Contract Bridge

You are South, and the bidding has gone: EastSouth West North

Pass Pass Pass

♥

Pass ?

What would you bid with each of the following five hands?

1. ♠ K2 ♥ 10983 ♦ 64

♣ AQJ84

2. ♠ A5 ♥ 1092 ♦ QJ743

♣ Q65

3. ♠ Q107 ♥ J6 ♦ QJ104

♣ AJ72

4. ♠ KJ94 ♥ 10 ♦ KQ962 ♣ Q63

5. ♠ 3 ♥ AJ854 ♦ 1093

♣ KQ87

***

1. Three hearts. Responses by a player who previously passed fall into a different category from those made by a player who did not initially pass. Obviously, an original pass denies the values for an opening bid, so the opener need not bid again if he thinks game is either impossible or highly unlikely.

Here, a two-club response would not compel partner to bid again, whereas if you had not passed originally, the change of suits would be 100% forcing. The jump-raise to three hearts, while highly encouraging, is also not forcing, but it is much more likely to induce a further bid from partner than a response of two clubs.

2. Two hearts. The choices are one notrump, two diamonds or two hearts, none of which forces a rebid from partner. The heart raise is preferred because it has more chance of stirring him into bidding again, since the announced trump support will increase the value of his hand.

3. Two notrump. Ordinarily, this would indicate 13 to 15 points, but after an initial pass, the jump to two notrump shows 11 or 12 points.

4. Two diamonds. You have enough points to respond on the two-level, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t bid your longer suit first. You plan to bid spades next if partner rebids two hearts, thus informing him that you have more diamonds than spades. Game is unlikely if partner passes two diamonds.

5. Four hearts. Since 10 tricks seem highly probable even if partner has a minimum opening bid, you shouldn’t run the risk of his passing a three-heart bid. You should always avoid inviting partner to go to game when you are reasonably certain in your own mind that a game can be made. In such situations, just bid the game yourself. (If you play “splinter” bids, a jump to three spades, indicating heart support plus a singleton or void in spades, carries the same message.)