The supplementary christmas questions

Now we get to tie-breaking questions in my Christmas competition.

3. Suggest a bidding sequence with West as the dealer. See the diagram. I like South's two-heart advance to be forcing; hence North's raise. If two hearts would be nonforcing, South must cue-bid two diamonds, then, over North's two-spade rebid, continue with three hearts. North, having a fit, raises.

4. Look only at the South hand. (a) North opens one diamond, South responds one heart, and North rebids one spade. What should South do now? Two clubs. This is fourth-suit game-forcing. It is a slight overbid, but it maximizes the chance of finding the right strain.

(b) South opens one heart, West overcalls four spades, North doubles, and East passes. What should South do? Pass.

5. Look only at the North hand. West opens and closes the auction with seven clubs! What should North lead? A trump. West must have a spade void. South cannot have a side-suit void, because he did not double. North should hope that West has a two-suiter and has a slow loser in the side suit, which he might have been able to ruff on the board without the trump lead.

6. Look only at the East hand. (a) West opens one diamond, and North overcalls one heart. What should East do? Two diamonds (to make life harder for South) or pass (because the hand is so weak). (b) North opens one no-trump, and South raises to three no-trump. What should East lead? Club four. (c) What should he lead if West doubles three no-trump? Heart seven — West should have a solid suit.