BRIDGE

Q. Vulnerable, you hold:
x 9 5 u A J 9 5 4 v A 10 6 5 w 7 2
Partner opens the bidding with one heart. What do you respond?
A. We like to have a singleton when we raise partner's major from one to four. Here, the fifth trump is an illusion of strength -- the hand would be better if you switched a low heart to a low diamond. If you play limit raises, by all means jump to three hearts. If not, start by responding two diamonds, then raise hearts next.
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
x Q u K 6 v A K 7 6 5 3 w A Q J 2
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1v Pass 1x Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. You have a good hand, but treat it carefully because of the possible misfit. For the moment continue to describe your hand, by bidding two clubs. Everything depends on partner's next action.
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
x A 9 6 5 u A Q 7 v 5 w A 9 8 4 3
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1w Pass 1x Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. If you reckon that all you have is 14 points and a singleton, and only raise to two spades, join the underbidders club. Your hand with its three aces is easily worth some 18 points in support of spades, and the least you can do is make an invitational jump to three spades.
Q. East-West vulnerable, as South you hold:
x A K J 8 7 4 3 u 10 9 7 v 6 w 7 2
What is your opening bid?
A. With a good seven-card suit, and the master suit to boot, make life as difficult as possible for the opponents. Open with a full-blooded preempt of four spades and make them guess.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
x 10 3 u A K J 9 8 v Q 8 6 w Q 9 8
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. How did this get in? We cannot think of any bid other than one no trump. Two hearts would show a six-card suit regardless of whether you play four- or five-card majors.
Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:
x Q 7 3 u K Q 10 6 v Q 9 7 w Q 7 5
Partner opens the bidding with two no trump (20-22). What do you respond?
A. If partner has a maximum, you cannot be missing two aces, so you want to play in slam. The question is how to ask partner about his strength. The answer is simple: Jump to four no trump. With no suit having been bid, this is not ace-asking but quantitative, inviting slam should partner be at the top of his range.
XThis column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter for bridge players, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680.
& copy;2004, Tribune Media Services