RainBow Series – Lesson IV
Interference
First, a word about how we report an auction.
If the opponents are silent, we use COLONS(:) between the
actual bids, ignoring the opponents' passes.
If the opponents are NOT silent throughout, we use DASHES(-)
between bids.
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When the opponents interfere over your partner's
opening bid, they make it more difficult for you to
find a fit in any unbid suit, and they use up some of
your valuable bidding space.
>br>
On the other hand, they
give you some tools which you would NOT have at your
disposal, had they NOT interfered.
For example, they allow you to Pass with 6-7 points, without worrying
about missing game; partner will get another chance
to bid and will likely compete with 16+ points.
| West | North | East | South |
1 | 1 | 2
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For example, 1♦-1♠-Dble suggests only four Hearts. 1♦-1♠-2♥ suggests 5+ Hearts and 10+ points. 1♦-P-1♥, meanwhile, is much less exact, showing 4+ Hearts.
PASS by Responder
An overcall relieves Responder of the obligation
to bid with a minimal 6-7 points.
But Responder
could also be passing with 8-12 points and 5+ cards
in the enemy suit, hoping partner will "Balance"
with a Takeout Double (which Responder will gladly pass).
The original pass is called a "Trap Pass".
If Opener doubles for Takeout, Responder's second
Pass will be a "Penalty Pass", since it converts
this takeout double to penalty based on a lot of
trumps and 8-12 points.
To accomodate the possibility that Responder may have trap-passed, Opener will often strain to make a takeout double, if the overcall is passed back around to Opener. This is especially true at MatchPoints, and when Opener's side is not vulnerable.
 A Q 10 x
| x x
|  x x
| A K J x x
|
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 | 1 | Pass | Pass |
| Dble |
Free Bids by Responder
After partner has opened and the next player has overcalled, Responder may
- Raise Opener one level with 6-9 points,
- jumping to the four level pre-emptively with lots of trumps (FIVE if raising to 4♥ or 4♠, six or more if raising to 4♣ or 4♦) and very few points.
- A jump shift in a new suit by Responder (e.g., 1♣-1♦-2♥ or 2♠) is WEAK, revealing a 6+card suit and fewer than 8 points.
- For the most part, though, any free bid by Responder will show 8+ points.
- A single jump in Opener's suit (e.g., 1♥-2♣-3♥) is still a Limit raise (10-12 points, support for Opener).
Questions
-
What do I do over 1♦:1♠, when I have 5 Hearts
and only 6 or 7 points ? Pass, or 2♥ ?
- Why do we call bids by Responder "FREE" bids immediately after an overcall ?
Free NoTrump Bids by Responder
Any free NoTrump bid by Responder will show a flattish hand with a guard in the enemy-Suit.
2NT will show 11-12 (if a jump from the 1-level), or
10-12 (if a non-jump after, say, 1♠-2♣) points, and
3NT will show 13-15 points.
If Partner has opened 1♠ or 1♥, these NoTrump bids by Responder tend to show 2-card support. After a free 1NT bid by Responder, Opener can force game with a Reverse, a Jump Shift or a Cuebid.
Questions
-
If Responder bids a free 1NT over 1♦-1♠, will
a 2♣ rebid be Stayman ?
- Name Three game forcing rebids by Opener after 1♦-1♠-1NT.
Simple New Suit Free Bids by Responder
Simple (non-jump) free bids in a new suit
are Forcing for one round and will usually show 5+
cards in the bid suit.
Negative Doubles
Responder can use a "Negative" Double to show 8+ points and approximately 4 cards in any unbid suit (OR, rarely, 13+ points with poor support for Opener's suit and no good 5+card suit of our own). This is a Takeout Double, and usually endeavours to find a 4-4 fit in one of the unbid suits — with particular interest in any unbid Major suit.
In SAYC, Negative Doubles are used up to and including the 2♠ level. If the opponents pre-empt higher than 2♠, a double is "optional", showing general values. Opener should pass this double unless Opener has a rather distributional hand with some hitherto undisclosed length(s).
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If the opponents bid any suit that we have
shown, a double is penalty.
Since a negative
double effectively shows both unbid suits, any
double of one of those suits will be penalty.
| West | North | East | South |
| 1
| 1
| Dble | 1
|
| Dble |
Questions
- If Opener rebids in NoTrump opposite a Negative Double, does this promise a stopper in the enemy suit ?
- Since Responder can make a Negative Double with a 4-card suit, shouldn't a free bid in a new suit (e.g., 1♣-1♦-1♠) always promise a 5+ card suit ?
Cuebids of the Opponent's Suit
The word "Cuebid" has two main meanings.
In moving towards a slam, the pair Cuebids controls
(Aces, voids, Kings, singletons).
An immediate bid of the enemy suit (e.g., 1♠-2♣-3♣) is also
called a "Cuebid", and does NOT promise
any particular holding in the bid suit.
Rather,
cueing their suit is used as a way to force the
bidding.
An immediate cuebid by Responder (e.g., 1♣-1♦-2♦) forces game and promises support for Opener's suit. Responder is NOT interested in any other suit. Hence, 1♣-1♦-2♦ denies 4 cards in either major.
| A x
| K x x x
| x x
| K Q J x x
|
After 1♣-1♦, bid 1♥, intending to jump in Clubs or cuebid Diamonds next turn . Do NOT Cuebid this turn, since that will deny interest in Hearts.
| A x
| K x x
| x x x
| K Q J x x
|
NOW you should Cuebid 2♦.
Subsequent cuebids by Responder or by Opener
can be used to show maximal hands and to force the
bidding along.
These cuebids neither ask for nor
promise a guard in the enemy suit, but it should
certainly occur to cuebidder's partner to bid in
NoTrump with such a guard — or even a semi-stopper
(i.e., Qx or Jxx) in many instances !
Questions
1. What is a "West Coast" cuebid ?
2. What is an "East Coast" cuebid ?
3. Are West or East Coast cuebids part of SAYC ?
Action over a Takeout Double
If partner's opening bid is Doubled for Takeout,
- Responder can pass with most 0-9 point hands.
- Should Responder choose to bid, a 1-level free call will be Forcing,
- while a 2-level bid will be Non-Forcing, showing a good 5+card suit and fewer than 10 points.
- An immediate raise of Opener's suit over the Double shows 5-8 points.
- A jump raise is weaker still, promising at least 9 trumps between Opener and Responder.
- 1♥-Dble-3♥, then, is pre-emptive with 4 Hearts (since 1♥ Opener promised 5 Hearts), while 1♥-Dble-4♥ promises 5+ Hearts.
- With 9 points, Responder can pass and THEN raise the suit.
- With 10-12 points, Responder can Redouble and then raise Opener's suit,
- or use a "Jordan" 2NT bid, showing a Limit Raise or Better.
- Holding 13+ points, Responder can also Redouble and then either jump to game (13-15 points) or cuebid whatever suit the enemy runs to before supporting partner's suit.
SAYC-OK pairs play a convention called "Jordan", whereby 1♥-Dble-2NT and 1♠-Dble-2NT is a limit raise of Opener's major (10-12 points). While this is explicitly part of SAYC-OK, many novices and some experienced players don't know this.
That said,
I would discourage anyone from using 2NT thus;
a Redouble followed by a simple raise can accomplish
the same result without getting too high if Opener
is minimal.
Many will use Jordan ONLY with four
card support, redoubling and then raising with three.
Questions
1.
I'm playing with a new partner on OKB and that
partner just bid 2NT over 1♥-Dble.
Should I infer that 2NT is Jordan (a Limit Raise) ?
Dealing with Michaels Cuebids
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Responder's strongest action is to Cuebid the Major suit that the Michaels Cuebidder has shown (i.e., 1♥-2♥-2♠).
If the Michaels Cuebidder has shown both majors (1♣-2♣ or 1♦-2♦), a strong Responder will choose to cuebid the major suit in which he has greater strength. Then, 1♣-2♣-2♥ shows 13+ points and better Hearts than Spades.
An immediate raise to the 3-level (i.e., 1♥-2♥-3♥)
is pre-emptive, showing good support for Opener but
little else.
To show a Limit Raise, double first
and THEN raise partner.
Dealing with an Unusual 2NT Overcall
If Responder senses that the opponents may be in trouble and would like to defend against one or both suits that Overcaller has promised, Responder should Double the 2NT overcall. This may encourage Opener to Double for penalty when the opponents run from 2NT.
If, however, Responder would like to support Opener's suit, Responder should do so directly with a competing hand (8-10 points). To invite or force Opener to game, Responder can cuebid one of Overcaller's promised suits (i.e., 1♦-2NT-3♣) if this does not bypass Opener's suit.
A very popular and useful convention which is NOT
part of SAYC — but should have been — is "Unusual Over
Unusual".
If partner has opened a major, and your RHO
has bid 2NT, your options are:
3♦ = Spades with a good hand
3♥ = Hearts with a poorish hand (non-forcing)
3♠ = Spades with a poorish hand (non-forcing)
Ask partner if he or she would like to play
Unusual Over Unusual.
Interference Over 2♣
| West | North | East | South |
| 2 | Pass | 2 | 2
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| Pass! |
Interference Over 1NT
If the opponents Double our 1NT opening for penalty, ALL systems are ON. 2♣ is Stayman, 2♦ and 2♥ are transfers, etc.
If the opponents Overcall our 1NT opening, Stayman and transfers are off (NOT in effect). Doubles are penalty. Free bids are NOT forcing at the TWO level (i.e., 1NT-2♦-2♠), but forcing at the Three level (i.e., 1NT-2♥-3♣). Cuebids are game-forcing, and may help the pair find its 4-4 major suit fits.
A very useful convention for dealing with
interference over our 1NT is Lebensohl.
Sadly,
it is NOT part of SAYC.
For more information
about Lebensohl, please visit my "TUTORS" web
site at: http://www.escape.ca/~btreble/tutors.htm
Quiz
1. After 1♣:1♥ what should Responder bid with:
| Hand A: | A Q x x
| x x x x
| x x
| Q x x
|
| Hand B: | A Q x x
| x x
| Q 10 x x
| x x x
|
| Hand C: | x
| A Q x x
| A Q J 10 x
| A Q x
|
| Hand D: | K x x
| x x
| A x
| A Q J x x
|
| Hand E: | J x x
| K Q x x
| K 10 x x
| Q x
|
2. After 1♥-Dble, what should Responder bid with:
| Hand A: | Q x x x
| Q x x
| x x
| x x x x
|
| Hand B: | A x x
| Q x x
| x x
| K x x x x
|
| Hand C: | x x x
| x
| Q J 10 x x x
| x x x
|
| Hand D: | x x
| Q J x x
| x x x x x
| x x
|
| Hand E: | A x x x
| K Q x
| x x x
| x x x
|
| RAINBOw Series |
The Rainbow Series, from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 pst every weekday, is a lecture program on the SAYC system, from Opening Bids all the way through to the conventional aspects of SAYC. Unlike the FireSide and 5th Chair sessions mentioned above, the Rainbow Series is a semi-private lesson program for our students. Nevertheless, you are invited to stop by and "eavesdrop" on the discussion from the Spectator's Loft. 
If you have any questions arising from these notes, or about the Rainbow Lesson Series, please do not hesitate to email me at: cpw@escape.ca |
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