Four Clubs at Brighton

Just over a year ago, the national controlling body for bridge, the English Bridge Union, made a number of changes to how the duplicate game is played at the table. In came announcements (of no-trump openers and two bids, inter alia) out went alerts of take-out doubles and bids above the level of three no-trump. This was variously understood and followed by the duplicate fraternity; early on there was good adoption of the new procedures but, in my experience at least, proper protocol is still as patchy as those first three months – time hasn't improved matters.

Of the changes listed above, the one that received most support – and is well observed – is not alerting above 3NT. Especially in the local games, where a four club bid can have various significances, this has surely resulted in fewer calls to the director or, let us say, fewer allegations of impropriety, whether voiced or not. I witnessed my first 'Gerber disaster' on this deal from the first Brighton weekend:

EW Vul.
Dealer East
  • AQJ73
  • 86
  • 6
  • AQJ42
  • 94
  • KQJ75
  • 9542
  • 85
N
W
E
S
  • K10852
  • 1092
  • 73
  • K97
  • 6
  • A43
  • AKQJ108
  • 1063
West
North
East
South
—
—
Pass
1
1
1
2
3
Pass
4
Pass
4
End

If four clubs had mystical overtones (i.e. it asked for aces or promised a control), I have always wondered how partnerships sorted out the auction that started 1♦ – 1♠; 3♦ and responder had both blacks. Here South thought she was being asked for aces and gave the correct response; North thought he was offering two suits. Four spades was not the place to play. John Gerber's invention was primarily to cater for having a lot of tricks opposite a no-trump hand – not for the cut and thrust of an open auction, where there are much better uses for the bid.

I didn't include the deal above when commenting on the paucity of slams during the event – North-South can make six clubs but only perhaps, if they'd seen the hand records. This is a proper 'non slam':

  • K2
  • 742
  • 10862
  • K1062
N
W
E
S
  • A10
  • AKJ10863
  • AQJ
  • 4
Pass1♥
2♥4♣*
4♥Pass

As our system requires more strength than usual for a response at the two level, we use two of a minor by a passed hand to show degrees of support and therefore a simple raise can be quite weak. So when East tried four clubs - a splinter bid showing shortness – though West had good values in context, the knowledge that half of them faced a singleton or void was very discouraging. It was important to stay at this level: South had the diamond king and all three trumps to the queen.

Published Saturday 25.Aug.2007