BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

AT LoVE All, your partner, North, deals and opens 1 ♦ . What would you respond playing Pairs and would it make any difference if you were +90 at rubber bridge? the two bidding sequences would be quite different. At Pairs, you would respond 1 ♥ , not so much with the idea of playing in hearts when you have such a good diamond fit, but because this will be more constructive than any other response, leading to a 3Nt contract instead of climbing up in a minor suit.

At rubber bridge, if you pass 1 ♦ , it leaves the door wide open for the opponents to try to find a sacrifice contract or even compete in their own suit. Nor do you want to bid 1 ♥ which, at the score, would give a game contract and might well be passed by opener when the hand belongs in diamonds.

the best thing you can do is make a preemptive raise to 3 ♦ . Partner should know that if you had wanted to look for more, you would have made a change-of-suit forcing bid.