BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Weekly Quiz Answers

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xJ 9 uK J 8 5 vA K J 10 3 wA 7

The bidding has proceeded:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1w Pass 1x ?

What do you bid now?

A. Double. Obviously, that is for takeout and could enable you to discover a heart fit immediately.

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

xQ J u8 7 5 4 vA K Q 8 7 4 w8

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1u Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. With no high card in partner’s suit, a raise to two hearts looks ample.

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xA J 4 3 uA 3 2 vQ 10 9 wQ J 8

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w 1x ?

What do you bid now?

A. Bid three no trump. Here, two no trump would be invitational with some 11-12 points.

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xK J 9 4 u7 vA K 9 8 5 wQ 10 2

The bidding has proceeded:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1u Pass

1x Pass 2w Pass

?

What do you bid now?

A. Partner’s two clubs is the fourth suit, which says nothing about clubs but asks you to bid notrump with a club stopper, raise hearts with three-card support or otherwise describe your hand. Here, your club stopper is anything but rock- solid and the diamonds could be a source of tricks, so we would opt for two diamonds. But we won’t charge you with an error if you chose two no trump.

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South, you hold:

x6 2 uJ 9 5 4 vA 10 9 2 wA K 4

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w 1x ?

What do you bid now?

A. This type of hand is a nightmare for those who do not play negative doubles — you have to bid two diamonds and hope you can control the later auction. Negative doublers simply trot out their favorite gadget and allow opener to clarify his holding, planning to raise a two-heart bid to game, but being more circumspect if North rebids in a minor.

Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:

xA K J 8 2 uJ 7 v10 6 4 wK Q 7

The bidding has proceeded:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 1x Pass

2NT* Pass ?

*18-19 points

What do you bid now?

A. It is possible, though unlikely, that your side is missing two aces. You can check on that with the Gerber Convention — a jump to four clubs directly over a notrump bid by partner asks for aces. For those not so pessimistic, a jump to six no trump expresses the full value of the hand.

2013 Tribune Media Services