Decline and Fall

The decline and fall of the opening bid is written in the no-trump ranges. Once upon a time a full thirteen high card points were required to break the silence; accordingly the no-trump range was 16-1 HCP – it was not thought safe any lower. When the weak no-trump gained hold it did so at the 12-14 level and even those who still favoured strong variety depreciated their range to 15-17.

A generation later and we saw the 14-16 variety. Though that was stronger than the 12-14 brigade, it gave notice of their intention to open the band below; 11-13. Well, if you're prepared to open flat eleven counts, most shapely tens will qualify and, you're ahead of me I'm sure, it doesn't stop there.

N-S Vul.
Dealer East
  • Q10
  • Q64
  • A8653
  • KJ3
  • AJ62
  • A73
  • K92
  • 1092
N
W
E
S
  • 8543
  • K108
  • ---
  • AQ8654
  • K97
  • J952
  • QJ1074
  • 7
West
North
East
South
—
—
1
1
X*
2*
2
Pass
3*
Pass
4
Pass
4
All Pass

It must be admitted that East-West were 15-17 no-trumpers but you can see how the word has spread. That goes for overcalls too; South's featherweight intervention tried to ensure the best lead against no-trumps. The effect of this dilution all round has been that responder – and advancer of an overcall – has to tread with caution. Just because they have an opening bid does not mean the hand will belong to their side. So, as here, modern auctions are dotted with cue bids of the opponents' suits. This enrichment of the language is necessary to describe the ranges of support, moving carefully opposite a hand that may not meet full expectations.

Here a good 4♠ was reached when East refused to back-pedal his distributional hand. South led the diamond queen, passed and ruffed in the closed hand. It was an exercise in trump control -hold the losers to two spades and a club and game was there. Accordingly declarer ducked a spade to North who played a heart; eight, nine, ace. Club ten, cover, won and another spade ducked. East seemed to have everything under control:

  • ---
  • Q6
  • A865
  • J3
  • A6
  • 73
  • K9
  • 92
N
W
E
S
  • 8
  • K10
  • ---
  • Q8654
  • K
  • J52
  • J1074
  • ---

But now the diamond ace scuppered the contract. It wasn't difficult to find: Having shown up with nothing in diamonds or (plainly) spades, East had to have something for his opening bid. That meant a heart would serve no purpose, though it set up the king in dummy, having to ruff prevented declarer from drawing trump.

Published Saturday 29.Oct.2005