Friday, July 21, 2006 10:35 PM

Hand Evaluation - The Problem Hands ( 5-4-3-1 or 4-4-4-1)

PITBULLS:

In reading 25 years of writes ups from the Spingold , Vanderbilit & Bermuda Bowl there is a re-occurring theme that we all know about. The strong 4-4-4-1 & 5-4-3-1 hands are a breeding ground for 12 IMP losses. When these hands are opened at the one level , the huge hand seems to go berserk , keeps pushing until they reach a level they cannot make. If they open 2♣ , they do not have any suitable rebids so they end up in disasters anyway. I am convinced the best route to go with these hands is to open 2♣ , rebid NT even with the stiff. This seems to be the best lie time & time again. I have gone as far as having partnership understandings that 5-4-3-1 especially with 5-4 in the minors should be described with a NT rebid. You now have the tools to find the best spot even with your initial lie.

Another tool that helps with these hands is having a strong or ACOL 2♦ opener. This means the 4-4-4-1 hands are handled by the Roman 2♦ element of the bid. What about the 5-4-3-1 hands in the 22+ range ? At least these hands with the 5 card diamond suit are solved but still with the 2NT rebid. Here is a hand from the Vanderbilt. ♠AQx ♥A ♦KQJxx ♣AKxx opposite ♠Kxx ♥KJxxx ♦A10x ♣Jx . At one table they were in 4♥, the other table they were in 6NT . 7♦ is cold & at neither table diamonds were never considered in the auction. Opening the strong hand 2♦ , partner bids 2♥ waiting followed by the 2NT lie you get off to the start needed to get to 7♦.

Kiz held ♠A ♥AK10x ♦K109x ♣AKxx Thursday nite , opened 1♦ with her 21 HCP all in controls ( I would have opened 2NT ) & Nowlan overcalled 2♠ . As a passed hand I leapt to 3NT . Kiz reasoned that I must have something that spurred me to bid 3NT as a passed hand so she guessed a diamond fit or long clubs. She leapt to 6♣ so I converted to 6♦ . With a trump finesse we made 7♦ The Vinnies lost 12 IMPS as we were the only ones in slam. This was a pure guess though as I could have held a bad 12/13 HCP with extreme duplication in spades where slam has no chance. If she opened 2NT, we would have unimpeded progress to use Re-stayman to find our diamond fit so I would have tried 6♦ with my hand.

Playing 2♦ as the Roman hand , the auction would have gone

2♦-P-2♥-P

2♠-P-2NT-P

3♠-P-? again we found our diamond fit so I would have tried 6♦. Superior bidding methods lead to superior results. Opening rocks at the one level is just plain gambling & guessing. The entire field opened this hand at the one level I assume , as nobody but Kiz reached slam.

Weaker 5-4-3-1 & 4-4-4-1 are also problematic. A NT rebid with a stiff honour also helps with those hands also. The 1NT rebid unleashes all your systemic bids to find your heart fit or the best partial. Prepared bids ( opening the 4 card suit instead of the 5 ) is only necessary when a 1NT rebid is not in your future. Again , from playing this game for 43 years , I find the NT rebid turns out to be the best lie.