BriDgE Quiz

QUESTION 1: Neither vulnerable, as

South, you hold:

SOUTH vulnerable as South, you hold:

sNORTH

What call would you make?

QUESTION 5: North- South

NORTH 1s 2s 963 AKJ98754

What call would you make? as South, you hold:

sVoid

SOUTH ?

cKJ

EAST

Pass

WEST

Pass

QUESTION 6: East- West vulnerable,

AQ9

WEST 1s

hhWEST

Dbl

EAST

Pass

Pass

ddK AKQ865 Q86

NORTH

Pass

cEAST

Pass

What call would you make?

I have noticed that a lot of pairs are playing transfers over a one- club opening now. How would you defend against them?

The most common treatment is to play a double as showing the values for an overcall in the suit bid, and completing their transfer as a takeout of the suit shown. Indeed, this is a good principle for defending against all types of transfers. Importantly, play all other calls, including one no- trump and a jump in their suit, as natural.

While playing online, I have noticed that some of my opponents do not bother alerting their artificial bids. How am I supposed to know what they mean?

You can always ask via a chat function ( or by clicking on the bid in question when playing on Bridge Base Online). Of course, your opponents should alert without a prompt, but most players are used to alerting their partner’s bids, not their own. Also, it is harder to concentrate when playing online, so everyone should be granted a little leeway.

I recently held J- 9- 8- 4, K- 10- 9- 8- 3, K- Q- 5, 3. At game all, it went: two passes to my left- hand opponent, who opened a strong club, partner overcalled one spade, and my right- hand opponent passed. What would you bid here?

hdscI think three spades is the best call. We are not really looking for game after a strong one club, so pre- empting should be the priority. Three hearts as a fit jump is an alternative, but gives them a little bit more room and overstates the quality of the hearts — if only by a fraction. As a passed hand, you cannot have only hearts and not have opened the suit.

When the opponents have bid two suits and our side has the power for game, how can we ask for a stopper in each suit?

When they have shown only one suit, cue- bidding that suit asks for a stopper. When they have shown two suits, cue- bidding shows a stopper and usually denies a stop in the other suit. Without a stopper in either, I suppose you would have to make a waiting move or go past three no- trump.