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D15 PROTECTIVE BIDDING

INTRODUCTION

It is often possible to deduce from your opponent's bidding that your partner has sufficient points in his hand for you to make a part score or even a game. In these situations, you bid to 'protect' your partner's holding. This means that you may be bidding on slender values. Partner must make the necessary allowance that you are already bidding some of his points.

Assume that you are South, West is the dealer and the bidding has gone;

1¨ Pass Pass ????

How many points can East/West have between them? East cannot have more than 5 points since he passed. West shows around 12 to 19 points for the 1 bid. So East/West have between 12 and 24 points in their combined hands. You may have, therefore, between 28 points and 16 points between you as North and South.

And how many points can North have for the pass? As we covered in the overcall lesson D11, North should not overcall on balanced hands of less than 15 points. North could have as many as 14 points, therefore, and you, as South, sometimes bid on modest values to protect his pass. South is in the so called 'protective' position in this auction.

THE RULE OF THE EXTRA KING

a) Protective Overcalls (In 4th Position after 2 passes)

There is a simple rule which you employ after a one level suit bid has been followed by 2 passes. Add a notional king to your hand! Thus you might bid on as little as a nine or ten count. After all, you are adding this notional king to your hand representing an extra 3 points (about 1 trick). And partner may be as strong as 14 points so even with as little as 9 points you have the balance of the points

Follow all guide-lines for overcalls. For instance, you normally would overcall 1NT with 15-17 points. Now in the protective position you do it on as little as 12 to 14 points. A hand of 16 points is now too strong! Double and then bid no trumps just as if you were looking at 19 points! A simple overcall needs about 4 playing tricks, not 5 as in the normal auction. Jump overcall in a good suit with 6 playing tricks, not 7. Remember that extra king.

b) Responder's Action

When your partner has bid in the protective position after 2 passes, remember that he has 3 points less than normal.. For instance, you are North, West is the dealer and the bidding has gone,

1¨ Pass Pass 1NT

and you hold a balanced 9 points. In a normal auction with partner holding 15-17 points, such a hand would rate a try for game. Take the three points away in the protective auction, however, and your combined point count reduces to only 21-23 (i.e.12-14 plus 9). Pass.

c) Health Warning

There is no protective situation after a 1NT is followed by 2 passes. The opener's partner may have passed on as many as 10 points and it is possible that they have the balance of the points. Bid normally with a sound overcall.

PROTECTION AGAINST OPPONENTS' LIMITED AUCTION

There are auctions where you judge that opponents may not have a strong hand and you might wish to contest the part score

e.g. 1¨ Pass 2¨ P P ? Both opponents have shown relatively weak hands.