bridge

bridge

Weekly Quiz answers

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA 10 9 7 6 5 2 u6 vVoid wA J 10 7 3

What is your opening bid?

A. If you decided to open four spades, you could easily be missing a slam. Start with a simple one spade opening bid and keep bidding as long as partner responds!

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA K J 10 6 5 2 u8 3 vA Q w5 2

What is your opening bid?

A. In first or second seat, open one spade and let the auction proceed normally. In third and fourth seat, since partner has already passed, we would open with a four-spade pre-empt.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

x9 5 uK Q 7 vA K J 7 wA Q 7 2

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w Pass 1u Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. An awkward hand. You do not want to bid no trump and find the opponents running six tricks in spades when you are cold for game in any other denomination, and you don’t want to jump raise hearts with only three-card support. The solution is to tell a mild lie about your distribution and reverse with two-diamonds (of course, that’s forcing), and hear what partner has to say.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

x9 uQ 9 7 3 vQ 8 5 wA J 10 8 6

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1x Pass 1NT Pass

2u Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. Your one no trump response has limited your hand. You have great values to give partner a little push. Invite partner by bidding three hearts and you will be delighted if he can continue to game. If not, three hearts should be a fine contract.

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA K 10 9 5 uA J 9 6 vK 10 5 w6

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 1NT Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. Bid two hearts, and await partner’s reaction.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA K 10 7 6 2 u9 7 v6 wA J 3 2

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2x Pass

?

What action do you take?

A. It is not so much how much partner has as what he holds. Give partner a red-suit king among his high cards, and it could be worthless, but the king of clubs could be worth two tricks! Make a trial bid of three clubs, and see how partner reacts.

2012 Tribune Media Services