. 6♠x goes for 500 & 7 hearts goes for 300 which is a lot of IMPS . If I had bid 5♥ over 4♠ , partner would not know what to do over 6♠ by the opponents. They have an obvious void in hearts so doubling with two Aces is folly . The auction would go around to me and as I cannot visualize the club Ace in the pre-empters hand. I would assume the only defensive trick we had was the diamond Ace. Consequently I would take out insurance & bid 7 hearts . Disaster !