BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Weekly Quiz Answers

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xQ 10 2 uA 10 9 7 6 vA K 7 6 2 wVoid

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u 1x 2v 3w

?

What do you bid now?

A. Don’t tell the opponents more than they need to know. You’ve found a fit in your major and don’tSFlbneed much from partner to score 10 tricks. Suppress the diamond suit. Jump to four hearts.

Q. Neither vulnerable, you hold:

xA 9 7 6 5 uQ 9 v8 6 5 wK 10 5

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

A. If you play limit raises, this is a borderline hand. However, with the value of the queen of hearts unknown, we prefer the slightly conservative single raise to two spades over the jump to three spades. If you cannot make a limit raise there is no problem — raise to two spades.

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

xK J 7 6 5 uA K 6 vA 6 5 wQ 7

Partner opens the bidding with two hearts (weak). What do you respond?

A. Chances of slam are remote. Since partner is unlikely to hold more than one ace, you start off with a black-suit loser There is no reason to expect partner to have enough for slam. Bid four hearts, and let the opponents guess whether you are making a power raise or an advance sacrifice.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA K 8 2 uA vJ 8 7 6 4 3 2 w6

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1x Pass ?

What action do you take?

A. This is your hand and you are going to play in spades no matter what. Tell partner about your strength by first redoubling and then jump in spades at your next turn. North doesn’t need all that much to give you excellent play for slam.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xA 5 uA K 10 9 6 5 vK J 8 7 w8

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Pass 1x Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. Two hearts suggests a minimum with long hearts and two diamonds would not be forcing either. Jump to three hearts to show your good six-card suit, better than a minimum opening.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

x10 8 6 5 uA Q 7 5 2 v8 3 wK 9

The bidding has proceeded:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1v 1x Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A. This is a matter of hand evaluation. We would not fault a simple raise to two spades, but those distributional assets suggest the more aggressive approach of treating the hand as a limit raise. We would cue-bid two diamonds but, if you play that as a game force, by all means bid three spades.

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