MindZine - Bridge

With 351 pages this book is more than twice the size of a normal bridge paperback and is worth reading just in appreciation of the author's monumental effort! It extends the unique index of bidding sequences which first appeared in Crowhurst's classic Precision Bidding in Acol some twenty-five years ago.

The meaning of all likely uncontested auction sequences, up to and including bids at the four level or just above, is discussed and analysed. Each possible bid, such as "A reverse by the opener", is allotted an index number and there are about two thousand in total, which gives you some idea of the comprehensive nature of the exercise. Acol partnerships should gain tremendous benefit from crosschecking the meaning of each sequence in the book with their own. If there is a difference, then a partnership may want to consider adopting Crowhurst's suggested approach.

In addition to the Index there are helpful notes where necessary. For instance, in The First Response section, Crowhurst modifies the adage regarding not forcing on two-suiters: "It is commonly believed that a jump shift at the two level should show either (a) a powerful one-suited hand, or (b) a hand containing primary support for the opener's suit. However, there is no reason to restrict such a useful response in this way. The responder should feel free to make a jump shift on a two-suited 5-4 hand, for there is ample room in which to find a fit in the responder's second suit (e.g. 1C-2H-2S-3S or 1C-2H-3C-3D-4D)." [Note: the book uses letters instead of symbols to denote suits. Ed.]

Holding two four-card majors it is normal to bid hearts first in response to Stayman, but in the Opener's Rebid section, Crowhurst opines: "It is best to bid the better of two four-card major suits, in case partner is planning a tactical withdrawal from 1NT on a weak hand. If the responder bids 2NT or 3NT over the first major suit reply, the opener can convert to the other major suit at the appropriate level (e.g. 1NT-2C-2H-2NT-3S or 1NT-2C-2S-2NT-4H)."

Optional alternative meanings to bids regularly appear, thereby giving the reader a choice, as in The Responder's Rebid section when the main proposal is that "A jump raise to the five level (e.g. 1C-1S-3H-5H) is a slam try, showing two losers in the unbid suit." Only for the author to add later "An alternative interpretation of the jump to the five level is that it seeks good trumps for slam purposes." Note that the reverse jump to 3H is treated as natural and forcing, because Crowhurst's view is that a two level reverse opposite a response at the one level "(e.g. 1D-1S-2H) is not forcing" and shows "17/18 points (or fewer with 6-5 distribution)".

Acol players who have adopted conventions such as Multi Two Diamonds, Roman Key-Card Blackwood, Splinter bids, South African Texas, Transfer bids and Crowhurst will not be disappointed, because the book includes those and all other popular conventions. Also sprinkled among all the standard sequences are more complex and innovative ideas. Even what Crowhurst treats as standard may not be so for many readers.

Great stuff! Although I doubt whether Iain Macleod envisaged an Index like this one way back in 1952 when he wrote the Acol gem Bridge is an Easy Game!

Peter Littlewood