DEVELOP YOUR BRIDGE

acol  bridgeacol  bridgeacol  bridgeacol  bridgeacol  bridgeacol  bridgeacol  bridge
Home > Bidding > Big hands > Big unbalanced hands (continued)


 

 

 

 

Tutorial
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Odds and Ends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lurid sun against a very colourful background.


The sun will surely
 shine when you
 have finished this page.

Big unbalanced hands (continued)

Unbalanced hands where you have game in your own hand

We can easily picture an unbalanced hand that is so strong that you need no help from partner to make game: this for example:-

S A K Q J 10 9
H A K
D A 3 2
C A 2

Here, you have ten tricks in your own hand provided spades are trumps. You wish to pass this message to partner immediately. Two spades would be an underbid as the hand has ten tricks, not eight.

We show this by the conventional bid of 'two clubs', which says nothing about the club suit but announces that you have game in your own hand. I must reiterate that in the case of unbalanced hands, this has nothing to do with points but everything to do with the losing trick count.

Players occasionally confuse this bid---'I have game in my own hand'--with that based on a balanced hand with 23+ points ( see this page ). One is based on shape, the other on strength. You will not know the type of hand the 'two-clubber' holds until they have made a rebid.

Here is another good two-club opening hand based on shape. With very little help from partner we could make twelve or thirteen tricks.

S A K Q 4 3 2
H A K Q 4 3 2
D none
C 2

As in all previous discussions of big hands, responder's first obligation is to is to tell opener if she has eight points in her hand      ( or the equivalent, an ace and a king ). If this is the case, she replies normally and naturally. If she does not have eight points, she will give partner a negative reply of 'two diamonds' ( Note that this corresponds to the negative 2NT reply to 2D, 2H and 2S we met earlier). This negative response is identical to the advice given in relation to 'two club' openers, based on strong balanced hands. Since you don't know at this stage ( when the 2C bid has been made ), what type of hand partner has, life would be very confusing if the two negative responses were different.

Some hands will hopefully clarify the confusion you are currently experiencing.

S A 9 7 6 5 Opposite a 2C opener, you can give a positive response of 2S.Suppose partner rebids 2H. You can support by raising to 3H.Any initiative for a slam will now come from partner.
H 4 3 2
D 3 2
C K 5 4

 

S Q J 2 Facing 2C, you have a positive response of 3C. While you could then raise 3D to 4D or 3S to 4S, a temperate 3NT might be best if partner's suit is hearts. Most likely, the final contract will be 4H.
H 4 2
D Q J 4
C Q J 9 8 7

 

S Q J 2 Improve the above hand only slightly and if partner's 2C turns into a diamond suit, you should have slam aspirations and can ask for aces.
H 4
D A Q J 4
C Q J 9 8 7

 

S 5 4 3 2 You must give the negative 2D response to partner's 2C. Whatever partner's suit rebid, you must keep it open to game   ( 2C-2D-2NT is the only sequence after 2C that can be passed ). If, eg, partner rebids 2H, your 'second negative' would be 2NT.
H 6 5
D K 6 5
C Q 6 5 4

 

S K 9 8 7 6 After 2C, 2D is your only possible response. A black suit bid from partner could get you very excited, while any red suit bid heralds a misfit with a game as the most likely contract. Again, you must keep it open to game.
H 2
D 3 2
C K 9 8 7 6

If you have the strength, have a look at these hands where big hands are seen through to the playing stage.
Top of page

Start of this topic

Printing option

Contact Ray

 

 Four players whose differing speeds are causing problems for one of them.Quick bridge

" One club."

" One diamond."

" One heart."

" One moment."

Image by courtesy of The Chelwood Gallery (Tel 01242-251-412)