488:
The USP suggests that in responding to overcalls, a hand with at least invitational strength plus a fit for overcaller's suit make the highest level non-jump bid available. This frees lower bids to be used as natural and forcing, or as transfers – and the transfer buys space to show a weak, a game
492:
Those who play transfer advances of overcalls usually agree that the transfer bids begin with the cue-bid of opener's suit. Bids between the overcall and the cue-bid may be treated as natural and forcing; transfer bids are available to handle weaker hands with their own good suit.
489:
forcing, or even a slam invitational hand, just as do Jacoby transfers. So doing puts the bidding space where it is most needed – to complete the transfer and possibly to further describe the hand, and to make a natural, forcing new-suit bid below the cue-bid.
196:
The agreement that 4NT is a cue-bid still entails a cost, but
Kickback users argue that there is a net gain. For example, with clubs agreed, South would bid 4NT to show a first round control in diamonds. This bid not only bypasses the Kickback ask
147:
The responses to the ask might be similar to
Blackwood, but instead of associating a specific suit with a specific number of aces, the responses are in terms of the number of steps above the ask. If spades will be trump, 4NT is the ask, and then
223:
The foregoing is meant only to illustrate the USP. It describes neither additional understandings that
Kickback can accommodate, nor the special problems that can arise (for example, the question of which is the agreed trump suit).
131:
The
Kickback ace-asking convention deals with the problem by adjusting the asking bid according to which suit is agreed as trump. The ask is always one step above four of the trump suit. So, if clubs is agreed, the ask is
116:
The problem can also occur when the agreed trump suit is diamonds, although it is less likely because there is more space available for responses than when the agreed trump suit is clubs. But if the partnership is using
78:, as originally formulated, violates the USP. Suppose that the agreed trump suit is spades. After the Blackwood "asker" bids 4NT, "teller" can convey four separate messages without bypassing the safety level of 5
178:
There is a cost, of course: the partnership that plays
Kickback loses the ability to cue-bid the ace of the suit above trumps. That is, assuming that hearts will be trumps, asker can no longer bid 4
589:
Again, the point of the foregoing is to illustrate how application of the USP can make bidding agreements more effective, not to define an optimal structure for responding to overcalls.
318:
as a signoff over 1NT means that the partnership must give up bidding space in order to make forcing bids that start at the three level. It is when South wants to sign off by bidding 2
48:, published from November 1980 through April 1981. (The International Bridge Press Association awarded its 1981/1982 award for Best Article or Series on a System or Convention to
128:
The problem is that
Blackwood ignores the USP. The lower in rank the agreed trump suit, the more space that is needed if the partnership is to stay at or below a safety level.
121:
there can be similar problems. Suppose that hearts is agreed, asker has one ace and teller has one ace plus the king and queen of hearts. Asker bids 4NT and teller bids 5
461:. In this sequence the cue-bid takes up minimal space – but how is that space to be used effectively when South has already shown a heart fit in a strong hand?
163:
The effect is to allocate bidding space where it is most useful in the context of the convention. If clubs is agreed and each partner has one ace, asker bids 4
314:
The transfer gives the partnership plenty of space for any continuation it might have in mind. In contrast, the traditional bid of 2
617:
101:
But what if the agreed trump suit is clubs? Suppose that asker and teller each have one ace. Then, after 4NT, teller bids 5
59:
as "a partnership's assigning meanings to actions so that the remaining bidding space matches the needs of the auction."
185:
The solution is to use 4NT to show a first round control in the
Kickback asking suit. With diamonds agreed, 4
53:
209:. Kickback users believe that the gain in space from adjusting the ace-ask outweighs getting in the way of
152:, one step, might show zero or four aces, according to partnership agreement. If diamonds will be trump, 4
118:
75:
322:
directly that the smallest amount of bidding space is needed, but that bid takes away three steps (2
457:
is forcing all is well on this hand, and if South has a heart fit and a good hand he can cue bid 2
389:
bid takes up so much space that, if it is forcing, South cannot show a weak hand with a good suit.
66:. The USP tells bidding theorists that bidding space should be allocated where it is most needed.
62:
The articles on the USP were the genesis of widely used conventional methods such as
Kickback and
600:
233:
44:
220:
to ask for aces when NT is the likely final strain, is really a special case of
Kickback.
63:
39:
473:
in this auction, there is a problem caused by the misallocation of bidding space. If 3
17:
611:
125:
to show two key cards plus the trump queen, and the partnership is again too high.
49:
182:
to show first round control of spades: that would be the
Kickback asking bid.
442:
to prepare a rebid in diamonds. The hand is too strong to bid a nonforcing 3
385:
is forcing South must pass and possibly miss a good diamond contract. The 3
378:
forcing all is well. South describes his hand and leaves the rest to North.
485:
cue-bid may well prompt a rebid by North that preempts South's diamonds.
575:
520:
435:
530:
is a transfer to clubs – that is, a strong raise of partner's overcall
334:). Transfers, whatever costs they entail, tend to conform to the USP.
477:
is forcing, a good diamond suit in a weak hand is problematic. If 3
193:
A or, if credible in the context of the prior bidding, a void.
232:
Suppose that North opens a strong NT, North-South are playing
523:, is a transfer to spades with strength to be clarified later
450:, may well prevent South from showing the diamonds below 3NT.
171:
to show one ace. The partnership can now easily sign off in 5
337:
Now consider competitive bidding. Suppose that West opens 1
109:
off two aces (or possibly 5NT, which could be worse than 6
228:
The USP at lower levels: transfer responses to overcalls
160:, one step above the ask, might show zero or four aces.
465:
Regardless of the agreement on the forcing nature of 3
52:
for this series.) The USP is expressed succinctly in
42:
was first articulated in a series of six articles in
578:, is a transfer to spades (this is the strong raise)
105:to show his ace, and the partnership has to play 6
216:Notice that the Gerber convention, the use of 4
201:), but also prevents North from cue-bidding 4
8:
189:is the Kickback ask, and 4NT shows the
7:
25:
504:) – P, some play this structure:
446:. But North's rebid, very often 3
564:
509:
478:
474:
466:
454:
443:
427:
413:
386:
382:
371:
357:
327:
302:
281:
248:
198:
164:
133:
102:
87:
82:– four aces or none with 5
290:(South will force to game) and
598:"The Useful Space Principle,"
582:
571:
549:
545:
527:
516:
497:
482:
481:is nonforcing, the ambiguous 2
458:
447:
439:
407:
403:
398:
394:
351:
347:
342:
338:
331:
319:
315:
296:
292:
275:
271:
266:
262:
258:
242:
238:
206:
202:
190:
186:
179:
168:
157:
153:
141:
137:
122:
95:
91:
79:
64:transfer advances of overcalls
1:
604:, November 1980 – April 1981.
557:
537:
533:2NT is natural and nonforcing
501:
470:
417:
361:
345:and East passes. South holds
323:
306:
285:
252:
217:
172:
149:
110:
106:
83:
265:. But South would also bid 2
113:, if it has the machinery).
311:(South will explore slam).
27:Principle of bridge bidding
634:
585:is a limited natural raise
540:is a limited natural raise
261:, hoping to pass North's 2
136:; if diamonds is agreed, 4
119:Roman Key-Card Blackwood
618:Contract bridge bidding
70:A USP example: Kickback
567:is natural and forcing
560:is natural and forcing
512:is natural and forcing
156:is the ask, and then 4
144:; and if spades, 4NT.
32:Useful Space Principle
18:Useful Space Principle
94:and three aces with 5
496:For example, after 1
76:Blackwood convention
434:forcing South must
416: KQ9653
401:) – P, South holds
360: KQ9653
341:, North overcalls 2
295: AKQ65
274: KQ965
241: KQ965
236:, and South holds
140:asks; if hearts, 4
305: 8752
284: 8752
251: 8752
167:and teller bids 4
90:, two aces with 5
38:, in the game of
16:(Redirected from
625:
601:The Bridge World
584:
573:
566:
559:
551:
547:
539:
529:
518:
511:
503:
499:
484:
480:
476:
472:
468:
460:
456:
449:
445:
441:
429:
421:
419:
415:
411:
409:
406: 854
405:
400:
396:
388:
384:
373:
365:
363:
359:
355:
353:
350: 854
349:
344:
340:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
310:
308:
304:
300:
298:
294:
289:
287:
283:
279:
277:
273:
268:
264:
260:
256:
254:
250:
246:
244:
240:
234:Jacoby transfers
219:
208:
204:
200:
192:
188:
181:
174:
170:
166:
159:
155:
151:
143:
139:
135:
124:
112:
108:
104:
97:
93:
89:
86:, one ace with 5
85:
81:
55:The Bridge World
45:The Bridge World
21:
633:
632:
628:
627:
626:
624:
623:
622:
608:
607:
595:
412:
402:
356:
346:
301:
291:
280:
270:
247:
237:
230:
72:
40:contract bridge
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
631:
629:
621:
620:
610:
609:
606:
605:
594:
591:
587:
586:
579:
568:
561:
542:
541:
534:
531:
524:
513:
463:
462:
451:
391:
390:
379:
257:. South bids 2
229:
226:
71:
68:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
630:
619:
616:
615:
613:
603:
602:
597:
596:
592:
590:
580:
577:
569:
562:
555:
554:
553:
535:
532:
525:
522:
514:
507:
506:
505:
494:
490:
486:
452:
437:
433:
425:
424:
423:
393:Again after 1
380:
377:
369:
368:
367:
335:
312:
235:
227:
225:
221:
214:
212:
194:
183:
176:
161:
145:
129:
126:
120:
114:
99:
77:
69:
67:
65:
60:
58:
56:
51:
47:
46:
41:
37:
33:
19:
599:
588:
543:
495:
491:
487:
464:
431:
392:
375:
336:
313:
231:
222:
215:
210:
195:
184:
177:
162:
146:
130:
127:
115:
100:
73:
61:
54:
43:
35:
31:
29:
50:Jeff Rubens
593:References
420: KJ4
364: 854
309: A54
288: A54
255: 854
213:cue-bid.
211:partner's
612:Category
410: 6
354: 6
299: 6
278: 6
245: 6
57:glossary
576:cue bid
552:) – P:
544:After 1
521:cue bid
436:cue bid
422:. Now:
366:. Now:
574:, the
519:, the
330:and 2
269:with
34:, or
548:– (1
500:– (2
469:or 3
453:If 3
426:If 3
397:– (2
381:If 3
370:If 3
205:or 4
74:The
30:The
432:non
430:is
376:non
374:is
326:, 2
36:USP
614::
197:(4
175:.
98:.
583:♠
581:2
572:♥
570:2
565:♦
563:2
558:♣
556:2
550:♠
546:♥
538:♣
536:3
528:♠
526:2
517:♥
515:2
510:♦
508:2
502:♣
498:♥
483:♠
479:♦
475:♦
471:♣
467:♦
459:♠
455:♦
448:♥
444:♦
440:♠
438:2
428:♦
418:♣
414:♦
408:♥
404:♠
399:♥
395:♠
387:♦
383:♦
372:♦
362:♣
358:♦
352:♥
348:♠
343:♥
339:♠
332:♥
328:♦
324:♣
320:♠
316:♠
307:♣
303:♦
297:♥
293:♠
286:♣
282:♦
276:♥
272:♠
267:♥
263:♠
259:♥
253:♣
249:♦
243:♥
239:♠
218:♣
207:♠
203:♥
199:♦
191:♥
187:♥
180:♠
173:♣
169:♠
165:♦
158:♠
154:♥
150:♣
148:5
142:♠
138:♥
134:♦
132:4
123:♠
111:♣
107:♣
103:♦
96:♠
92:♥
88:♦
84:♣
80:♠
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.