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Bidding Good bad hands

When you pick up a bad hand, you must stay focussed — you can’t fold like in poker. Keep a flexible mindset — your bad hand may become quite a good bad hand.


K J 9 8 2
J 10 2
2
5 4 3 2

This is a bad hand — no question. But if partner opens 1 , you should respond 1 . If partner has opened at the One-level with a big shapely hand, it is imperative to keep the bidding open. If (more likely) partner is minimumish, responding may improve the part-score or keep the opponents out. If partner now jumps to 3 , your bad hand has become really quite a good bad hand. You have a nine- card spade fit (the ninth trump is huge), a nice heart holding in partner’s first suit (  J10 are worth way more than one point) and you love your singleton diamond. Raise to 4 .

Take another auction. (1 )-Dbl-(3 )-? Your hand has sky-rocketed in value, facing an opening hand with both majors and short clubs. Your high cards are all facing partner’s length — you have no wasted values facing partner’s short clubs. Indeed, you’re not merely worth 3 , you’re worth 4 . 4  should make facing a suitable minimum eg  AQxx,  KQxx,  xxxx,  x.
Here’s another bad hand:

K J
Q 10
9 7 4 3 2
5 4 3 2

Partner opens 1  and you scrape up a dustbin 1 NT response. Partner now jumps to 3 , game forcing with 5 -4  (at least). All you can do at this stage is give a (forcing) preference to 3 . Say now partner bids 4 , showing a powerful 5 -5  . Your bad hand is now really, really, good — with your high cards all working overtime in partner’s long suits. You should jump to 5  and invite slam. Imagine partner with  AQxxxx,  AKJxx,  A,  x.

West Deals
None Vul
A Q 4
3
K 7 3
A K 6 5 3 2
K J 8
K Q 10 9 2
A Q 5
J 4
 
N
W   E
S
 
3
A J 5
J 10 8 4 2
10 9 8 7
 
10 9 7 6 5 2
8 7 6 4
9 6
Q
West North East South
1  2  2  Pass
Pass1 Dbl2 Pass 3 3
Pass 4  Pass Pass
Pass      
  1. "One, two, that'ill do." (Usually).
  2. Take-out — North’s hand is textbook perfect.
  3. The key — jump — bid, despite holding two points. South loves his sixth spade (the ninth trump is huge) and  Q in partner’s suit.

West led  K and continued with  2 (best). Declarer ruffed, crossed to his precious  Q and finessed  Q. He cashed  A, East discarding and followed with  AK, discarding  87. West ruffed and led  9 but declarer ruffed and led  6 towards  K. West could only rise with  A and concede. Ten tricks and game made.

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