bridge


bridge

Weekly quiz answers

Q. As dealer you hold:

xA 7 u6 vA K Q 10 6 wA K 9 8 4

What is your opening bid?

A. Our choice is to open one diamond and jump shift in clubs at our next turn.

Q. Both vulnerable, you hold:

xA J 9 u6 vJ 10 9 8 7 4 2 wJ 6

Partner opens the bidding with one spade. What do you respond?

A. Your hand is not good enough to bid two diamonds and there’s no reason to consider it. You have good three-card support for partner’s major and ruffing values in both clubs and hearts, so a raise to two spades stands out.

Q. East-West vulnerable, as South you hold:

x7 u10 9 6 5 4 2 v10 9 4 wK J 4

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Dbl ?

What do you bid now?

A. Obviously, you are going to pre-empt — the question is at what level. Given the vulnerability, four hearts seems about right to us.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

x9 8 6 2 uA vK 8 5 wA Q 8 7 3

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w 1v 1u 1S

?

What do you bid now?

A. In light of West’s overcall, your king of diamonds might be worth nothing, reducing the holding to a sub-minimum opening bid. The singleton in partner’s suit is also no asset, so get out of the auction as soon as you can. Pass.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

xQ 10 8 7 4 2 uA J 6 3 vVoid wJ 9 6

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x Pass

2v Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. The problem is simple — should you rebid two hearts or two spades? With a potential misfit and no game-going aspirations, it is more important to rebid your six-card major than introduce your four-card suit, which would force partner to bid again. Bid two spades.

Q. East-West vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA K J 6 uJ 4 3 2 vK J 5 3 w6

Your right-hand opponent opens the bidding with one diamond. What action do you take?

A. Even though you have four cards in each major, you cannot make a takeout double — should partner bid two clubs, which is likely, any action by you would show a far stronger holding than you have. For those who feel compelled to act, as we do, our choice would be an overcall of one spade. With such a good suit, it is worth the risk.

2011 Tribune Media Services

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