bridge

bridge

Weekly Quiz Answers

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

x10 7 5 uA 8 2 vA Q 10 9 3 wA 10

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1x Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. This is not the problem — your opening bid was. Despite only 14 high-card points, your good intermediates and three aces easily make your hand worth 15-16 points and we would have opened one no trump. Now you have to choose between an underbid of two spades and an overbid of three spades. We would choose the former because we only have three-card support.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA K 10 7 5 uA J 9 6 vK 10 6 w5

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2x Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. Make your game try by bidding three hearts. This offers partner multiple choices.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

x10 7 uA 9 8 3 vA J 10 6 2wA 8

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1u Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. Again, your three aces and your distribution improve the value of your hand to some 16-17 points in support of hearts. That makes a raise to two hearts a woeful underbid. Jump to three hearts to tell partner the good news.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

xA K 10 6 3 uK 8 5 vK 10 6 wA Q

What is your opening bid?

A. You have an all-prime hand with good intermediates to boot. Its value is more like 21-22 than 19. We would prefer an opening bid of two no trump to one spade.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South you hold:

x8 uA K Q 10 7 6 2 vA J 10 5 w7

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass ?

What is your opening bid?

A. Since partner is a passed hand, chances of your being able to make a slam are remote. What you should worry about is that the opponents might have a cheap sacrifice or even a game in spades. Make life difficult for them — open four hearts!

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA 10 6 5 uQ J 9 3 v9 7 2 wA 7

The bidding has proceeded:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

3w Dbl Pass ?

What action do you take?

A. Partner should have the equivalent of a sound takeout double had the opponent opened the bidding with one club, so you can expect to make game in a major. However, partner need not necessarily have four-card support for both majors. To make sure you land in the right suit, cue-bid four clubs and leave the choice to partner.

2012 Tribune Media Services