BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are playing Pairs, and your partner opens 3NT. What if anything would you bid as North? First of all, you must remember that 3Nt is a conventional bid. it has always been used in Acol to show a long, solid minor — at least a seven-card suit with AKQ or an eight-card suit with AK. in olden days, the style was to have an ace or king in a side suit, but that requirement has long gone.

From your hand, you can tell that partner’s suit is diamonds and clearly the safest contract would be 3Nt played from your side to protect your vulnerable ♣ K.

in fact, you have an interesting decision to make. Are you going to pass 3Nt or hope that the ♣ A is with West, or that you don't get a club lead?

Or do you bid 5 ♦ — the suit partner is known to hold? this protects your ♣ K initially, but it’s far from certain you will be able to make 11 tricks unless partner has ♥ Q or ♠ Q.

Because you’re playing Pairs, you must bite the bullet and pass. You must not risk going beyond 3Nt in a minor, unless you want a slam, because you are certain to get a poor score when West holds ♣ A. Also, it is by no means certain that you will make 11 tricks in diamonds.