2-Over-1: The Forcing 1NT… Part Three

Don’t Use 1 NT Forcing if …

If opener bids 1♥, then responder, holding 4+ spades, should bid 1♠:

South
♠ Q 9 8 2            North            South
♥ 7 6                  1♥                  ??
♦ A K J 10
♣ 9 8 6

2-Over-1: The Forcing 1NT… Part Two

How To Use 1 NT Forcing

Use it only after a major opening bid. 1 NT is not forcing after a minor opening:

1.                                                     2.
North         South                           North            South
1♥             1 NT                             1♦                1 NT
 *                                                  *
*North must make                          *North may pass with a
  another bid.                                   balanced minimum hand.

2-Over-1: The Forcing 1 NT…Part One

While you weren’t looking, Standard American became a dinosaur. 4-card major openings were replaced with 
5-cards; 1 NT can now be opened holding a 5-card major and a worthless doubleton; weak 2’s replaced strong 2’s, and on and on. But the loudest crash is the fall of the non-forcing 1 NT response to a major and its kissing cousin, 2-over-1 (2/1) as forcing only one round. Now, 1 NT is forcing and 2/1 is forcing to game.

Double Their Artificial Bids - Use Your Enemy! Part 2

You must be in the right position for this to work:

3. You

♠ 5 4                LHO           Partner          RHO           You

♥ 8 7 5             2♣               Pass              2♦                Pass

♦ J 9 6                              

♣ A Q J 9 4

               

You want a club lead, but are in the wrong position to ask for it. If you double, you’d be indicating a diamond suit. And if you bid 3♣, you’re asking for trouble!

Double Their Artificial Bids - Use Your Enemy! Part 1

Here is one area of bidding that the average bridge player totally ignores. What a waste!
Here is your new toy in a nutshell:

When an opponent makes an artificial bid, double that bid to show you have length and strength in that suit.

Third Hand Play - Part Two

2. When third hand has touching honors, he plays his cheapest honor.

Yes, third hand plays high, but not always the highest card. With a suit headed by the A K, follow with the King; With K Q, follow with the Queen, with Q J, follow with the Jack, with J 10, the 10.

So when third hand plays an honor, he says, “I do not have the honor immediately below.”

                                              Dummy
                                               ♥ 7 5
                        You                                     Partner  
                  ♥ J 8 6 4 2               ❏           ♥ 10 played
                                            
                                           Declarer 
                                          ♥A played

The bid is 3 NT. You led the ♥4. Dummy plays the ♥5, partner the ♥10 and declarer wins the ♥A.
What do you know? Everything!

Partner has no honor - he would have played high. He can’t even have the ♥ 9 - with ♥ 10 9 he would have followed with the ♥ 9. Declarer has ♥ A K Q 9.  Stay away from this suit!

Third Hand Play - Part One

 When are you “Third Hand”?

The third hand refers to the defense - specifically to the partner of the leader. Unlike the second hand, third hand is the last stop for your side - your partner has already played. The third hand has some special guidelines to follow:

1. If there is no honor in the dummy, third hand plays a high card. Not medium high... High.

                                                  Dummy
                                                  ♥ 6 5 2
                           Partner                                    You
                          ♥7 lead                  ❏             ♥ A J 4

Partner led the ♥7. Dummy plays the ♥2. You must play your ♥A; the ♥J won’t do. Declarer could have the ♥Q and partner the ♥K - playing the ♥J would give declarer a free trick.