By Peter Rhead
Examples of your Support Double second bid after partner bids a major suit
First I must apologize for a major mistake in last week’s column (Apr 9). Everywhere in the column, my words “left-hand opponent” should read “right-hand opponent”. You must have been confused by my description of the convention “Support Double” which can be made by you only when your RIGHT-HAND OPPONENT bids a suit or doubles.
Last week we looked at the convention “Support Double”. The objective of this convention is to find the magic eight-card fit in Hearts or Spades. This week we look at some examples of the choices you have for your second bid. You open One Heart, One Diamond or One Club. Partner responds with a one-level major suit (One Heart or One Spade). Consider how you should treat your following opening hands for your second bid if you were using the Support Double convention. Remember, the Support Double shows exactly three-card support.
Case 1:
Spades xxx
Hearts KQxxx
Diamonds Qxx
Clubs KQ
Case 1: You are the opener and you open One Heart with 13 points including one length point. Your partner bids One Spade. He can do that at the one-level with just a four-card Spade suit. Your right-hand opponent now bids any suit or doubles. You show your three-card support with a Support Double. If right-hand opponent does not bid a suit or Double, you still must bid. You could bid One No-Trump to show a minimum hand. 1NT gives partner an opportunity to bid his Spade suit again, showing at least five cards in the suit.
Case 2:
Spades Axxx
Hearts Axxxx
Diamonds Ax
Clubs xx
Case 2: Again, you are the opener and you open One Heart with 13 points including one length point. Again, your partner bids One Spade. This time you bid Two Spades. Your direct support at the two-level shows a minimum hand and four-card support to go with partner’s minimum four cards in the Spade suit. Partner can decide to go further if his hand warrants more action or he can PASS and play Two Spades for the part score.
Case 3:
Spades Kxx
Hearts QJxx
Diamonds AKxx
Clubs xx
Case 3: You open One Diamond with your 13 points. Partner bids One Spade which he can do at the one-level holding only four cards in Spades. You would like to show your three-card Spade support in case he has five Spades. The Support Double can be used to do this but only if your right-hand opponent bids a suit or Doubles. You now Double or Redouble to show exactly three-card support for your partner’s Spades. Partner then uses this information. If he has five Spades and so chooses, he can continue bidding Spades. If he does not have five Spades, he can continue to bid his hand if his hand warrants further action. Partner cannot pass your Support Double unless your left-hand opponent bids. Either way, you will have another opportunity to bid if you have a stronger hand.
Remember, you must bid. Partner’s bid of a new suit is forcing for one round. If you are unable to bid your Support Double you have two options. To show your minimum hand you probably would bid One No-Trump. Otherwise, with a stronger hand, you must bid normally. If partner bids his major suit again, showing that he has more than four cards in the suit, you now can show your three-card support.
For More Information, Check Out “Support Double and Redouble” in Barbara Seagram’s 25 More Bridge Conventions You Should Know, page 107
Next Week: More examples of when your second bid could use the convention Support Double to show three-card support for partner’s major suit bid.
If you wish to promote an activity in your Bridge group or ask a Bridge question, send the information to vrhead23@gmail.com and I will try to include it in this column.
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