The
subject of reverses has been confounding
developing players for decades. Here are
some examples: (a) 1-1;
2
(b) 1-1;
2
(c) 1-2;
3.
Opener's 3
in (c) is known as a "high reverse" because
it raises the bidding to an even higher
level. In all these auctions opener's second
bid forces his partner to go to the three-level
if he prefers opener's first suit. As
responder may hold a weak hand, opener must
have a good one to risk committing to those
heights.
In the auction below - call it (d) - South's 2
bid is a reverse. Unlike a jump shift, a
reverse is not forcing to game but it could
be every bit as strong as a jump shift;
responder is expected to bid again. Another
key feature of opener's reverse is its
guarantee of greater length (at least five
cards) in his first suit. Opener promises a
third bid unless responder makes a bid known
to be weak in a playable strain. In
mainstream North American bidding,
responder's same-suit rebid promises a five-card
or longer suit but is not defined as weak
(he would, however, jump to 3
with a one-loser suit of at least six cards.
It is common to treat responder's raise or
simple preferences as forcing (also) and to
use 2NT as a conventional signal of weakness,
denying as many as five spades. Over
responder's neutral 2,
opener tries to limit his hand when he can.
West |
North |
East |
South |
|
|
|
1 |
Pass |
1 |
Pass |
2 |
Pass |
2 |
Pass |
? |
As South, what call do you make with each of
the following hands?
a)
K2
A
AJ32
AJ9863
b)
A
K106
KQJ6
KQ1098
c)
AQ3
76
AK6
AK1098
d)
AK
76
KQJ6
KQ1082
e)
AQ
85
AQJ5
AKJ98
a) Three clubs. South shows a near minimum
in high cards and a sixth club.
b) Two notrump. Natural, about 17-19 points.
South may be 2-2-4-5 but this sequence does
not imply a balanced hand.
c) Four spades. Some would open two notrump
or rebid two notrump over 1.
For those who avoid such actions with a weak
doubleton, 1,
then 2
(ostensibly natural) will be just right.
When North repeats spades, South's jump
raise can be defined as three-card support
but no singleton heart. Change the
7
to the
7
so that South is 3-1-4-5, and he would jump
to 4
over 2,
a "splinter" raise showing heart shortage
and true spade support.
d) Three spades. Take away a queen and the
South hand would not be worth a reverse (you
might open 1NT). As 2
is forcing, South cannot pass. 3
shows exactly a doubleton spade (with at
least one honour) and denies a heart guard (else
2NT). 3
sounds nonforcing and so it is.
e) Three hearts. South is not showing a suit
of hearts (else 2
over 1).
His bid in the fourth suit after reversing
shows a hand too strong to limit but with no
clear direction. South is too good for a
nonforcing 3,
as in (d).