Monday, May 20, 2013
BRIDGE
Weekly Quiz Answers
Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:
xA J 8 uA K 10 5 4 v9 8 3 w7 2
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
?
What do you bid now?
A. No bid is perfect. You would rather have four to raise spades, and bidding one no trump with two suits unstopped is not pleasant. However, you do have good spades and the raise is the lesser evil. Bid two spades.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:
xA 9 5 uA 10 7 6 3 vK Q 7 w10 9
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
?
What action do you take?
A. Here, your spade support is weaker and your minor suit holdings better than in the previous question. Now we prefer a one no trump rebid rather than raising partner’s major with three-card support.
Q. As South, vulnerable, you hold:
xQ J 3 uA K Q 10 7 6 3 vA 8 7 wVoid
The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
?
What action do you take?
A. Your hand has just become huge. If partner has five spades to the ace-king and nothing else, you have 13 tricks. Tell partner you have a powerhouse by making a jump shift to three diamonds.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:
xA 9 6 5 uJ 8 6 v9 5 4 w7 6 3
Partner opens the bidding with one club. What do you respond?
A. With a hand worth only one trick, don’t consider making a response on such a weak holding. At the table South responded one spade and North, with a hand worth 20 points and good four-card support, leaped to game — down one, and a useful partscore was lost.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:
xK J 8 3 uQ 10 6 5 vQ 9 wJ 8 2
Partner opens the bidding with one diamond. What do you respond?
A. With two four-card suits, respond in the lower one. That gives partner the opportunity to bid your second suit if he has four or more cards in it, and you can locate a fit in either, if there is one. Respond one heart.
Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:
x8 uA Q J 4 vA K J 4 3 wQ 8 3
Partner opens the bidding with one spade. What do you respond?
A. You have a good hand, but don’t go leaping around in an effort to find a fit — you don’t want to get beyond three notrump if there isn’t one! Bid two diamonds and see what transpires.
2013 Tribune Media Services