Contract Bridge

Steve beCkeR

Partner bids One Notrump. What would you respond with each of the following four hands?

1. ♠ Q963 ♥ KQ752 ♦ A6 ♣ 74

2. ♠ KQ5 ♥ AQ6 ♦ K1082 ♣ Q93

3. ♠ 762 ♥ 109 ♦ AK9874 ♣ 84

4. ♠ J9862 ♥ 3 ♦ 10875

♣ 954

***

1. Two clubs. With 11 highcard points facing 15 to 17, there is no question about getting to game. The only problem is whether the proper contract is three notrump, four hearts or four spades.

The best way to resolve this issue is to consult partner by bidding two clubs (Stayman). If partner responds with either major, you raise that suit to game. If partner responds two diamonds, denying a four-card major, you next jump to three hearts, indicating a gameforcing hand with five hearts. Partner then either raises to four hearts if he has threecard support, or retreats to three notrump with a doubleton heart.

2. Four notrump. This is not Blackwood, but simply an invitational raise in notrump asking partner to bid six notrump if he has maximum values (17 points), or to pass with a minimum (15 points). Opener uses his judgment (or can bid five notrump) with 16 points. The magic number for slam with two balanced hands is a combined holding of 33 points.

3. Three notrump. There are no guarantees with this bid, as you might have as little as 22 high-card points in the combined hands instead of the 26 usually needed for game. However, you can’t afford to bid only two notrump and risk getting left at the post with a hand that will very likely yield five or six diamond tricks. There is also no point in attempting to show your diamond suit at some level. By far the best action is to take the bull by the horns and leap to game in notrump.

4. Two spades (or two hearts if you play Jacoby Transfers). Although you have a terrible hand, it figures to play better at spades than at notrump. In notrump, partner is likely to go down two or three tricks opposite this hand. But with spades as trump, your hand should produce anywhere from two to four trump tricks, depending on partner’s spade holding. In addition, the spades will provide entries to take whatever finesses may be needed.