Hand
of the Fortnight
Number
2
Theme:
When NOT to raise partner’s bid.
You are sitting North. West is dealer.
The bidding starts:
/
1D
/
1H
/
1S
/
2S
/
??
You are holding one of the following hands. Both
have 13 HCP (High Card Points) but
each requires different thinking.
Hand A (North) |
Hand B
(North) |
S: K J 6
3
H: 9 6
5 D: A Q 3
2 C: K 8
|
S: K Q J
6
H: K
5 D: A 9 7 5 3
2 C:
8 |
|
The decision here is easy!
PASS!! Reasons:
1)
You
have 7 losers
2) Unless
partner has at least SQ,
your Spade suit isn’t great
3)
Partner did not jump to 3S so her/his
hand is at the most, 8 – 10 HCP.
2S says: “We’ve found our fit, pard!”
4)
Your Clubs are of unknown
help. |
Decision: Bid 3S inviting partner to
bid 4S. Reasons:
1)
You
have 5 losers
2)
Your Spade suit is good (no gaps)
3)
Your
HK should fit nicely with
partner’s Hearts
4) Your
singleton Club is only 1 loser
instead of 2 or 3 Club losers
(as in Hand A)
5) Partner
should pass with 8 HCP but
raise to 4S with 10 or 11 HCP or
with
good Diamond values in a 9 HCP
hand (to
support your opening
suit). |
Notes:
(1)
With Hand B,
aggressive North bidders (like myself!) would go straight to 4S.
Partner can use Blackwood if interested in slam contracts.
(2)
Naturally
bidding decisions get trickier when your hand/fit is somewhere between these two
cases!
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