Contract Bridge
Bidding quiz
You are South, both sides vulnerable. The bidding has been:
West North East South 1 ♥ Dble Pass?
What would you bid with each of the following five hands?
1. ♠ AJ764 ♥ 853 ♦ K752 ♣ 9
2. ♠ 943 ♥ KJ2 ♦ J85 ♣ KJ96
3. ♠ Q82 ♥ J875 ♦ 732 ♣ 653
4. ♠ AJ7 ♥ QJ86 ♦ 842 ♣ K94
5. ♠ Q654 ♥ 7 ♦ KQ85 ♣ AQ32
1. Two spades. The most common way to indicate promising values when your partner doubles for takeout is by making a jump-response in your longest suit. It would be wrong to respond one spade with this hand and also make the same bid with, say:
♠ J642 ♥ 8532 ♦ Q7 ♣ 872 Your partner is not a mind reader and would have no way of knowing which hand you held if you responded one spade with both.
The given hand offers a strong potential for game with spades as trump, and you should announce that prospect via an invitational jumpresponse. Partner can then pass or continue bidding, depending on the strength of his hand.
2. One notrump. Here you have more high-card points but less chance for game. The choices are two clubs, which could be based on a worthless hand; three clubs, which would show about nine to 11 points; and one notrump, promising seven to 10 points, a balanced hand and at least one heart stopper. This last choice describes your hand perfectly and is therefore the most sensible action.
3. One spade. This is an admittedly unpleasant situation, but you’re not responsible for having been dealt a bad hand with no suit to bid. It would be dead wrong to pass, and equally wrong to bid one notrump with such meager values. You’re not expected to enjoy bidding a three-card suit, but it’s the best bid available.
4. Two notrump. This is an invitational bid, indicating 11 or 12 points, hearts well stopped and notrump distribution. If the deuce of diamonds were the queen, you’d bid three notrump.
5. Two hearts. This is obviously a game-going hand opposite a partner who has indicated opening-bid strength by his double. The trouble is that you don’t know which of your three suits will provide the best play for game.
Rather than try to guess which game to bid, you should respond with a cuebid, asking partner to choose a suit. You plan to raise directly to game in the suit of his choice.