Ambiguity in the asking bid ?  -  rare cases

 

In some 3 suit sequences, a bid might at first sight either be natural or ace asking.  Ambiguity is resolved by using 4^th suit forcing followed by a natural rebid.  So if you are think of bidding a suit naturally and it could be ace asking because it is the next step up from 4 of a natural suit, then it is ace asking.  If you wanted to make a natural bid, bid 4^th suit forcing, then follow with a natural bid.

 

So, say you want to insist on playing game in spades after the sequence

1 - 1 - stop 3.     Stop 4 would be ace asking in hearts, so you bid 3 forcing and then 4 to play.  

 

This means that the sequence

1 - 1 - stop 3 - stop 4 is unambiguously ace asking in hearts.

1 - 1 - stop 3 - stop 4¨ is unambiguously ace asking in clubs.

1 - 1 - stop 3 - stop 4NT is unambiguously ace asking in spades.

Notice that an additional advantage of this system in multi-suit sequences is that it is obvious what the trump suit is.

 

Very rarely, where opener and responder are only bidding their own suits with jumps, AND those suits are adjacent, there could be ambiguity.  This is resolved by the rule that a jump shift or jump rebid shows a solid self-supporting suit, so ambiguous bids are to play in that suit,  or to ace ask in that suit.  Where the opposite is wanted, you make a next-suit temporising bid first and then bid it.

 

Examples  (A)  in both these sequences the 4 bidder is a jump shift responder, so he is insisting on his suit as trumps

1  stop 3  3  4     = Ace ask in Hearts

1  stop 2  3  stop 4      = to play

In the first case, if you as responder wanted to raise opener to game in spades, temporise with the cheapest new suit, then bid 4  

eg 1  stop 3  3  4  4 4 =  a raise of opener to game.

(Remember, you never make an immediate jump shift if you are 2 suited.)

In the second case, if you as responder wanted to support opener and ask for aces, it would go 1  stop 2 3  4 4 4 = ace ask in hearts.

BUT all this can be avoided if you follow the sound principle of not jump shifting in response if you have some support for partner.

 

Examples (B)  in these sequences the opener has jump rebid in his opening suit.

1  2  stop 3 4  = to play

1  2  stop 3ª  4  4 = to play, and in this sequence you cannot now ask for aces and force hearts as trumps as there is no room for a forcing new suit.  Moral - don’t jump rebid your own suit unless you are certain you will not want to ask for aces in partner’s next lower suit.

1  1  stop 3  stop 4      = Ace ask in Hearts. 

1  1  stop 3  4  4  4  = to play.

 

Obvious, really.  If there has been a self-solid bid, ambiguous bids are by rights ace asking in that suit, but if you go via a third suit they are not.  But don’t jump if there can be a choice of outcomes, and then you can never get into these deep waters.

 

This is very rare of course, and is not needed if the suits are not adjacent, as the ace ask cannot be ambiguous.