BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

Playing Pairs with the score love all, your

partner opens 1nT (12-14 pts). your RHO intervenes with 2♠. What action would you take?

You have a minimum of 23 between you and a possible 25, plus the asset of a six-card suit.

Note that your opponent’s bid has been a straight intervention, not one of the many forms of takeout requests or a business double, so he may well be sticking his neck out.

You can’t think of doubling him on a hand like this, but at Pairs, it would be extremely costly to let him play — and very possibly make 2♠ with an overtrick for a plus score of 110 or 140.

Bid 3♦, which, as you were forced to this level, is not forcing as a 3♦ jump without intervention would be. Partner might try for a game, but is more likely to pass and let you play it, and even if you go one down this will only cost you 50 points, which is a good exchange for the possible plus score for your opponents.