Correct contract bridge / by E.V. Shepard ; including the official Laws of contract bridge adopted by the Whist Club, New York, and by all the leading clubs in America.

FORCED BIDS

55

PARTNER'S PROBABLE
A S SI STA NCE
Every declaration a player makes obliges him to
estimate the probable value of his hand, also to
make some assumption concerning the probable aid
to expect from his partner. The average holdings
of a player who cannot bid, and the minimum required in commanding honors to venture specified
declarations afford the only sound basis for estimating the probable assisting value of partner's
hand..
Count upon partner for assistance as follows: 6
tricks if he opens the bidding with 2-No Trumps or
in case he doubles a no trump at his left; 5 assisting
tricks if he opens the bidding third or fourth hand,
or in case he doubles a no trump at his right, or if he
doubles a major suit declaration on either side; 4
tricks if he opens the bidding as dealer or second
hand, or in case he doubles a minor make; 3 tricks
if he has not bid; 2 tricks in case you hold a freak
hand; no probable assistance if he fails to declare
after you have repeatedly bid.
If your partner has not declared, the hands given
below are barely worth the forced bids indicated:
I Spade 4 A J 9 6 4 K 72 6 4 0 Io85
2 Hearts a 75 v Q J Io 83 4 A J 5 0 K 94
3Clubs & 3 V 64 4 KQ97543 0 QJ6
Pass A Io8642 v 7 5 4 8 3 0 964
The last hand shown above may be bid to warn
partner of lack of normal aid for an opening heart
or club declaration or to improve his I-Diamond,