BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

PLayiNG Pairs, what would you bid on this hand after partner South opens 2 ♣ ? ONCE in a blue moon, you do hold such hands, and hear partner make a strong opening bid (my partner held this one). It’s obvious that the 2 ♣ opener is not going to show a strong balanced hand; it will either be an eight-playing trick hand, if using major-suit Weak Twos, or a massive 3-loser hand in one or two suits.

In either case, you hope to end up in 7NT, but it would be foolhardy to jump directly to 4NT for aces. When partner turns up with a void heart, your hand is worthless in NTs. Your correct response should be 3 ♥ , which promises a solid and self-supporting suit; a mere 2 ♥ , while positive and unlimited will never convey this crucial message of suit solidity.

Rest assured that partner will push on to 7NT, with the knowledge that you guarantee him six or seven tricks, if he has a heart. There has been such a maelstrom of bidding theory in recent years that it would be wise to confirm that your partner is going to interpret this jump response in the same way.