Dubious Logic

The Barrier From the Other Side

In the last article – before an enforced COVID break – I identified the 'Barrier' concept, most often used to replace the historical terminology, 'Reverse', here,

Whilst it is intuitive that if instead West rebid 2NT or Three Diamonds, both jumps, extra values would be needed, it's less obvious that Two Hearts carries the same requirement. But pity poor East: with just the 6 HCP minimum to respond, she has to bid Three Diamonds to play there, just as after 2NT. Once West crosses the barrier of two-opened-suit – the 'barrier' – to bid a new suit, extra values, typically 16 HCP, are needed.

I started to look at the barrier from the other side, responder's, in competitive auctions:

East's bid takes away West's safe return to Two Diamonds and must deliver about 10 HCP or more, enough for West to be comfortable bidding 2NT on a minimum hand. What does East do with hearts but lacking either sufficient values or extra length (five-plus)?

The answer on all these is Double: showing the unbid major and enough values to respond.

In (A) you have a normal One Heart response, intervention shouldn't stop you showing the unbid major. You don't have much in (B) but again, this is an ordinary responding minimum, don't let the opponents cow you into passing. With (C) it must be better to show hearts than pass and show nothing. Moreover, if partner rebids Two Diamonds, you can show this type of hand, minimum with six hearts, by rebidding Two hearts. West won't take you for a good hand because you didn't bid above the barrier initially. And (D)? There's no law against having a good hand; again Double is the best start.

Does the level of North's overcall make a difference?

Whilst West's retreat to Two Spades (the safety barrier) is still available, the ability to bid 1NT is not. That's especially significant to weak-no-trumpers who want to show their 15+ HCP hands. If East could promise a few more points, enough to make 2NT by West on 15 HCP safe, that would be nice. But to many, passing on any of (A) through (D) would be worse than not having an extra knave or queen. The only hand that might vary is (B), when, four-card majors or no, Two Spades is an attractive alternative.

How should opener cater to these doubles? In general, no special considerations apply and the situation is mostly system independent. In five-card major and strong no-trump methods of course, opener can find themselves with a weak no-trump, whether they opened One Diamond as in the early case, or One Spade as above. This is a common situation,

South passed, the auction proceeded as our example. It isn't attractive to rebid an already-shown five-card suit so West called Two Hearts and played there. With no attractive lead North tried a diamond away from the king, presenting declarer with overtrick opportunities. This bidding situation is similar to,

East's double shows exactly four spades and West's One Spade is often a three-card suit, especially in a strong no-trump methods but not impossible outside either.

Published Saturday 30.Jul.2022