Protective bidding - a different slant  Stuart McPhee. 8/7/00. Whats happened to the game?  Everyone wants to bid all the time - whether or not they have points or shape.
Take protective bidding for example.  When the bidding starts one greengage, pass, pass, ?, all the bidding advice is to bid at all costs and not let the opposition play at the one level.

Did I ever tell you about the time that I protected at the one level against two Japanese ladies? One round later I was sacrificing over their vulnerable game and a few moments later my partner was on lead against a slam. [actually, we beat the slam by one trick - proving that protecting turns a minus score into a plus!]

No, its clear that protective bidding needs its own rules.  I am grateful to Sandra Landy for some stimulating ideas on two unusual aspects of protective bidding during a recent county practice session.

Why protect- what might partner hold?

Firstly, one of the main reasons for protecting is the vague notion that partner might have a "good" hand.  The obvious question is why on earth didn't they bid?  Here's a simple exercise to do. Imagine the best hand that you might hold as second bidder (over one heart) and decide to pass.

This was my attempt:   ªK  ©AKT987¨AKJ§AKT.

Well, I couldn't think of a bid with the hand and that doesn't happen too often! Double might fetch 4 Spades from partner.  Perhaps 3NT immediately is a possibility.
In reality, partner will usually hold one of two hand types for a "trap" pass with values as second bidder.  One is a flattish hand of 12-16 points with no stop in the opponents suit and probably some length (such as three or four small) in the suit opened.  The other is a hand such as the above - much stronger with opener's suit as the only real suit in the hand.

A clear idea of what partner might hold can help you judge whether or not to protect on minimal values.  However, since a yarborough with a long minor would give play for five clubs or five diamonds with the above hand, maybe it will just encourage you to bid with anything!

By the way, does your favourite system have a meaning for this sequence?
 
NORTH PARTNER SOUTH YOU
I heart  Pass Pass Double
2 Hearts Double

What does partner's double mean?  Does it make any difference if you had bid one spade rather than doubling?
 

Protecting with strong hands?

Although it is well known that you should treat partner's protective bid as though they might hold less than an openeing bid, there is much more chance that partner actually holds a strong hand as protector.  This raises lots of questions for you to discuss with your favourite partner on those long car journeys to bridge tournaments.

What do these sequences mean?
 
NORTH PARTNER SOUTH YOU
I heart  Pass Pass Two spades
Pass ?

 
NORTH PARTNER SOUTH YOU
I heart  Pass Pass Double
Pass 1 No-trump Pass  3 spades

 
NORTH PARTNER SOUTH YOU
I heart  Pass Pass Three spades
Pass ?

 
NORTH PARTNER SOUTH YOU
I heart  Pass Pass Double
Pass 1 spade Pass 1NT or 2NT

 
NORTH PARTNER SOUTH YOU
I heart  Pass Pass Double
Pass 2 Spades Pass Three Diamonds

I'm not giving answers.  All that is important is that you agree with your partner how to get different strong types across and agree which sequences are forcing and which are not.