BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

WhaT would you open on this hand? You are taught that you must open the bidding with your longest suit, but what do you rebid when you open 1 ♦ and partner responds 1 ♠ or 2 ♣ ? YOu cannot — or should not — rebid 2 ♦ , because this weak suit isn’t really rebiddable. You cannot bid 2 ♥ , because this would constitute a ‘reverse’, promising a much stronger hand. The answer is you should open 1 ♥ , breaking the rule of your longest suit, in favour of following the principle of planning your sensible rebid before opening.

This is a weak hand, and you need to describe it as such. Partner may assume you have five hearts, and give preference, or raise you with a 3-card suit — but that shouldn’t be disastrous. More importantly, the opponents may intervene and buy the contract in spades, with West as declarer. Which suit do you want partner to lead? He’s likely to play the one you bid first.

So, Acol has rules which can be broken in favour of principles and common sense. There is no rigid pattern which must be followed in all circumstances. When this hand came up at the table, West became declarer in 3 ♠ , and North led ♦ K from his doubleton straight up to declarer’s A-Q tenace. The contract made but, with a heart lead, it would have been two down.