By Val Rhead
BIG HANDS PART FOUR: CONTROL: BID SEQUENCE TO ASK FOR ACES AND KINGS
One of the joys of Bridge is bidding and playing good hands accurately. This of course, leads to good scores. One of the first things players think of when they pick up a big hand is how many Aces do we have? They may use the Blackwood Convention which asks for the number of Aces in a Suit contract by bidding Four No-Trump. Players would inquire for the number of Kings by bidding Five No Trump, only if they know that they have all Four Aces.
Alert! This method of Asking for Aces can sometimes be helpful, but it does not work for all hands. If for example, you discover that you are missing one Ace, Blackwood will not inform you which Ace you are missing. If the missing Ace is in the suit where you are void, you may be able to make a suit slam contract, but only good luck will make you successful. If both hands contain the same worthless doubleton, you won’t discover this by using Blackwood Ace-Asking bids, and may lose two tricks.
To solve these limitations, it is most effective to use a Cue-Bidding sequence for first round controls as your Ace-Asking convention. A Control Bid may be an Ace or a void.
Here are some guidelines for making Control Bids or Cue-Bids:
You have slam interest in a suit contract.
You and your partner have agreed on a suit.
Any bid of a new suit above the level of the agreed suit, is a Cue-Bid.
If a minor suit is agreed upon, bids above Three No-Trump are Cue-Bids.
Cue-Bid, up the ladder, the suit of your lowest first-round control (Ace or Void).
If you skip the trump suit it means that you have no more Cue-Bids to make.
Add this convention to your Bridge Bidding repertory and see your slam bidding success rate soar. For more information, read Barbara Seagram’s “25 Conventions You Should Know” Chapter 14.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to [email protected] and I will try to include it in this column.
NEW SOCIAL BRIDGE GAME IN HUNTSVILLE
Games are at the Active Living Centre on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room on the secnd floor (elevator) at the back entrance of the Canada Summit Centre. Just come – with or without a partner.
For information, please contact Donna or Peter Tikuisis at 647 471 1774 or [email protected].
For now, this game will be played following Chicago Rules (allowing both fast and slow games). You will keep your same partner for the entire evening. Cost is $1.50 per person. Parking is outside the North Entrance opposite Heritage Village Railway Station.
PORT CARLING SOCIAL BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Port Carling Social Bridge Club are Monday afternoon 1pm at the Port Carling Community Centre, 3 Bailey Street. Please arrive with your partner at least 10 minutes before game time.
For information, contact Andree or Scott 705-764-3827 [email protected]
Scores for Monday April 8 not submitted. Winners for Monday, April 1, 2019 were 1. Els Vandenberg & Peter Rhead 4,210 points; 2. Louise Kirbyson & Joan Frost 3,320 points
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games are now EVENING PLAY until January, Tuesday 7pm Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive with your partner at least 10 minutes before game time. For partners and information call Liz Graham (705) 789-7187 or email at [email protected]
HUNTSVILLE CLUB, PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE: The game has moved to the gym – no steps!
The following winners are for Tuesday, Apr 9, 2019 with 9 pairs playing a Howell movement. 1. Helen Pearson and Jim Smith; 2. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 3. Joanne Garvey and Betty Rintoul; 4. Vern Foell and Rod Dixon; 5. Susan Marshall and Jan Roberts
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive with your partner 10 minutes before game time.
The following winners are from Monday, Apr 8, 2019 with 13 pairs playing a Howell movement. For a whopping 76%, congratulations to First Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 2. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 3. Frank Vagnoni and Gerry Lawrence; 4. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 5. Betty Rintoul and Hazel Bowes; 6. Kathy Kent and David Kent; 7. Mary Mitchell and Isabel Hellberg
Looking for more bridge tips? You’ll find them here.
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