Contract Bridge
Bidding quiz
Partner opens One Spade, both sides vulnerable, and you have a partscore of 40. What would you respond with each of the following five hands?
1. ♠ 83 ♥ 107652 ♦ AQ4
♣ KQ8
2. ♠ J752 ♥ AKJ3 ♦ Q76
♣ 84
3. ♠ Q96 ♥ KQ4 ♦ AJ9
♣ AJ87
4. ♠ 74 ♥ J73 ♦ Q973
♣ J952
5. ♠ K8653 ♥ AQJ96 ♦ J8
♣ 10
***
1. One notrump. Without the partscore, a two-heart bid would be perfectly normal, but with it, the correct response is one notrump. This is because partner might pass two hearts with indifferent trump support — since a game contract has been reached — and your hearts are simply not substantial enough to risk a pass. There is no chance of partner’s passing one notrump, as such a response is forcing with a partscore of 40.
2. Two spades. Ordinarily, you’d respond three spades (a limit raise), but since a jump to three with a partscore of 40 would constitute a slam try, you bid only two. Change the club eight to the king and you’d have a proper threespade bid. Such a jump would indicate interest in a slam but would not be forcing.
3. Three notrump. This is also not forcing but is highly invitational to a slam. The jump to three notrump promises 17 or 18 high-card points, scattered strength in the unbid suits and balanced distribution.
4. One notrump. Without a partscore, you’d pass, because game would be too remote to justify keeping the bidding alive. But with a 40 partscore, the requirements for a response are lower than the usual six-point minimum since you don’t have to bid as high as usual to reach a game. You therefore lower your sights slightly.
5. Three spades. Here you make a slam try that is based on your excellent trump support, strong side suit and attractive distribution. True, you have only 11 high-card points, but slam is conceivable even opposite a minimum opening bid. Partner needs little more than the ace of spades, king of hearts and ace of diamonds to be a favorite for 12 tricks.
An alternative response, if you play “splinter” bids, would be four clubs, indicating excellent support for spades, a singleton or void in clubs, and a hand strong enough to warrant contracting for ten tricks. If partner had ♠ AQxxx ♥ Kxx ♦ Ax ♣ xxx, such as described in the previous paragraph, he might very well visualize the possibility of a slam.