bridge

bridge

Weekly quiz answers

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:

xK 10 9 6 5 uA vK 6 wK Q J 10 5

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

A. We can think of all sorts of scientific ways to bid this hand and describe its shape exactly, starting with a jump shift or a forcing raise in spades. However, none of them is any better than an immediate ace-asking four no trump (or whatever bid you use), so why not take the easy way?

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xK Q 6 4 u8 3 vK 10 2 wK 9 8 3

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 1x Pass

2w Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. Bid three clubs.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA Q J 10 5 4 2 uK 4 v8 wA K Q

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

A. The obvious choices are four spades and a takeout double. This hand is a whit too strong for the former, so we will go with the stronger double first, followed by four spades.

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA Q 10 6 5 uQ 8 v7 wA Q 9 5 3

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2v Pass

2x Pass 3v Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. These days, North’s bidding shows an invitational hand with long diamonds. Under those circumstances, you have nowhere to go. Pass, since it is now unlikely your combined assets will produce 11 tricks in diamonds.

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:

xK 8 2 uA 6 v10 7 5 4 2 wQ 9 8

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 1v Pass

1x Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. Although it is tempting, with only one stopper in the unbid major, to support one of partner’s suits, that would not do justice to your holding. With a balanced 9-count, one no-trump is automatic.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

x9 uK vK Q 9 8 5 4 wK J 7 6 3

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1x Pass 2v Pass

2u Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. This holding has all the earmarks of a horrible misfit, and you should try to bail out as soon as possible. If your two-level response was forcing, a rebid of three diamonds gives you the best chance for that.

2011 Tribune Media Services