Andrew:

The Rules of….Four

This deal featured in last weeks Level 3 BridgeCast video it is episode 1123. BridgeCast is a monthly subscription service to find out more here. It is also Deal Four, in Andrew's "Rules, Acronyms and Ditties" book which is, providing the inspiration, for his current series of Level 3 daily videos on BridgeCast.

The Rule of Four: The Rule of Four: When choosing which four-card suit to bid ... open the major (1 ♥ with 4 ♠-4 ♥); respond the cheaper (ie bid up the line).

Exercise. What would you open with these?

Hand A	Hand B	Hand C	Hand D
♠ K 4 2 ♥ A Q 4 3 ♦ J 5 ♣ A J 4 3	♠ A J 9 2 ♥ J 2 ♦ A Q 2 ♣ A Q 9 4	♠ A K 4 2 ♥ J 9 8 2 ♦ J 2 ♣ A Q 9	♠ A Q 4 2 ♥ A 6 3 2 ♦ 2 ♣ K J 6 3

With the first, open 1 ♥, planning to rebid Notrumps at the lowest level. With the second, open 1 ♠, planning to rebid 2 NT. With the third, open 1 ♥, planning to rebid Notrumps at the lowest (but raise a 1 ♠ response to 2 ♠).

The fourth is the exception — 4441s usually are. It’s actually better to open 1 ♣, opening 1 ♣ with a red-suit singleton (and 1 ♥ with a black- suit singleton). See Acronym 23.

Exercise. Partner has opened 1 ♦. What would you respond with these?

Hand A	Hand B	Hand C	Hand D
♠ J 7 5 ♥ 9 8 4 3 ♦ 8 6 ♣ A K 4 3	♠ K Q 9 2 ♥ Q 7 5 2 ♦ 4 2 ♣ 9 7 4	♠ Q 6 4 2 ♥ J 8 2 ♦ A 2 ♣ Q 9 4 3	♠ J 9 7 4 2 ♥ A 6 3 2 ♦ 2 ♣ J 6 3

With the first, respond 1 ♥, cheaper to bid than 2 ♣. Note, “cheaper” doesn’t mean “lower- ranked”; it relates to what partner bid.

Bid 1 ♥ with the second, 1 ♠ with the third and also 1 ♠ with the fourth (because it is your longest suit).

South Deals
None Vul

♠	K 4 3
♥	A Q 5 3
♦	J 9 4 2
♣	7 4

♠	9 7
♥	8 6
♦	A 7 6 5 3
♣	J 9 8 5

N
W		E
S

♠	J 10 8 6
♥	K 10 9 7
♦	K 8
♣	Q 10 2

♠	A Q 5 2
♥	J 4 2
♦	Q 10
♣	A K 6 3

West	North	East	South
			1 ♠1
Pass	2 ♦2	Pass	2 N3
Pass	3 ♠4	Pass	3 NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

Opening the major with four-four in a major and a minor.
Responding the cheaper of fours. A heart fit won’t be missed because if opener has four hearts (and therefore five spades, she’ll rebid 2 ♥).
15-19 and forcing to game facing a Two-over- One response.
Showing her delayed (ie three-card) support in case there’s a five-three spade fit.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♣ 5

Warned off a diamond lead by North’s bid, West found the best lead of ♣ 5. Declarer let East’s ♣ Q win (in case clubs were 5-2 and he could exhaust East). He won East’s ♣ 10 continuation and led ♦ Q, correctly working on the diamond sequence. East won ♦ K and led ♣ 2, declarer winning ♣ A and leading ♦ 10.

West ducked ♦ 10 (best) but declarer crossed to ♠ K and led ♦ J, discarding ♣ 6 from hand as East discarded an encouraging ♥ 10. West won ♦ A, cashed ♣ J and switched to ♥ 8.

Sure ♥ K was offside and seemingly needing spades 3-3, declarer rose with dummy’s ♥ A and cashed ♦ 9. On this trick, East was squeezed between ♥ K and ♠ J108. Needing to keep ♥ K to stop dummy’s ♥ Q from promoting, away went ♠ 8, enabling declarer to score the last three tricks with ♠ AQ5. Nine tricks made.

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The Rules of….Four