The Bridge Column

blow up on you when partner gets you overboard assuming that there are some values associated with your bid. They can work like a charm when your opponents are cold for a slam.

The responses to a take-out double are simple: bid your best suit with 0-8 points, jump in your best suit with 9-11 points, and jump to game with 12 or more points. When not sure what game to bid, start with a cue bid of opener’s suit. This sets up a game force and the partnership can proceed slowly to find their best game. North’s four-spade bid was a bit hasty. Having created a game force with his cue bid, he could have bid four clubs instead and reached an easier contract. We see no reason for either player to bid slam.

The four spade contract succeeded when South discarded hearts on East’s diamonds at tricks two and three. He could then handle any return, draw trumps, and easily take 10 tricks. On this lie of the cards, with West holding only two diamonds, South could have ruffed the second diamond, played three rounds of trumps, and started on clubs. He might have made an overtrick if West mistimed when to use his master trump.

West did not bid at the other table. North cue bid two diamonds, East bid three diamonds, and South bid four diamonds. This suggested shortness in diamonds with good support for any suit. North aggressively jumped to six clubs and the excellent slam was reached.