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Don’t confuse support with mere preference

Question: you open 1 , partner responds 1  , you rebid 2  (showing your 5 -4  shape) and partner now bids 2 . How many hearts is partner showing?

If you answered 'Three', then you are wrong. You can hope for three, but what does partner do with these type of hands?

Hand i) Hand ii)
♠ A 9 8 2
♥ 7 3
♦ 8 2
Q 5 4 3 2
♠ A 8 5 2
J 3
J 4 2
 J 7 3 2

Take (i). Partner has no choice but to put you back to 2 . Passing 2  and leaving you in a likely 4-2 fit is clearly inferior. And any other bid (eg 2 NT, 3 ) is pie in the sky, with six measly points.

With Hand (ii), partner could sensibly pass 2 . But there are good reasons for partner to put you back to 2 . (a) a 5-2 fit plays better than a 4-3 fit. (b) partner's bid of 2  gives you another turn if you have a really good hand (your 2  rebid did not really limit your hand, as you'd almost never bid 3 ).

The bottom line is: if partner puts you back to your first suit, you should (until further notice) treat it as a begrudging preference, rather than actual support.

So after you have opened 1  and the bidding has proceeded l-1 -2 -2 , you should only go on to 3 /4  with six hearts. Holding a good hand (and you'd need a good hand to proceed, as partner has shown only 6-9 pts), but without the sixth heart, you should find another forward-going bid.

 

South Deals
None Vul
K J 10 2
6 3
6 5
A 6 5 3 2
8 6
Q 10 9 5
J 8 2
Q 9 7 4
 
N
W   E
S
 
A 9 7 4 3
J 8
K 10 9 4
J 8
 
Q 5
A K 7 4 2
A Q 7 3
K 10
West North East South
      1 
Pass 1 1 Pass 2 2
Pass 2 3 Pass 2 N4
Pass 3 N All pass  
  1. Not strong enough for 2 
  2. Not 3 . 3  is 100% forcing to game, so should be reserved for very stong one-openers (19-20 points)
  3. North has no other choice, for to bid 2 NT would wildly overstate the strength of his hand (showing around 10-12 points). 2 shows 6-9 points and, by going back to partner's first suit, is a mere preference bid.
  4. South must not assume heart support and blithely bid on in hearts. His 2 NT bid shows around 16-18 points and implies a 2 5 4 2. or 1 5 4 3. shape (with club stopper(s)).

Declarer won  4 lead (to East's  J) with  K. Counting just five top tricks, at trick two he led  Q East ducked, won  5 to  10 with  A and led  8 to  10,  Q and  A

Up to eight tricks, declarer cashed  KJ then led  5 to  Q Phew - the finesse succeeded and declarer quickly cashed  AK and  A. Nine tricks.

 

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