BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

PLayiNG Pairs, your partner South deals and opens 1 ♠ . Having every intention of getting to a game contract on your hand, you respond 2 ♦ and partner bids 2 ♠ . What would you bid next, and would the auction take a different course if you were +40 at Rubber Bridge? you have a choice of bidding 3 ♣ (a new suit at the 3-level) or going straight into 3nT. The better choice is 3nT as the less information you give away to the opposition, the better.

at Rubber Bridge and +40 below the situation is very different. you need 60 for game, so only need to make one bid to get there. at Pairs, you chose a 2 ♦ response because you want to hear partner’s rebid, leaving you a rebid of 3 ♣ , if this became necessary.

This time you intend to bid only as high as necessary to reach game level. So you bid 2 ♣ and, if partner rebids 2 ♠ , you pass.

unless the spade distribution is disastrous, with the help of your aces, it is certain to be a safe contract. you choose 2 ♣ because partner might have a club fit or a rebid in either of the red suits.