Answers to weekly quiz:

Answers to weekly quiz:
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
xA K 6 u8 7 vK 4 wA Q 6 5 4 2
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1w Pass 1x Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. You do not like to jump raise partner with only three-card support, even such a good fragment, but no other bid suggests itself. Your club suit is too shabby for a jump to three clubs, and that would not be forcing. A false reverse could lead to all sorts of trouble. Since a response of one spade to one club tends to show a five-card suit, you have that going for you. Jump to three spades.
Q. Vulnerable, you hold:
xK 9 8 uA J 9 5 vK Q 10 wQ J 3
Partner opens the bidding with one no trump. What do you respond?
A. Regardless of whether your no-trump range is 15-17 or 16-18, you want to be in slam if partner is maximum. The way to invite partner to bid the slam with a maximum bid is to jump to four no trump. That does not ask for aces in this sequence.
Q. Vulnerable, you hold:
xA K Q 10 9 4 uA 8 6 v8 7 3 w7
Partner opens the bidding with one club. What do you respond?
A. In the good old days, a jump shift by responder showed a hand of some 19 points. These days, it shows either a self-supporting suit and a good opening bid or a strong hand with a good fit for opener's suit. This holding certainly meets the first criterion, so jump to two spades.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
x9 5 uK Q 9 4 vQ 10 8 6 5 wA K
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1v Pass 1u Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. You are on the borderline of an invitational jump to three hearts. The flaw in your hand is that high cards in short suit do not work to maximum strength. Make either the ace or king of clubs a high diamond, and see how your trick-taking ability has improved even though the high-card content of the hand has not. Bid two hearts.
Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:
xK 7 uA K 7 6 5 3 v10 7 6 w7 4
The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
3v Pass Pass ?
What action do you take?
A. While you do not have much, it sounds as if partner has a fair holding but could not act because of shortages in the majors, primarily hearts. We doubt whether you can come to any harm bidding three hearts, and you could have an excellent spot, perhaps even game.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
x6 uA K J 10 7 3 vA J wK 6 4 3
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
3u Pass 3NT Pass
?
What action do you take?
A. Your jump to three hearts described your hand nicely and there is no reason to think that you have a better spot than three no trump -- after all, partner could have raised to four hearts with a doubleton queen. Pass.
& copy; 2004 Tribune Media Services
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