BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Q. Neither vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xJ uQ 9 8 6 v9 2 wK Q J 10 7 6

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1NT Pass Pass ?

What call would you make?

A. Should two clubs be available to you as a natural bid, that’s a good choice. Most people play two clubs as a conventional bid, however, and this hand cannot sell out to one no trump. In that case, bid three clubs.

Q. North-South vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xA 10 5 uA K 9 7 5 3 vVoid w7 5 3 2

Partner passes and so does right-hand opponent. What call would you make?

A. Partner is a passed hand and you have only 11 high-card points. Despite that, you might still have a game if partner has a good-fitting maximum. Open one heart, not two.

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

xK 5 3 uJ 10 4 vA 9 8 7 4 3 w3

As dealer, what call would you make?

A. We would not pre-empt with this modest suit if we had a side four-card major. We would want a better suit to risk losing the major. We don’t have one, so open two diamonds.

Q. Both vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xK Q 9 5 4 3 uK 9 vA K 4 wA 4

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 1NT Pass

?

What call would you make?

A. This hand is worth forcing to game, so it’s too strong for three spades. The suit isn’t good enough to bid four spades, so make a jump shift into your fragment. Bid three diamonds.

Q. North-South vulnerable, as South, you hold:

xQ J 10 6 4 3 uQ J 9 8 vJ 2 w3

As dealer, what call would you make?

A. The opportunity to take the one and two levels away from the opponents is too good to pass up. Open two spades, despite the four-card heart suit.

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

xQ J 6 5 uK Q 7 vA J 8 wA Q 6

Right-hand opponent opens one spade. What call would you make?

A. The flat distribution, with no long suit that can possibly be developed, would cause us to underbid this hand slightly. Bid one no trump.

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