Evaluation of the raise of a 5th major.

 

Your partner opens a major and you have to raise. How do you assess the strength of your hand?

Add the honor points (H points) to the distribution points  (D points). The simplest and most effective method is to add to honor points the difference between the number of trumps in your hand and the length of your shortest suit.

Eg : 3 cards support and doubleton count  1  D point.

        4 cards support and a singleton count  3  D points.

Then apply the following rule who gets the VERNES law :

with 4 cards support and a shortage bid one level higher than indicated by the total HD points

with 5 cards support and  a shortage bid two  levels higher.

Note: In a suit contract upgrade Aces, but downgrade too many small honors especially in  5-4 or 5-5 fit. Likewise value the 10 and 9 of trump if 5-3 or 4-4 fit but with longer raise   it is useless (even the Jack will then worth much).

 

Examples with application of STANDARD system :

Deal 1

♠ V432                 On 1♠ opening, count 9 HD points, but on behalf of the 4cards support and the singleton respond 3♠.

♥ 8                        If the hand is stronger make a SPLINTER.

♦ AV95                 

♣ 10865

 

Deal 2

♠ V                      On 1♥ opening, count 9 HD (no value for ♠V), and on behalf of the 5 cards support

♥ R9863              and the singleton respond 4 ♥ .

♦ D10543             If the hand is stronger make a SPLINTER.

♣ 65

 

Deal 3

♠                                On 1♥ opening, count 11 HD  and if the No. 2 DOUBLE then on behalf of the 5 cards support

♥ R9863              and a void respond 5♥  !

♦ DV1054

♣ 654

 

Deal 4

♠ V65                 On 1♠ opening, count 11 HD, but if you respond 2NT with a 3 cards support

♥ R986               and your partner corrects to 3♠ you're in danger. You do not respect the VERNES law :

♦ DV105            with 8 trumps avoid the 3 level.

♣ R8

 

With a 5-3 fit, if you are in a position to play a game or a slam, count your HD points and be careful.

Reminder  : It takes 27 HD to play the game with at least 50% success rate.

With 5-4 fit and even more so with a 5-5 fit be more aggressive within the VERNES law.

 

Deal No. 4 shows the limits of 2NT raise with only 3 cards support. If you are weaker you answer 2♠ with 6-10 HD

and this time it is the opener which may end up to the 3 level with one hand (semi) -balanced 15-17 HCP

facing 6-8 HD.

 

Some have understood this problem by playing the response of 1NT forcing or semi-forcing.

This allows them to fit at the 2 level with a semi-positive hand and go through 1NT followed by a return to the 2 level in the major with a weaker hand. But the fit is now no longer guaranteed, which is a serious defect when the partner aims game.

 

The answer to all this : play the 2♣ SAUVET with 3 cards support 9+ HD and  2NT raise with 4+ cards support.

 

To follow: SPLINTER 4 or 5 trumps