Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
x A Q 10 5 u J 10 v A 5 3 w A K 6 4
The bidding has proceeded:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1u Pass 1x Pass
2v Pass ?
What do you bid now?
A. With your wealth of first-round controls and secondary honors in partner's first-bid suit, you are definitely in the slam zone even opposite a minimum opening bid. A jump to three no trump, therefore, is too stultifying and could easily result in missing a slam. Bid three clubs to allow partner to continue describing his holding.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
x 6 5 3 u 10 7 6 3 v 9 8 5 3 2 w 7
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1x 1NT Dbl ?
What action do you take?
A. Only a sadist would allow partner to stew in one no trump doubled with your trickless holding. If you have some agreed method of wriggling out with your two-suiter, such as Stayman, by all means employ that. If not, simply bid your longer suit -- two diamonds.
Q. Vulnerable, you hold:
x A K 8 7 2 u Q 9 5 4 v K w A Q J
Partner opens the bidding with one no trump. What do you respond?
A. A small slam is almost certain and a grand slam is not out of the question. If you play transfer bids, transfer into spades then start your slam probe by bidding three hearts. If not, start by checking on partner's major-suit holding by bidding a Stayman two clubs. Should partner deny a major, jump to three spades next. If partner bids a major, cue-bid your ace of clubs to continue the investigation.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
x Q 6 3 u A v Q 9 7 6 w A Q 9 8 5
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1w Pass 1x Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. Your fit in partner's suit has improved your hand. Switch the ace of hearts to diamonds and give yourself a singleton heart, and a reverse to two diamonds would be correct. Similarly, the weak second suit and only three-card support for spades just makes the hand short of a jump raise to three spades. Bid two spades. Game is doubtful unless partner can bid again.
Q. Neither vulnerable, you hold:
x 9 u K J 6 2 v K J 10 5 4 w Q 7 2
Partner opens the bidding with one spade. What do you respond?
A. Without any support for partner, your hand is not good enough for a two-over-one response. Under the circumstances, you must bid one no trump and see what develops. Of course, if forcing-no-trump responses are in your arsenal, that is the perfect action on this holding.
& copy;2004 Tribune Media Services
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