The Hidden Secret to Bidding
The Hidden Secret to Bidding
The Hidden Secret to Bidding
We have a whole bunch of bidding rules, systems and conventions to help us with the bidding. If we don’t know what we are trying to accomplish, however, it makes it exceedingly difficult to reach the best result. We are trying to converse so that one partner knows what both partners have and can set the contract. That’s it. Sometimes it’s the opener, sometimes it’s the responder, but every hand has the same process.
With many opening bids the opener describes his hand with one bid and responder has systems to guide the bidding to the best contract. This is why opening bids of No Trump, Strong Two Clubs, Weak Twos and Preempts make it easier for responders to guide openers through the bidding.
Unfortunately, the most common opening bid is one of a suit and that tells responder very little. Opener could have 13 points or a lot more. He could have a 3-card suit or a 10-card suit. From here we must perform a coded dance to trade information to reach our goal. We must know what bids are forcing and which are not. We continue until one partner has adequately described his hand and the other can set the contract. Learn the basic dance steps as described in Lesson 2 and you’re ready to have a ball. Just never forget what it is you’re trying to do.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Responses and rebids
There was a great renaissance in bridge in the sixties and seventies. The Jacoby Transfer was an instant improvement to No Trump. The Italian systems brought about the Forcing-Two Clubs Openings and the Weak-Two Openings. The basic changes to 1-of-a-suit bidding were as important as any of the above. Many jump bids were changed from wasted bids forcing to game to very useful invitational bids. It became apparent that if you want to force partner to game, you can just bid it yourself.
It also became apparent that the opening one-of-a-suit bid tells partner very little. It can be 13 points or 20 points and a 3-card suit or an 11-card suit. It is the opener's rebid that really is descriptive and responder needs to stay out of the way. The partners need to bid so that one player knows what both have and can set the contract. It can be by responder limiting his hand so that opener knows what both have. It also can be by responder bidding a new suit that forces partner to describe his hand. Opener's rebid is the most important bid of the auction.
A jump-shift by responder merely uses up bidding space and makes it difficult or impossible for opener to describe his hand. Therefore an initial jump-shift by responder has been transformed to a weak bid. Too weak in fact to respond otherwise. The weak jump-shift can be useful when responder doesn't like opener's suit and thinks he may go down. Responder has a long suit with less than 6 points and thinks they will do better in two of his suit than one of opener's suit. He then wants opener to pass unless he has a really good hand. The responder will never make an initial strong jump-shift.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 2 on 8 December
We have a number of examples of competitive bidding here. They are always more difficult to play and to analyze. I'll do my best. East opens 2 Spades and South doubles for take-out. West passes and North advances 3 Hearts and all pass. It makes for the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 3 on 8 December
South counts 15 HCPs and ponders opening 1 No Trump or 1 Club. The two poor red suits discourage No Trump, so he opens 1 Club. West would like better Hearts but overcalls 1 Heart. North raises to 2 Clubs and East competes to 2 Hearts. South may compete further or pass. 3 Clubs down 1 is a decent score if he can play it, but West would probably raise Hearts for a good score anyway. Squishy board!
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 4 on 8 December
West passes with his flat 12 points and North opens 2 Hearts with equal vulnerability. East should have a good 6-card suit to overcall at the 3-level, so passes. North goes down, but the scores are all over.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 5 on 8 December
It floats to South who counts 12 HCPs plus 1 for the doubleton and opens 1 Diamond. West overcalls 1 Spade and North responds 2 Hearts. East competes with 2 Spades and South competes with 3 Hearts. If all pass, North makes it for a top. If West competes to 3 Spades, He goes down, but can get a decent score. I told you these were hard.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 6 on 8 December
It floats to West who counts 13 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and 1 for the doubleton and opens 1 Club. North counts 13 HCPs plus 1 for the doubleton and overcalls 1 Spade. East counts 10 HCPs and responds 2 Hearts showing 10 or more points and a 5-card suit. South counts only 4 HCPs plus 1 for the Heart doubleton but competes to 2 Spades with the 5-card support. West jumps to 4 Hearts and declarer makes an overtrick for the top. This is the most straightforward competition yet.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 7 on 8 December
South counts 10 HCPs plus 1 for the Diamond doubleton and passes. West counts 10 HCPs plus 3 for the void and opens 1 Spade. North passes and East counts 13 HCPs and and is reasonably sure of game but needs to find out where. He responds 2 Diamonds to show 10 or more points and to force partner to describe. West sees the Diamond fit, but first needs to rebid 2 Spades to show the 6-card suit. East has the points for game and sees a 6-2 fit, so jumps to 4 Spades. It makes for the top. It sure is easier when the opponents shut up.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 9 on 8 December
it floats to South who counts 12 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and 1 for the doubleton and opens 1 Club. West counts 14 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and overcalls 1 Spade. North counts 8 HCPs and doubles (Negative) to promise 6 or more points and at least a 4-card Heart suit. East competes to 2 Spades and all pass. Declarer makes it for the top. Unfortunately, it's difficult for N/S to find the Diamond fit. Two pairs did and they got the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 10 on 8 December
East passes and South counts 15 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and 1 for the doubleton and opens 1 Diamond. West must pass and North counts 12 HCPs plus 1 for the doubleton and 1 for the singleton Club. With the two 5-card suits, he responds the higher ranking, 1 Spade. South rebids 3 Diamonds, promising a 6-card suit or better and 17 points or more. North again forces with 3 Hearts promising 10 or more points, a 5-card Spade suit and a 4-card Heart suit or better. South has no forcing bid so jumps to 4 Spades. They make an overtrick for the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 11 on 8 December
North stops to consider a Preempt or a Weak-Two. He is missing the Q, J, 10. 9, 8 and could lose a bunch. He meets the requirements for a Weak-Two so plays a little safer with that. East passes and South responds 2 No Trump asking if partner can show a feature (A good hand, a good suit and an Ace or King in a side suit). North doesn't meet that and must rebid his suit. He fears transportation problems with No Trump so passes 3 Diamonds which makes.
Other Souths bid 3 No Trump and after East opens 4th from his longest and strongest suit, the 5 of Spades, and the dummy comes down, declarer stops to count and plan. He sees 3 sure tricks, the A,K of Diamonds and the Ace of Clubs. He should get several Spades and maybe a Heart but needs more Diamonds. If the Diamonds are split a likely 3-2, he needs to cash the Queen first and get to the rest later. That requires setting up the Jack of Spades. East's lead limits that to playing dummy's 8 and hoping West drops the Ace. That doesn't work and he's down.
If East led a different suit it would allowing Declarer to win in hand, cash the Queen and other winners in hand and lead a low Spade toward dummy. If East has the Ace, it works, but that's all pretty iffy.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 12 on 8 December
Let's suppose it floats to South and he counts 17 HCPs with a balanced hand and opens 1 No Trump. West passes and North stops to think. He has 9 HCPs and can invite with 2 No Trump. He can bid 2 Spades to stop at 3 Clubs. He can invite game with a jump to 3 Clubs. Let's suppose he invites with 3 Clubs. Now South stops to think. He probably has transportation so can bid 3 No Trump with his maximum. He can also bid 5 Clubs, but isn't sure it's safer. He bids 3 No Trump.
This board is very similar to #11 as it depends om the defenders whether 3 No Trump makes or not. Iffy, but I still like 3 No Trump.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 13 on 8 December
North counts 16 HCPs plus 3 for the void and 1 for the doubleton and opens 1 Diamond. East passes and South counts 12 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton. He responds the higher ranking 5-card suit, 1 Spade to force partner to describe. North reevaluates to 17 points and rebids 2 Clubs. South reevaluates to 12 points and rebids 2 Hearts to promise 10 or more points and a 5-card or better Spade suit (didn't bid up the line). North sees no fit and no forcing bid, so jumps to 3 No Trump. It makes with an overtrick to tie for the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 14 on 8 December
East passes and South counts 16 HCPs. He doesn't see a stopper in either minor so opens 1 Heart. North counts 5 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and responds 2 Hearts. South reevaluates to 17 points for the supported 5-card suit and is on the edge. It doesn't matter since either 3 Hearts or 2 Hearts plus 1 tie for the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 17 on 8 December
North counts 15 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and opens 1 Spade. East passes and South counts 13 HCPs plus 1 each for the black doubletons and responds 2 Hearts promising 10 or more points and 5 or more Hearts and forcing partner to describe his hand. Both partners see a game, but the question is Hearts, Spades or No Trump. North reverses to 3 Diamonds showing 1 or more points and forcing partner to eventually bid to the level of 3 Spades or higher. South rebids 3 Hearts, keeping the force on, and showing his 6 or more Hearts. North can't go too wrong and bids for the points with 3 No Trump. It makes for two ( even 3) overtricks for a top or a very good score.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 20 on 8 December
West passes and North counts 13 HCPs minus 1 for the flat hand but 3 prime honors and only 2 Quacks and opens 1 Diamond. East passes and South counts 12 HCPs and responds 1 Spade. North rebids 1 No Trump and South rebids 2 Hearts promising 10 or more points and a 5-card Spade suit (Didn't bid up the line). North could pass, but bids 3 Spades to show the fit and invite game. South reevaluates to 14 points and raises to 4 Spades. It makes with an overtrick for the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 21 on 8 December
North has enough for a vulnerable Two-Bid and opens 2 Diamonds. East counts 19 HCPs and doubles for take-out. South passes and West counts 10 HCPs plus 1 for the doubleton and stops to think. He has enough for a jump (9-12) but isn't sure he wants to go past 3 No Trump. If he doesn't jump he could have nothing and partner might pass the wrong suit. Partner has implied that he's short in Diamonds and has other three suits. He has the Ace of Diamonds so bids 3 No Trump and it makes with overtricks for a good score.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 22 on 8 December
East counts 13 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and opens 1 Diamond (not enough to reverse). South counts 12 HCPs plus 1 for the doubleton and 2 for the singleton and overcalls 1 Spade. West passes and North counts 10 HCPs and invites with 2 Clubs. East passes and South raises to 2 Spades. It makes withan overtrick for the top.
The Hidden Secret to Bidding - Board 23 on 8 December
It floats to North who counts 16 HCPs plus 1 for the Heart doubleton and opens 1 Diamond. East counts 9 HCPs plus 2 for the singleton and overcalls 1 Spade. South counts 7 HCPs and doubles (Negative) promising 6 or more points and at least 4 Hearts. West passes and North rebids 1 No Trump. It makes with overtricks for a decent score.
Explanation of Bids
I have discussed this subject under "Alerts, Announcements and Stops are banned" on the back of the guides, but we need a more detailed discussion.
Since some pairs utilize nonstandard conventions, their opponents can ask for an explanation at their turn to bid or later at their turn to play if they see bidding they don't understand.
A request for an explanation of a bid should be directed to the partner of the player who made the bid in question. The proper form of the request is "Please explain" or “Please explain any special agreement”.
The opponent is entitled to a full understanding of the agreement and all questions concerning the agreement should be graciously resolved.
These rules apply only to an understanding of special agreements between partners. This does not include inferences drawn from general bridge knowledge and experience. It especially does not include information as to how a player thought or acted in regard to the agreement. This would be unauthorized information.
If the meaning has not been discussed, "no agreement" is the proper response. If you've forgotten it, say so. You must not say such things as "I am taking it to mean ..."
If an opponent asks you how you took partner's bid, you should not answer. Call the director immediately.
If you bid incorrectly in response to partner's conventional bid and an opponent asks for an explanation, you must explain the agreement. You must make no mention of your misplay.
In other words, you must fully explain the agreement but never explain your thoughts or actions.
Calling the Director
You should be aware of the Club Rules and Pointers on the back of the Guide/Score sheets. Number 4 discusses the calling of the director with any Questions or suspected errors before taking any actions. A recent incident involving a revoke causes me to think that I need to discuss this matter more thoroughly.
Suppose an opponent makes a play causing you to think that there might have been a revoke on this or a prior play. The partner of the suspected revoker can ask partner if he has any cards of the suit led to try to prevent a revoke. Other than that, you must call the director immediately. Do not ask questions, turn over cards or replace a card which has been played. Everyone freezes.
When the director arrives, the player who called will explain what happened on the present play or what he thinks happened on a subsequent play. The director will ask any questions needed to clarify the situation, turn over any relevant prior plays and when he understands the situation will make a ruling. He will determine whether there was an established revoke requiring score adjustment or a revoke which is not established and can be corrected. If he can’t clearly understand what has happened, he can not make a ruling and will have to kill the board, especially if there is a time issue.
Incidentally, revoke is the proper name for this situation. Renege is an obsolete name which is not used.