BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

South ♠ KJ8 ♥ Q73 ♦ A98 ♣ QJ83

WHAT would you respond on this hand after partner opens 2 ♠ (Strong)?

SO MANY players use Weak Twos (Benji) in duplicate nowadays, that some may have forgotten, or never learnt the correct responses to the Acol Strong Two bid.

The mandatory negative is 2NT — all other bids are positive. The most positive of all is a single raise of partner’s suit, in this case 3 ♠ . It is unlimited in strength and promises at least one ace or void with at least three spades. The beauty of this bid is that, having agreed the trump suit, all subsequent bidding is control-showing.

You bid 3 ♠ here and, if partner simply bids 4 ♠ (very unlikely), he’s denying slam interest and you may pass; more likely, he will bid 4 ♣ , and you continue with 4 ♦ , and so on.

A direct raise to 4 ♠ by you after the 2 ♠ opening shows values for game without an ace or void. If partner still bids 4NT, he will be asking about your kings on the normal Blackwood scale.