Wednesday, April 13, 2005 3:47 AM

Position & Vulnerability

PITBULLS:

Bidding has vulnerability and passed hand considerations . You do not just look at your hand but the vulnerability and whether partner is a passed hand or not. Bridge is a game of risk taking but not when the reward pales in comparison with the penalty risk. You hold Qx AK9xx Jxx Kxx and the auction goes

P-P-1♠-? Do you take some action ? With this collection opposite a passed hand , game is very remote. Well LHO is a passed hand also so should you get in there and compete with a double or 2♥ overcall ? No , because the risk is not worth it . You can always balance later if the auction deems it safe to do so. I broke the rules of vulnerability and position and got resoundly punished for it . Our partners were in 3NT for –50 and I doubled for takeout at the one level and got us into trouble for the tune of –800. You do not just bid your hand but table position and vulnerability.

Vulnerability dictates your choice of bids. You have a flat 11 HCP with Q10xx of hearts. They overcall 2♥ do you bid 2NT or pass and wait for the re-opening double ? Of course this decision is vulnerability dependent. If they are vul or vulnerability is equal you pass. You bid 2NT only vul against not vul. Take advantage of your opportunities.

My teammates also did not play table position & vulnerability with their bidding this evening. You hold xx xxx Q10x AKxxx and in 3^rd seat the opponents open 1♠ not vul . They bid 2♠ and vulnerable partner as a passed hand doubles. They bid 3♠ so do you take any action ? Partner is a passed hand so you are not being talked out of any game with your hand. The 4 level vul is pretty risky to compete so bidding the vulnerability and position as well as your hand you pass. If you do not and make a competitive double you get –530 . if you bid vul , you are also in the -500 range.

Partner is vulnerable and opens in 4^th seat 1♦ . You are vul and the opponents are not and they back in with a double . You bid 2♦ with A10xx of diamonds and they compete in a major and around to you again. Do you have a game ? No as partner has taken minimum action. Do you compete again to the 3 level vulnerable ? No , for two reasons . One is that the takeout double warns you of a bad diamond break and two you are vulnerable. Time to bid the position and vulnerability. You pass and avoid 3♦ which goes down 4 vul ! –400 did not score well with partners –50 in a partial.

These errors were all made by very experienced players who chose to take risks ignoring vulnerability and position . Not a good idea if you want to win IMP matches.