[blml] Bidding theory (off-topic) [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

[richard.hills at immi.gov.au]

Alain Gottcheiner:

>"pass" to be a suggestion to go higher, which is 100%
>standard in a forcing situation

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Caesar and Cleopatra:

"Pardon him, Theodotus: he is a barbarian, and thinks
that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws
of nature."

Richard Hills:

Most world-class experts use forcing passes after
partner's penalty-interest redouble.

For example:

WEST      NORTH     EAST      SOUTH
---       ---       ---       1S
X         XX        2C        Pass = forcing

Some world-class experts (for example, Eddie Kantar)
use forcing passes at the five-level to show serious
interest in slam, via the "pass-and-pull" convention.

For example:

WEST      NORTH     EAST      SOUTH
---       ---       ---       1S
2H        3H        5H        Pass = forcing, then
Pass      X         Pass      5S   = slam try

However, in both of the above cases the opponents are
unlikely to immediately bid over the forcing pass, so
one does not have to worry too much about further
sacrificial bidding by the opponents preventing one
from subsequently describing to partner the nature of
one's forcing pass.

So therefore very few experts (world-class or
otherwise) use a pass as "a suggestion to go higher"
in a highly competitive low-level auction.

For example:

WEST      NORTH     EAST      SOUTH
Pass      Pass      Pass      1C
2H        X         2S        3D
Pass = suggestion to go higher???

All the experts I know would have the agreement that
West's pass is natural, denying interest in spades.

Why pass with spade support and give North-South more
bidding space to find out whether they belong in a
partscore or in a game?  Or, for that matter, leave
partner in the dark as to the exact nature of our
"suggestion to go higher", thus perhaps missing out
on a double game swing?

So Alain's assertion that it is 100% standard for
such a pass to be "a suggestion to go higher" may be
the 100% custom of his tribe, but is also 100% silly.

:-)


Best wishes

Richard James Hills, amicus curiae
Level 6 Aqua Training Suite, DIAC
02 6225 6776

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