BRIDGE

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:
x -K 9 5 u -8 v -K J 9 6 5 2 w -A Q 7
The bidding has proceeded:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1x Pass 1v Pass
1u Pass ?
What do you bid now?
A. An awkward hand. A jump of some kind would describe its strength, but in what strain? Best is to bid one spade. Since a new suit by responder is forcing, partner's next bid might give you better indication of how to proceed.
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
x -A K 6 u -A Q 7 2 v -A Q 7 w -J 8 3
The bidding has proceeded:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1u Pass 2x Pass
2v Pass ?
What do you bid now?
A. This is the time for a fourth-suit bid. Two spades now would say nothing about the spade suit but would be game forcing regardless of the strength of the initial response.
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
x -J 9 8 6 2 u -A K 7 3 v -Void w -A K 9 3
The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1v Pass 1u ?
What action do you take?
A. While you would rather have a better spade suit and perhaps weaker hearts, you still have possibly the best hand at the table, and therefore you must act. The only course open is to start with a takeout double.
Q. Vulnerable, as South you hold:
x -10 2 u -J 10 7 4 2 v -A 10 w -K Q 9 5
The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
3u 3x Dbl ?
What action do you take?
A. It looks as if this deck has 50 points, but you must trust partner. Redouble. You have strength to expect to make the contract and you can certainly take care of a runout by the opponents.
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
x -A K Q 9 8 u -A J 7 6 3 v -Q w -Q 9
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1x Pass 2w Pass
2u Pass 3w Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. Partner's bid shows a sub-minimum two-over-one response with a good, long club suit and little or nothing outside. Raise to four clubs.
Q. East-West vulnerable, as South you hold:
x -A u -K 10 7 6 2v -J 8 5 3 2 w -9 7
The bidding has proceeded:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
3v Dbl ?
What do you bid now?
A. There is a temptation to make some high-level preemptive bid, but that would be premature. Make a lead-directing bid of three hearts.
& copy; 2006, Tribune Media Services