Bidding Quiz

You are South and have the following hand:

♠ KQ10942 ♥ 9 ♦ KQJ3 ♣ A7 1. Partner opens One Club, you bid One Spade, and partner bids Two Spades. What would you bid now?

2. East bids One Club, you overcall with One Spade, and your partner bids One No-trump. What would you bid now?

3. Partner opens One Heart, you respond One Spade, and partner bids Two Hearts. What would you bid now?

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1. Four no-trump. A small slam is nearly certain -- about all you need from partner are two aces and a king. In fact, there is even the possibility of a grand slam -- if partner has three aces and a king -- and Blackwood is the ideal way to find out what you need to know.

If partner responds five diamonds, showing one ace, you sign off at five spades; if he bids five hearts, showing two aces, you bid six spades. If he bids five spades, showing three aces, you next bid five no-trump, asking about kings. Although it is unlikely partner could have a king since he didn't open one no-trump or jump to three spades at his second turn, it doesn't hurt to ask; should he happen to bid six diamonds, showing one king, you can confidently bid a grand slam.

2. Four spades. Partner was not obliged to respond to your overcall, and by doing so he evinced a mild interest in game. Since you have an exceptionally sound overcall, you should conclude that game is very likely. It would be wrong to hedge by bidding three spades, which partner might pass. Nor is there any advantage in bidding diamonds, since you don't want to play in that suit.

High-card point count takes a back seat in hands of this type. It is true that you have only 15 points in high cards, but that would not be the right way to evaluate your hand. Contracts are made by tricks, not points, and in this case it is hard to imagine losing more than three tricks after partner voluntarily bids one no-trump.

3. Three diamonds. With an opening bid opposite partner's opening bid, you must make a forcing bid at this point. In view of partner's minimum rebid, slam is not likely, though still possible, but for the moment the problem is to find the best game contract. Three diamonds leaves room for all kinds of exploratory sequences at a safe level. What you do next will depend on partner's response to three diamonds.