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UHC.NTA
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1995-10-29
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THE UNBALANCED HEART CONVENTION
Since the Unbalanced Heart Convention (UHC) is included in the book
"Marvin's Conventions and Treatments," it will not be fully
described here. It is used for unbalanced hands with five or more
hearts and at least game-invitational strength. It is initiated by
this sequence:
Opener Responder
1NT 2D
2H 2S - UHC
Responder has an unbalanced hand with five or more hearts, probably
five, and at least some interest in game. It may be a two-suited
hand of merely invitational strength, which cannot be described
with a standard Jacoby sequence:
Opener Responder
1NT 2D - transfer to hearts
2H 3C/3D - forcing to game
With UHC the bidding can go:
Opener Responder
1NT 2D
2H 2S - UHC
2NT 3C/3D - not forcing
Opener's 2NT rebid shows a minimum hand without heart support, so
he will probably pass responder's last bid.
Assuming you want to try for game, how do you proceed? Using Jacoby
transfers, you might bid 2D and then raise 2H to 3H. Or should you
bid 2NT after the 2H bid? Would Stayman be the answer?
Any of these routes is risky. Raising hearts could result in a 3H
contract with Kx or worse opposite your jack-fifth, if opener has
a minimum and has to pass. Besides, that sequence shows six hearts.
Bidding notrump after a transfer bid is supposed to show a balanced
hand. Opener might pass 2NT or go on to 3NT with a 4-3-3-3 hand
that would play better in hearts. With Stayman, a 2S response by
opener shuts out the heart suit (a 3H rebid is too dangerous, even
if you play it non-forcing).
An invitational two-suited hand can also be a problem: S-5 H-K8764
D-AJ832 C-64. After a 2D transfer to hearts, most people play that
a 3D rebid is forcing, but this hand is not good enough for that.
If 3D is not forcing (as Alvin Roth says), then a game-going two-
suiter becomes a problem. Is there another way to show both suits
invitationally? Try this: With an unbalanced heart hand, transfer
to 2H and then bid 2S artificially:
Opener Responder
1NT 2D - Jacoby transfer
2H 2S - Unbalanced Heart Convention
The 2S bid says, "Please tell me about your heart support and hand
strength." Opener obeys by bidding 3H or 4H (or a cue bid) with
heart support, 2NT or 3NT without it.
The invitational two-suiter is shown this way:
Opener Responder
1NT 2D
2H 2S - UHC
2NT 3C/3D - not forcing
Responder is showing a second suit with invitational strength.
Opener will probably pass with his minimum hand and lack of heart
support (as indicated by the 2NT bid), but could go on with a good
fit. With game-going strength, responder uses a standard forcing
Jacoby sequence:
Opener Responder
1NT 2D
2H 3C/3D - forcing
What if responder has an unbalanced hand with five spades? No
problem, since opener's response to Stayman cannot shut out the
spade suit. After opener's 2D or 2H response, responder can bid 2S
(forcing, as I play it) and then show a second suit on the next
round, not forcing, if opener rebids 2NT:
Opener Responder
1NT 2C
2D/2H 2S
2NT 3C/3D/3H - not forcing
With a game-going hand, responder would use a forcing Jacoby
sequence, transferring to spades before showing the second suit.
UHC is also useful after a 2NT opening, but there is no stopping
below game:
Opener Responder
2NT 3D
3H 3S
The 3S bid is UHC, showing an unbalanced hand with hearts. With a
balanced hand, responder would rebid 3NT instead of 3S.
The complete text of THE UNBALANCED HEART CONVENTION comprises
three single-space pages. It includes opener's responses to UHC and
details concerning the subsequent bidding.
THE UNBALANCED HEART CONVENTION was published in The Bridge World
magazine, February 1978, and in the Contract Bridge Forum, August
1977.