Contract Bridge
Bidding quiz
You have the following hand, both sides vulnerable:
♠ A97 ♥ KJ86 ♦ 10 ♣ AQ984
1. Your left- hand opponent opens Two Diamonds ( weak), your partner passes, and your right- hand opponent passes. What would you bid?
2. You bid One Club, and your partner responds One Heart. What would you bid now?
3. You bid One Club, your left- hand opponent bids Three Diamonds, your partner bids Three Hearts, and your righthand opponent passes. What would you bid now?
4. Your right- hand opponent bids One Diamond, you double, and your partner responds One Heart. What would you bid now? * * * 1. Double. Since two diamonds is a preemptive bid that shows roughly six to 11 high- card points, and your righthand opponent does not seem interested in any more than a partscore, you should double for takeout. Of course, there’s some risk attached to this, but even so, it is much better to compete than to pass.
You can’t timidly allow the opponents to play the hand at two diamonds when there’s an excellent chance that your side can make a partscore or even a game. Such a loss cannot reasonably be justified by an excessive concern for safety.
An additional possibility is that partner is well- heeled in diamonds and can convert your intended takeout double into a profitable penalty double by passing.
2. Three hearts. True, you have only 14 high- card points, but with your excellent trump support and attractive distribution — the singleton diamond is worth three extra points — you have the equivalent of 17 or 18 points. If one of your low hearts were a low diamond, you’d simply raise to two hearts.
Your partner might pass three hearts, which is merely invitational, but you shouldn’t be concerned about that possibility. If he passes — indicating a very poor hand — he may have trouble making even nine tricks.
3. Four diamonds. There is a good chance for a slam, and you would not get the message across with a simple raise to four hearts. Usually, the cuebid of an opponent’s suit promises first- round control, but here you should be willing to lie a little because the situation demands aggressive action. Four no- trump ( Blackwood) would be a reasonable alternative.
4. Two hearts. That is just about all you can do opposite partner’s forced response. He might have a dreadful hand, and you should make allowance for it. The single raise in this situation typically shows 16 to 18 points.