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

51

ration rather than shift to another major make which
probably is no better than his own:
A K Io 6 4 K Io 4 4 6 4 3 0 75
A five-card spade suit as trumps is worth only i 4
tricks more than its honors are worth as aid to
partner's best bid. If in the above case your partner
has bid a five-card heart suit you gain nothing by
shifting to Spades; you will lose by the change in case
his suit contains six cards, because his long cards are
worth 2/4 tricks more than can be won with another suit as trumps. But on account of the long
card value of your six trumps you must shift partner's opening bid of i-Heart to i-Spade on the following hand:
KQJ o63 V K85 4 53 0 74
Although you have normal assistance for partner's major suit declaration, you may shift to another make affording a high premium for honors
held, provided you do not thereby decrease your
side's chances for game or slam.
Shift partner's I-Heart to 2-Spades:
AKJ Io7 v K63 4 Q 8 5 0 K
Shift partner's I-Spade to 6-Diamonds:
A Io7 K 6 3 * A OAKQJIo4
Doubtless your partner has the K Q of the suit
he declared but there is no evidence that he holds
the missing v A. Were your hearts headed by
the ace your best declaration would be 7-No
Trumps, as your partner must hold as good as two