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I'm sure this is a familiar dilemma: you have a weak hand (6-9 pts) and must decide whether to support partner's 1 ♥/♠ opener to 2 ♥/♠ with three cards, or to respond the dustbin lNT.
Players are reluctant to raise with three cards, (overly) fearful of landing partner in a 4-3 fit. Here's why you shouldn't worry: When partner opens 1 ♥/♠ with just four cards, they have 15+ points (with 12-14, they'd normally have opened lNT). If they have 17-19 with four cards, they have enough to bid on. Only when they have 15-16 will you end up in the 4-3 fit 2 ♥/♠. And that contract will often play better than lNT.
I recommend always making a three-card raise 1 ♥/♠ to 2 ♥/♠ (when the alternative is 1 NT) unless you have three small cards in a very flat hand.
Raise 1 ♠ to 2 ♠ with the first three of these, only bid lNT with the last:
| Hand a) |
Hand b) |
Hand c) |
Hand d) |
♠ K 8 2
♥ 7 3
♦ Q 8 2
♣ K 5 4 3 2 |
♠ J 3 2
♥ A 7 6 2
♦ Q 9 7 5 2
♣ 2 |
♠ 8 6 2
♥ 3
♦ K Q 4 2
♣ Q 8 4 3 2 |
♠ 8 6 2
♥ K 10 7 4
♦ Q 4 2
♣ Q 10 2 |
The corollary to the frequent three-card raise is that opener must be wary after l♥/♠-2 ♥/♠ when he has a game-going hand with just four cards in the major. He cannot simply jump to 4 ♥/♠ (or invite with 3 ♥/♠) unless he has five+ cards. He must suggest notrumps, bidding 2 NT with 17-18 and 3 NT with 19 (passing 2 ♥/♠ with 15-16).
North Deals
None Vul |
| ♠ |
Q 4 2 |
| ♥ |
3 2 |
| ♦ |
A 7 4 2 |
| ♣ |
Q 6 4 2 |
|
| ♠ |
9 8 |
| ♥ |
Q 10 8 7 |
| ♦ |
Q J 10 9 |
| ♣ |
A J 9 |
|
|
|
|
| |
| ♠ |
10 7 6 |
| ♥ |
K J 6 |
| ♦ |
K 8 5 3 |
| ♣ |
10 8 7 |
|
|
| |
| ♠ |
A K J 5 3 |
| ♥ |
A 9 5 4 |
| ♦ |
6 |
| ♣ |
K 5 3 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♠1 |
| Pass |
4 ♠2 |
All pass |
|
- Far preferable to 1 NT. Bound to work out better when partner has five spades, and probably won't work out worse when he has four spades (less likely, by the way).
- A lovely-looking shapely hand given the spade fit. However after 1♠-1 NT-2♥-2♠, South would be worried North was giving preference with a doubleton spadeand would (should) pass, missing the game.
|
The plusses of the three-card raise are huge. For whenever opener has a five-card major, you've found the fit straight away.
Declarer won ♦ Q lead with ♦ A and correctly led ♥ 2, to ♥ 6, ♥ 9 and West's ♥ 10. He won ♠ 9 return (best - to cut down dummy's trumping power) with ♠ J, cashed ♥ A and trumped ♥ 4 with ♠ 4. He trumped ♦ 2 and trumped ♥ 5 with ♠ Q. He then led ♣ 2 to ♣ K. West won ♣ A and led ♦ J. Declarer trumped, cashed ♠ AK, crossed to promoted ♣ Q and gave up the last trick. Ten tricks and game made.
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