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The Six Point Rule
(This, and articles like it can be found at andrewrobson.co.uk.)
The reason why you must always respond to partner’s One-of-a-Suit Opener with six+ points is that partner can have 19 points. 19 + 6 = 25: game (well, 3NT, 4♠ & 4♥ - 5♣/5♦ require nearer 28, 29 and should generally be avoided).
However if the opponent sitting on your right bids, you no longer have to bid with six-seven-odd points, for partner now has another bid.
Exercise: Partner, South, opens 1♥ What would you do as North if West passes?
| Hand A |
Hand B |
Hand C |
♠ J 7 4 2
♥ 7 4
♦ A 9 5 2
♣ J 5 2 |
♠ 9 7 3
♥ K 6
♦ J 7 4 3 2
♣ K 5 2 |
♠ 4 3 2
♥ 7
♦ K J 7 4 3 2
♣ Q 7 3 |
A). Respond 1♠, showing four+ spades and six+ points.
B). Respond 1NT, the “Dustbin One Notrump”, showing 6-9 points in a hand that cannot bid anything else ie not four spades and not the strength to respond in a new suit at the two-level [**use the Rule of 14: respond in a new suit at the two-level when your points added to the number of cards in your long suit reaches 14].
C). Respond 1NT. This does not show a desire to play in 1NT (as you see) merely a hand that has to bid (six+ pts) with no other bid.
However say West bids 1♠, the auction going 1♥ from partner, 1♠ on your right. Does that change things?
You bet they’e different! When West bids, the pressure is taken off you, as partner now has another bid. Your 1NT bid remains as nominally 6-9, although in practice nearer nine than six, but you are actually expressing the opinion that you want to play 1NT. It is not some nebulous dustbin bid any longer.
A). Pass. If you bid 1NT, you are saying you wish to play that contract. Do you really want to do that with this barren six-count? I don’t really think so.
B). Pass. To bid 1NT after an overcall guarantees a stopper in the overcalled suit. You do not have the vestige of a spade stopper.
C). Pass. Not 1NT as you have no spade stopper, nor a real desire to play in 1NT. And not 2♦ as you fail the Rule of 14 (see ** above).
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Common Bidding Mistakes
Good news! Opener has supported your change-of-suit response. This means that trumps have been agreed and it is purely a question of level. By showing the strength of his hand with his supporting bid, that issue too is almost resolved.
Assuming you (responder) are unbalanced, use the Losing Trick Count (LTC). Follow these steps:
- Ask yourself how many Losing Tricks (LTs) opener has taken you for. A one-over-one responder will be put with nine LTs; a two-over-one responder will be put with eight LTs.
- Count up your LTs.*
- For each LT you are better than advertised, bid up a level.
*Calculate LTs as follows: Assume the ace takes the first round of a suit; the king the second; the queen the third. How many of those do you lack, up to the number of cards held?
Exercise: the auction has begun 1 ♠-2 ♥-3 ♥. What next with:
| Hand A |
Hand B |
Hand C |
♠ 8 5
♥ K J 6 4 3
♦ J 8 6 4
♣ A 7 |
♠ 5
♥ A 9 6 4 3 2
♦ K Q 4 3
♣ Q 9 |
♠ 6 3
♥ A Q 7 6 3 2
♦ A Q 6
♣ A 3 |
- A) Pass. Eight Losing Tricks (♠AK, ♥AQ, ♦AKQ, ♣K) as advertised.
- B) 4 ♥, Six Losing Tricks. (♠A ♥KQ, ♦A, ♣AK) Two better - but silly to bid 5 ♥ (no man's land). Play Safe and bid 4 ♥ (this weeks mistake).
- C) 6♥. Five Losing Tricks (♠AK, ♥K, ♦K, ♣K)
North Deals
E-W Vul |
| ♠ |
A J 9 7 6 |
| ♥ |
K 8 7 5 |
| ♦ |
A |
| ♣ |
8 7 4 |
|
| ♠ |
8 4 |
| ♥ |
J 10 |
| ♦ |
10 8 6 |
| ♣ |
A K 10 5 3 2 |
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| ♠ |
K Q 10 3 2 |
| ♥ |
Q |
| ♦ |
J 9 7 5 2 |
| ♣ |
J 6 |
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| ♠ |
5 |
| ♥ |
A 9 6 4 3 2 |
| ♦ |
K Q 4 3 |
| ♣ |
Q 9 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♥ |
| Pass |
3 ♥ |
Pass |
5 ♥1 |
| Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
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- Mistake. When the LTC tells you to bid 5♥/♠, you should bid 4♥/♠. What’s the point in bidding Five? None.
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What happened
West led ♣A, East encouraging with ♣J (“throw high means aye”), and West followed with ♣K and ♣10. East trumped with ♥Q and, although declarer could overtump with ♥A, West’s ♥J10 was promoted into a trick. Down one.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♥ |
| Pass |
3 ♥ |
Pass |
4 ♥ |
| Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
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What should have happened
As above - but in 4 ♥. Game made.
If you remember just one thing...
When the Losing Trick Count tells you to bid 5 ♥/♠, settle safely for 4 ♥/♠.
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| Column of the Month - for the more Experienced |
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(This, and articles like it can be found at andrewrobson.co.uk.)
This was a big-swing board from the 39th annual Lords-Commons match, held at the Palace of Westminster and sponsored jointly by Stephen Perry and Lord Kalms, won by the Commons.
Aggregate Teams
East Deals
Both Vul |
| ♠ |
A K Q 10 9 |
| ♥ |
10 4 |
| ♦ |
7 5 |
| ♣ |
A 10 8 4 |
|
| ♠ |
8 5 3 |
| ♥ |
K J 8 7 2 |
| ♦ |
— |
| ♣ |
Q 9 7 5 2 |
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| ♠ |
J 7 6 4 |
| ♥ |
A Q 9 |
| ♦ |
Q 10 3 |
| ♣ |
K J 6 |
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| |
| ♠ |
2 |
| ♥ |
6 5 3 |
| ♦ |
A K J 9 8 6 4 2 |
| ♣ |
3 |
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Table One
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1 N |
Pass1 |
| 2 ♦2 |
2 ♠ |
3 ♥ |
5 ♦ |
| Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
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- Reasonable Shot. Perhaps the opponents will remain in notrumps and South can unleash eight running diamonds (should the ♦Q drop).
- Transfer to hearts.
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Table Two
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
1 N |
5 ♦1 |
| Pass |
6 ♦2 |
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
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- No softly-softly tactics for Table Two's South. Arguably 4 ♦ is the right pre-emptive level given that South is vulnerable and the suit has a hole in it. Buth there is no doubt that 5 ♦could bring home the bacon.
- Hoping that partner either has hearts covered, or for a non-heart lead.
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At Table One West led a heart v 5 ♦, his partner having supported his transfer bid. East won the ace, cashed the queen, then very brightly led a third heart (little point in leading a black suit and you will see - every point in leading a third heart).
Declarer ruffed in dummy and hoping for the three remaining trumps to split 2-1, led to his ace. West discarding was a fatal blow and he could only concede a diamond to East's queen. 5 ♦ one down.
Things were rather different at Table Two where the pugnacious North-South had bid 6 ♦. With a blind lead, West reasonably selected a club.
Declarer won dummy's ace and led a diamond to the ace. West discarding was but a minor inconvenience (unlike at Table One) because dummy still had a trump with which to take the second-round marked finesse against East's queen.
Declarer crossed to the ace-king-queen of spades, discarding two hearts, then led a second trump to the (ten and) jack. The king felled East's queen and just one heart was lost at the end. 12 tricks and 6 ♦ made. The slam succeeded whilst game failed.
Should declarer have taken a first round finesse at Table One? Probably. It is just possible East has 12-14 points (for his 1 NT opener) with West holding the queen of diamonds (singleton as East has to have at least two). Unlikely though.
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