The Rules of .....Ten

More rules in BridgeCast this week from Level 3. BridgeCast is Andrew's monthly j subscription service, join him as he presents a daily deal. To find out more click here. It is also Rule Ten, 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 Ten: Respond to partner’s One-of-a-Suit Opener with fewer than six high-card points when the number of cards in your long suit (that you can bid at the One-level) added to your total high-card points gets to at least ten.

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

With the first, respond 1 ♠. You may be able to make a spade part-score, or game (or very occasionally, even slam). You may steal from the opposition, who think two bidding oppoennts have more strength than they actually do. Passing is so supine, and hands the initiative to the opponents.

However, I would pass 1 ♦ with the second hand. The thing is you cannot bid your long suit at the One-level — so would have to respond 1 NT. By doing so, you are more likely to convert plus (from 1 ♦) into minus (from a higher contract).

With the third, though, you should definitely respond 1 ♥. Leaving the bidding in 1 ♦ feels very wrong with only one diamond. Indeed, make ♥ Q into ♥ J (now failing the Rule of Ten) and I’d still scrape up a 1 ♥ response — after all, I have FIVE more hearts than diamonds.

The point to emphasisis here is that while you are compelled to respond to partner’s One- of-a-Suit opener with six+ points, that does NOT mean that you are compelled to pass when you have fewer than six points.

Declarer won ♦ J lead with ♦ K (preserving ♦ A entry) and started straight away on dummy’s clubs. She crossed to ♣ A and ruffed ♣ 3. She then tried ♠ 4 to ♠ Q, the finesse successful. She cashed ♠ A, East discarding, and ruffed ♣ 4.

West elected not to overruff (hoping to draw two trumps with her ♠ K), but declarer crossed to ♦ A and ruffed ♣ 5 (West again declining to overruff). It didn’t matter — declarer ruffed ♦ 7 and played winning clubs. The defence could win only ♠ K and one heart trick. Eleven tricks and game made plus one.

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