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12GAMB3N.CMA
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1995-09-25
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DEFENSE VS GAMBLING 3NT OPENINGS
This defense is a variation of "Ripstra," a convention that was
originally aimed at a 1NT opening: "Bid your better minor to ask
for a major." That usage is obsolete now, but has been resurrected
for use as a counter to the gambling type of 3NT opening.
-- A double is for business.
-- A major suit overcall is natural.
-- A minor suit overcall asks for partner's better major. The
overcaller is showing his longer minor, so partner can pass (or
raise) with extreme shortness in the majors and length in the
minor. This call can also be made with spades and a minor when the
spades are not good enough to bid at the four level. If partner bid
4H, you bid 4S and she will know you have a two-suiter with spades
plus a minor (4NT asks which minor).
-- A 4NT overcall shows hearts plus a minor; i.e., it is unusual
notrump for the "lower two unbid suits." Lacking four or more
hearts, partner bids 5H when not holding more cards in a minor, 5C
with longer clubs than hearts. (If overcaller then bids 5D over
5C, he has hearts and diamonds). Partner bids 5D if she prefers
hearts to clubs and has more diamonds than hearts. A bid of 5S in
response to 4NT is a sign-off, showing a long spade suit that can
play opposite a singleton.
South West North East
3NT 4NT Pass 5H - prefers hearts
5C - prefers clubs
5D - prefers diamonds
5S - natural
5NT - your minor?
If the opening could be based on a major suit, then 4NT is for the
minors. Partner prefers clubs with equal length.
The Opening Lead
When leading against a gambling 3NT bid, the standard advice is to
forget fourth best leads and lay down high cards in the hope of
finding partner with solidifying cards in some long suit, or enough
top cards in multiple suits to defeat the contract.
When not leading a top card (i.e., ace, or king from AK), the
opening lead should express attitude, not count. This is also true
of continuations and switches:
S-QJ8
H-1052
D-AK874
C-92
┌───────────────┐
S-A10974 │ North │ S-953
H-KJ4 │ │ H-A?83
D-J653 │ West East │ D-1092
C-2 │ │ C-876
│ South │
└───────────────┘
After South opens 3NT at match point scoring, showing a mildly
gambling hand (a solid minor plus a little outside). West leads
the ace of spades. East discourages, and West switches to the heart
four, won by East's ace. If East has the heart queen, he should
return the heart three (attitude), enabling West to play the king
and return the jack for East to overtake. Lacking the queen, East
returns his highest card to warn West not to unblock, thereby
holding South to nine tricks.