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 |
|
|
|
|
|
♠ |
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 |
|
|
|
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"One, two, that'ill do." (Usually).
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Take-out — North’s hand is textbook perfect.
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The key — jump — bid, despite holding two points. South loves his sixth spade (the ninth trump is huge) and ♣ Q in partner’s suit.
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