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Weekly quiz answers

Q. North-South vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA uA K J 9 8 7 v7 3 w9 6 5 2

The bidding has proceeded:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1x Dbl 4x ?

What do you bid now?

A. Here you are with what might be the best hand in the game and East’s pre-empt means that the bidding is already at the five-level. Bid six hearts.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA J 9 uK Q 6 vK 8 7 4 3 2w7

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1u Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. Bid two hearts.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA Q J 9 8 uA 6 3 vQ 10 wA J 9

Your right-hand opponent opens the bidding with one no trump. What action do you take?

A. With a hand better than an opening bid of one no trump and a good opening lead, you have a textbook bid — double! That is for penalties, not takeout.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

x9 uA 7 6 vA K J 6 3 wK Q 10 2

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1x Pass 2v Pass

3v Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. No one could fault you if you simply blasted into slam, but we would prefer to investigate further since the hand could make anywhere from 11 to 13 tricks. Bid three hearts to start a cue-bidding sequence.

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

xJ 7uA Q J 9 3 vK 6 w10 8 7 3

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

Pass Pass 1x Pass

2uPass 3w Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. This is a surprisingly ticklish decision to make. Partner has shown a good hand with his high reverse of three clubs, and the obvious bid is three no trump. However, that could lead to missing a superior game, or slam, in clubs, while a raise to four clubs bypasses three no trump and tends to rule out spades as a possible contract. This suggests that a “waiting cue-bid” of three diamonds could be best.

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

xA 7 3 uA J 9 4 v7 wK J 9 8 6

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Dbl ?

What action do you take?

A. There is a standard way to show a good hand after your right-hand opponent makes a takeout double of partner’s one club — redouble. Why should you not take the normal action here?

2011 Tribune Media Services