By Val Rhead
Ace-Asking Conventions
In preceding columns we explored a series on the conventions for bidding big hands. You and your partner have established that not only do you have a game between you, but also, you may have enough for a slam. So what do you do next? This column reviews three Ace-Asking options to investigate a slam suggested by your combined assets. There are many such conventions and approaches to this task but I will review only the three simplest and most popular.
If you or partner opened One-No-Trump or Two-No-Trump or jumped to Two-No-Trump, you use the Gerber Convention, Four-Clubs, to ask for Aces. The responses are Four-Diamonds, Four-Hearts, Four-Spades, Four-No-Trump or Five-Clubs to show respectively zero, one, two, three or four Aces in responder’s hand.
If you or your partner opened a suit and subsequently did not jump to Two-No-Trump, then you use the Blackwood Convention, Four-No-Trump, to ask for Aces. The responses are Five-Clubs, Five-Diamonds, Five-Hearts, Five-Spades or Five-No-Trump to show respectively zero, one, two, three or four Aces in responder’s hand.
Finally and alternatively to Blackwood, if you or your partner opened a suit and subsequently did not jump to Two-No-Trump but did agree on a suit, then you may use Control-Showing Cue-Bids to show Aces or voids in a suit. Note that Cue-Bids “show” Aces and voids, not “ask for” Aces and voids.
A Control-Showing Cue-Bid is a bid by a partnership in a suit, in which they do not intend to play, to show control of a suit. In this case the agreed-upon meaning is that “I have an Ace in this suit or a void.” For example, after a bid of Three-Diamonds establishing Diamonds as their suit, the partner who wants to go for game or slam starts a Cue-Bidding sequence up the line (the next suit). Three-Hearts would show the Ace of Hearts or a void in Hearts. But a bid of Three-Spades would deny the Ace of Hearts or a void in Hearts and show the Ace of Spades or a void in Spades. The partner who then bids Four-Clubs shows the Ace of Clubs or a void in Clubs and so on.
If either partner bids Diamonds in this sequence, the agreed-upon suit, that partner denies any other Aces or voids, and the subsequent bidder sets the contract. This is not a simple convention, but Control-Showing Cue-Bids are very effective for choosing the right slam.
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 Summit Centre Thursdays, 7pm.
Please note that our new venue for Bridge during the summer is the Summit Centre “Don Lough Warming Area”. This room is located on the second level of the Summit Centre accessible by taking the right-hand stairs (elevator) after Passing through the main entrance. The room does not have a kitchen; hence, please bring your own beverage (we will still provide snacks).
Just come – with or without a partner. Please arrive ten minutes before game time.
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.
Port Carling social Bridge Club
Games for the Port Carling Social Bridge Club are Monday evening 7pm at the Port Carling Community Centre, 3 Bailey Street. Please arrive with your partner at least ten minutes before game time.
For information, contact Andree or Scott 705-764-3827 [email protected]
Results for Monday, Aug 12, 2019
1. Els Vandenberg and Peter Rhead; 2. Carol and Trent
Huntsville Duplicate Bridge Club
Games are Tuesday 7pm Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive with your partner at least ten minutes before game time. For partners and information call Jan Roberts 705 635-2522 or email [email protected]
The following winners are for Tuesday, Aug 13, 2019 with 17 pairs playing a Mitchell Movement
North-South 1. Gerry VanLierop and Ron Groulx; 2. Vern Foell and Rod Dixon; 3. Andrea Killackey and Terry Killackey; 4. Betty Fagin and Mary Whitehead
East-West 1. Jinty Stewart and Jim Smith; 2. Stephanie Burnett and Ed Leies; 3. Marjorie Clark and John Clark; 4. Donna Tikuisis and Peter Tikuisis
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, Aug 12, 2019 with 23 pairs playing a Mitchell movement.
Congratulations to Liz Barnes and David Bryce for a 70 per cent game.
North-South 1. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 2. Joanne Garvey and Jim Smith; 3. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 4. Jacqueline Britz and Joel Britz; 5. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 6. Gwen Jocelyn and Joan Gibson
East-West 1. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 2. Mary Thomas and Robert Thomas; 3. Lyn Walisser and Bev Howard; 4. Mary Mitchell and Susan Maddocks; 5. Joan Joel and Peter Joel; 6. Kathy Kent and David Kent
Looking for more bridge tips? You’ll find them here.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!
0 Comments