A book to help bidding judgment

Neil Kimelman from Canada has just completed his trilogy about bidding with “The Right Bid at the Right Time” (Master Point Press). The book contains more than 80 tough bidding problems, both constructive and competitive. After the reader decides what he would do, Kimelman analyzes the pros and cons of each possible call, sometimes gives the original full deal and has “lessons to learn.” In general, the advice is sound, but a few times he makes debatable recommendations.

I found one deal where he said that a penalty double of three spades led to minus 730. He did not describe the play, though, because declarer had a two-way guess for the club jack that he must have gotten right. If either defender had held the club 10, they would have been plus 200 for a nice score. (To be honest, the setting was a team game, not a pair event, when a close double into game should be avoided.)

In today’s deal, taken from a team event, what should North rebid over one no-trump?

While you are considering that, “Out of Hand, Out of Mind” by Bill Buttle (Master Point Press) is a book containing 141 color cartoons with bridge themes, some funnier than others, of course.

Back to the deal, North ought to rebid three diamonds (although three no-trump is feasible). This says that North is trying to get to three no-trump, but would like South to have some help in the suit and, preferably, hearts well held — as he does here.

Finally, yes, I probably would have responded two no-trump, not one, with that suitable South hand, and hoped for the best in the black suits.