By Val Rhead
THE MAGIC OF BIDDING – PART THREE: LIMIT YOUR HAND WITH STAYMAN WHILE BIDDING NO-TRUMP CONTRACTS
Last week’s concept of “limit your hand” is used also when responding to hands that your partner has opened with bids of One No-Trump (15-17 points) or Two No-Trump (20-21 points). Here again, it’s simple mathematics by responder, the addition and subtraction that you first learned in grade two. (Or was it grade three?) When you get to the right contract and make it, it can seem like magic. Sometimes however, the distribution in Bridge can play tricks on you. Perhaps that’s black magic, but most of the time it works.
Each player knows what is in his hand, but he has no idea what is in his partner’s hand without partner’s careful response bids. To bid successfully, one of you eventually has to know the combined assets of your partnership. This person becomes Captain.
For example, your partner opens One No-Trump. Amazing! He has limited his hand on the very first bid. You know, according to your agreement, that he has exactly 15-17 points. You have become the Captain.
If your hand does not have a four-card major suit, but you have 8-9 points, you would bid Two No-Trump. With 10-12 points, you would bid Three No-Trump. Otherwise you would pass.
Alternatively, with a very good hand, you would explore strategies that might help you find a slam (a future column).
If however, your hand has eight or more points and at least one four-card major suit, use the Stayman Convention by bidding Two Clubs, an artificial bid which asks opener if he has a four-card major. This Convention helps you find the magic eight-card fit in a major suit. This is a safer contract than Three No-Trump. If opener has one four-card major suit, he now will bid that suit. If you have four cards in this suit, raise his bid to three with 8-9 points, or to game (four), with 10 or more points. If you raise to three, opener may take your partnership to game depending on the value of his hand knowing that you have 8-9 points.
If the opener has both four-card majors Hearts and Spades, he will bid Hearts first in response to your Stayman bid of Two Clubs. If you have Hearts, you will proceed as above. If your suit is not Hearts, you just set the level of the contract: Two No-Trump with 8-9 points or Three No-Trump with 10 or more points. Opener knows that you have a four-card major because you bid Stayman. So, if you do not have Hearts, you must have Spades and he will correct to Three Spades or Four Spades depending on what level of contract you set and the value of his hand.
If opener does not have a four-card major, the convention requires him to respond Two Diamonds, an artificial bid. He should not bid Two No-Trump. Bids of Two or Three No-Trump at this juncture are reserved for you, the Captain, to indicate your strength. If your points are 8 or 9, you now would bid Two No-Trump and opener would take the partnership to Three No-Trump with maximum for his 15-17 points. If your points are 10 or more, you would bid Three No-Trump immediately.
Finally, if opener’s bid was Two No-Trump (20-21 points), you would follow the same response paths as above for the opening of One No-Trump but now you need only 4-5 points (not 8-9 points) to respond.
Next week I will show you how to limit your hand with the transfer bid.
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 theActive Living Centre on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room 2nd floor (elevator) (back entrance of 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.
NOTE: There is no game Dec 27, 2018
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]
Please Note: There is no game Dec 24. The next game is Dec 31, 2018 at 1pm.
Winners for Dec 17, 2018; 1. Ted & Susan Daglish 4160; 2. Els Vandenberg & Peter Rhead 3860; 3. Andree Baillargeon & Scott Staples 3390
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games at the Huntsville Club are Tuesday afternoon 1pm, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street (side door, three steps up in the Hearth Room). Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. For information and partnerships call Liz Graham (705)789-7187 or email at [email protected]
HUNTSVILLE CLUB, PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE: The game is cancelled Dec 25 and Jan 1. Then the game starts the Winter Season Jan/Feb/Mar afternoon schedule of 1pm on Tuesday, Jan 8, 2019. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early. The game will be held three steps up in the Hearth Room.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Dec 18 with 6 pairs playing a Howell movement. 1. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 2. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 3. Vern Foell and Rod Dixon
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
Note: There are no games Dec 24 or Dec 31. The Club will play again Jan 7, 2019
The following winners are from Monday, Dec 17 with 15 pairs playing a Howell movement. 1. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 2. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 3. Gerry Flaherty and Ralph Hair; 4. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 5. Art Insley and Don Evans; 6. Kathy Kent and David Kent; 7. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 8. Pat Paterson and Tony Liming
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