Answers to weekly quiz:

Answers to weekly quiz:
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
x10 8 7 5 2 uK 10 7 vK Q 6 w6 5
The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1w Dbl Pass ?
What do you bid now?
A. When responding, you're not bidding a suit of your own -- you're supporting partner's suit. In support of spades your hand is worth 10 points: you add two for the fifth trump. That's enough to jump to two spades. In effect you are making a limit raise of partner's suit.
Q. Vulnerable, as South you hold:
xK 6 u9 8 4 vK Q 3 wJ 9 8 7 4
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
Pass Pass 1w Pass?
What do you bid now?
A. It is a close call between two clubs and one no trump. Your hand is balanced and, should there be game in the hand, three no trump looks more likely than five clubs. Bid one no trump despite your lack of a heart stopper. If partner's hand is unbalanced, there's still time to get to a club contract.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
xA Q 7 6 2 u6 vK Q 10 4 3 w7 3
The bidding has proceeded:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1u Pass 1x Pass
2w Pass 2v Pass
2u Pass ?
What do you bid now?
A. With game values facing an opening bid, you have the strength for bidding game but not the tricks! The hand is a misfit so get out before doubling starts. Pass. You should have enough to produce a plus score.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:
xQ 4 uA K J 7 2 vA 7 3 wA 10 5
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass Pass 2w?
What action do you take?
A. There are three good reasons for not taking any action: Where's the spade suit? What guarantee is there that this is your hand? How can you be certain that your best spot for a plus score is not to defend two clubs? Partner is a passed hand and there is no reason to assume that he has enough for you to make anything.
Q. East-West vulnerable, as South you hold:
x7 5 uJ 8 7 6 3 vQ 10 9 4 3 wA
The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1w 1v Pass ?
What do you bid now?
A. It's time for pre-emptive action. It's a question of whether to bid three or four diamonds. At this vulnerability we favor jacking up the level as much as possible, so we opt for four diamonds.
& copy; 2005 Tribune Media Services
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