BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

iF 1 ♥ had been passed round to you undoubled, you might well have competed with 1 ♠ in fourth position. But now the double makes a world of difference to you.

You know for sure that partner has support for spades, because that’s what his double promises. Game looks likely, but your hand is not quite strong enough to bid 4 ♠ direct. Your best choice is 3 ♠ , which is highly invitational.

You can make this choice by a process of elimination. You’d have to bid 1 ♠ on a Yarborough, and 2 ♠ would show just 8HCps and maybe only a four-card suit.

The strongest of all bids, which you could make with two losers or less, would be a cue bid of the opponent’s suit — in this case, 2 ♥ .

A hand such as ♠ Q J x x x ♥ Q J x ♦ AQxx ♣ x has only six losers opposite a known spade fit. A slam could well be on with the cards well placed, so you’d then bid 2 ♥ .