Bidding reverse is specialised tool

Royal Gazette Staff

Created: Aug 28, 2010 11:00 AM

Guest columnist this week is Alan Douglas. Alan has been playing bridge for more than 40 years, and has represented Bermuda in international competition more than 20 times. He won the Caribbean and Central American Championships in 2003, and also has numerous regional and sectional wins to his credit.

The evening of August 20 was a night that saw many potential reverses at the Bridge Club. I mean reverses in the strictest bridge sense.

You see the reverse in bridge bidding is a very specialised tool and I have seen it bid used incorrectly at the club just too many times. The reverse promises a specific type of hand quality and shape.

The basic rules are as follows:-

1. Your hand must value to at least a King better than ordinary opening bid.

2. Your first bid suit must be longer than your second suit.

3. Your second suit must be of higher rank than your first suit.

Essentially a reverse is any bid that forces your partner to make a preference to your first bid suit at the 3 level.

Okay, knowing this what would you open and what would be your planned rebid on the following hands after partner makes a simple response? NO PEEKING.

1. ªAK76 &Copy;AKQ ¨AQJ76 §5

2. ªA &Copy;82 ¨AK63 §AQ8632

3. ª72 &Copy;AK106 ¨K4 §KQJ103

4. ª6 &Copy;K942 ¨AKJ97 §AK6

5. ªAJ94 &Copy;A3 ¨A9 §AJ865

Board 1: You should open 1¨ planning to rebid spades at the 2 level after partners anticipated simple response. Quite a few players at the club opened this hand 2§ and had difficulty proceeding after partner responded the usual 2¨(waiting) bid.

Board 2: This is a minimum reverse but you should open 1§ and rebid 2¨ over partners expected 1&Copy; or 1ª response.

Board 3: You should open 1nt. Your hand is too balanced to show a reverse.

Board 4: Open 1¨ and plan to rebid hearts- If partner bids or indicates hearts then bid or raise hearts to game.

Board 5: Open 1§ and rebid 2NT. Again you are too balanced to reverse.

An additional note about reverses . The reverse bid is forcing for at least one round , so responder needs to be able to tell opener to slow down when necessary.

This is done by an artificial bid of either 2 of a new major or 2nt whichever is the cheapest bid. This bid is alertable as it does not show intent to play in the strain mentioned.

When opener hears this slow down bid he knows not to go much further unless he has an above minimum reverse.

Actually this is what happened to me on Board 1. The auction and complete hand is:

West Bill T. East Alan

– P P 1¨

P 1NT P 2ª(1)

P 2NT(2) P 3NT(3)

P 4¨ P 6¨

P P P.

1. 2ª shows a reverse with longer diamonds than spades.

2. 2NT – says slow down partner, I don't have much

3. 3NT – I have a huge hand and I hope you have clubs stopped

4. 4¨ – I have a diamond fit and an unbalanced hand.

5. 6¨ – We must be close to making this.

This contract of 6 diamonds made. The complete hand was:

Bill T

ª10

&Copy;832

¨983

§AJ10864

West East

ª94 ªQJ8532

&Copy;J109 &Copy;7654

¨K42 ¨105

§Q9732 §K

Alan ªAK76

&Copy;AKQ

¨AQJ76

§5

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Bidding reverse is specialised tool