Club News Sheet – No. 238 www.pattayabridge.com 27^th May 2007

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My home phone is 038 422924 and my mobile number is 086 6089887

It is best to use my home number to contact me unless I am at the bridge club.

Mon 21^st 1^st Alan & Terje 62% 2^nd Mike & Sid 60%

Wed 23^rd 1^st Bob & Jo 61% 2^nd Kevin & Noreen 60%

Fri 25^th 1^st Kevin & Noreen 63% 2^nd Bill & Frode = Janne & Jan 57%

Bidding Quiz Standard American is assumed unless otherwise stated.

Hand A Hand B With Hand A you open 1♦ and partner responds 2♣, what

do you bid?

♠ 3 ♠ AKJ984

♥ AQ ♥ K65 With Hand B you open 1♠ and partner bids 2NT (Natural -

♦ KQ7532 ♦ A7 11-12 points – you are not playing Jacoby 2NT). What do

♣ AJ102 ♣ 83 you bid?

Hand C Hand D With Hand C partner opens 1♦, what do you respond?

♠ AQ108 ♠ AK652 (a) With Hand D partner opens 1NT and you transfer with 2♥,

♥ KJ7 ♥ 1076 and partner bids 2♠. What do you bid now?

♦ A ♦ 6 (b) This time partner opens 1NT and there is a natural 2♦ overcall.

♣ K9873 ♣ QJ73 What do you bid now?

Hand E Hand F With Hand E partner opens 3♦, what do you bid?

♠ AQ94 ♠ J1097 With Hand F RHO opens 1♥ and you pass as does LHO.

♥ AKQJ2 ♥ KJ8 Partner overcalls 1♠ and …

♦ - ♦ AJ42 (a) RHO bids 2♥, what do you bid?

♣ KQ84 ♣ 108 (b) RHO bids 3♥, what do you bid?

Hand G Hand H With Hand G partner opens 1♠, what do you bid?

♠ Q63 ♠ AJ5

♥ J84 ♥ J7 With Hand H RHO opens a Multi 2♦, what do you bid?

♦ K1064 ♦ AQJ10

♣ KQ5 ♣ A854

Hand J Hand K With Hand J partner opens 1♠, what do you respond?

♠ KQ96 ♠ A With Hand K it’s unfavourable vulnerability. You open 1♥

♥ Q96 ♥ AQ106432 and this is passed round to RHO who overcalls 1♠.

♦ 3 ♦ 985 What do you do?

♣ A10863 ♣ Q7

Bidding Sequences Quiz All of these sequences occurred this week

L 2♦ pass 2NT pass 2♦ is weak, (a) what is 2NT?

3♥ (b) what is the 3♥ response?

M 2♦ 2NT 2♦ is the infamous Multi 2♦, what is the 2NT overcall?

N 2♦ dbl 2♦ is the infamous Multi 2♦, what is the double?

P 1♠ pass 4♠ What is 4♠? - is it game values with 3-4 ♠’s or a pre-emptive bid?

Q 1NT dbl 2♣ What is 2♣? – Stayman or a ♣ suit?

R 3♦ pass 3♥ 3♦ is weak; is 3♥ weak, invitational or forcing?

S 1♠ pass 2NT pass This pair do not play the Jacoby 2NT, so 2NT is 11-12 points;

3♠ is 3♠ weak, invitational or forcing?

T 1♦ pass 2♣ pass Is 2♠ forcing or not?

2♠

U 1♦ pass 2♣ pass Is 3♠ a strong ♠ hand or a splinter showing ♠ shortage

3♠ and ♣ support?

V 1♥ pass pass 1♠ What is double? – take-out, penalty, ‘optional’ or ‘up to you’?

2♥ dbl

W 1♣ 1♠ pass 1NT How many points is 1NT – is it 6-9 as opposite an opener?

Late Arriver

The Pattaya Bridge Club starts at 1.00 p.m. sharp. It is, in my opinion, bad manners and rude to make a point of continually turning up late. Dave simply calls it arrogant. Dave and I will not change a movement for perpetual late arrivers and they will be turned away if we have an unsuitable number. Fortunately we now only have just one of these individuals and he only plays sporadically. If he turns up late again he will only get a game if the numbers are convenient. No excuses will be accepted from this individual.

The Club Championships

Nobody has yet qualified (30 results) for the Gold cup but Janne and Dave are nearly there; the top 6 for the silver and bronze competitions are currently: -

Silver plate = Best 10 Bronze medal = Best 5

650.4 Janne Roos 337.3 Janne Roos

634.5 Lars Gustaffson 336.2 Bengt Malmgren

627.1 Gunnar Barthel 332.9 Paul Savelkral

626.7 Bengt Malmgren 325.6 Gunnar Barthel

625.8 Paul Savelkral 325.6 Lars Gustafsson

619.5 Dave Cutler 322.9 Dave Cutler

Everybody had trouble Board 16 from Wednesday 23^rd

Every East appears to have had trouble on this deal when their partner opened with a pre-empt. Basically, it’s very simple; a new suit over partner’s pre-empt (two or 3 level) is strong and forcing.

Dealer: ♠ K108 Table A

West ♥ 108743 West North East(E) South

E-W vul ♦ QJ2 3♦ pass 3NT (1) all pass

♣ 93

♠ 763 N ♠ AQ94 ‘Expert’ Table

♥ 965 W E ♥ AKQJ2 West North East(E) South

♦ AK109754 S ♦ - 3♦ pass 3♥ (1) pass

♣ - ♣ KQ84 4♥ (2) pass pass (3) pass

♠ J52

♥ -

♦ 863

♣ AJ107652

Table A: (1) What did you bid with this East hand E in this week’s quiz? Most East’s bid a hopeful 3NT because they hand no idea if partner had ♥’s and were afraid that a 3♥ bid would be passed out.

‘Expert’ (1) Actually there is no fear of 3♥ being passed out, it’s forcing; and so 3♥ is the

Table: answer to question E (sequence R).

(2) West likes ♥’s, and if he had an outside feature (an ace or king) he should bid it (that implies ♥ support). If West did not like ♥’s he should retreat into 4♦. With no outside feature (bidding a void is misleading) this West simply raises ♥’s.

(3) East has a nice hand but searching for slam is surely too optimistic opposite a pre-empt.

And what happened? Nobody, out of 5 tables, bid 4♥ which is a good contract despite the 5-0 break. 5♦ or 6♦ are probably equally good contracts but nobody reached them either. 4 out of 5 pairs landed in the poor 3NT; it should probably go down (one did) but one made exactly and two made with an overtrick. The 5^th pair were in 6♥ -1.

The bottom Lines.

- A new suit over partner’s pre-empt is strong and forcing.

- This really is quite logical – there is no need to ‘rescue’ partner when he has a long suit.

- If opener has support for partner’s suit then he should cue bid an ace or king (not in his pre-empt suit). With no such feature he should simply raise partner (as in this example) and without support for partner he should retreat into his pre-empt suit.

- 3NT is not usually a good contract when you have a void in partner’s pre-empt suit (you may well have no entry to his hand).

- Had West bid 4♦ at (2) – so denying ♥ support – then East should bid 5♦.

Avoid the wild guess! Board 3 from Monday 21^st

The Lebensohl convention is the most under-rated convention out there – it often enables responder to show his hand exactly after partner’s 1NT opening has been overcalled.

Dealer: ♠ AK652 Table A

South ♥ 1076 West North(D) East South

E-W vul ♦ 6 - - - 1NT

♣ QJ73 2♦ (1) 2♥ (2) pass 2♠

pass 3NT (3) pass pass(4)

♠ Q103 N ♠ 974 pass

♥ 92 W E ♥ AQ543

♦ AK109872 S ♦ 5 ‘Expert’ Table

♣ 4 ♣ 10965 West North(D) East South

♠ J8 - - - 1NT

♥ KJ8 2♦ 3♠ (2) pass 3NT (5)

♦ QJ43 all pass

♣ AK82

Table A: (1) Apparently a natural overcall, I would try 3♦.

(2) What did you bid with this North hand D(b) in this week’s quiz? As it happens, this pair have agreed that 2♥ is still a transfer in this sequence (a treatment that I don’t approve of).

(3) What did you bid with this North hand D(a) in this week’s quiz? You should show your shape and game-forcing values with a 3♣ bid. Especially with a ♦ overcall, 3NT is an unnecessary gamble.

(4) Luckily South has ♦’s stopped!

‘Expert’ (2) Our experts play Lebensohl and a 3♠ bid here shows explicitly a 5 card ♠ suit,

Table: game values and no ♦ stop. You can’t get much more precise than that in one bid.

(4) With ample ♦ cover South has an easy 3NT bid.

And what happened? Results were all over the place; 3NT (making and +1), 4♥-2, 4♠ - 1 and 3♠-1. The bottom Lines: -

- Let’s ignore the overcall, then when partner opens 1NT and you have a 5 card major and a 4 card minor with the other two suits very weak and game-going values, transfer into the major and bid three of the minor.

- And if there is an overcall, then play Lebelsohl.

Dave’s Column Here is this week’s Dave input involving the best play for the

contract. You are in 4♠ by East and South leads the ♣J.

West East North wins dummy’s ♣K with the ♣A and returns a ♣ which

♠ Q1063 ♠ AKJ984 you win in dummy. You ruff a ♣ high and draw trumps in two

♥ J84 ♥ K65 rounds, North discarding a ♦. Then you play the ♦A, ♦K and

♦ K64 ♦ A7 ruff a ♦, all following. You cross to the ♠Q, both defenders

♣ KQ5 ♣ 83 pitching ♣’s, and play a ♥ to the ♥10, ♥K and ♥A.

West East That leaves this position, with South on lead. South leads the

♠ 10 ♠ J ♥3, which card do you play.

♥ J8 ♥ 65

♦ - ♦ -

♣ - ♣ -
Dave’s Column - answer

Below is the complete deal, but Dave had interchanged the ♠10 and ♦10 and I think that that may affect the play. Anyway, this is what Dave’s book says about the end position: -

“In theory, you are on a complete guess, and restricted choice might suggest that you play South for the ♥9. However, there are four… bla, bla, bla... play the ♥J”

This is again a very complex restricted choice issue, far too complex for the news sheets. The full analysis is on page 118 of Dave’s book. Be quick, I’m sure that all of the club will be lining up to borrow it.

When partner has limited his hand… Board 22 from Wednesday 23^rd

When partner has made a limit bid, you cannot make a passable bid if you have game values…

Dealer: ♠ 5 West(G) North East(B) South

East ♥ 10972 - - 1♠ pass

E-W vul ♦ Q832 2NT (1) pass 3♠ (2) pass

♣ A762 4♠ (3) all pass

♠ Q63 N ♠ AKJ984 (1) What did you bid with this West hand G

♥ J84 W E ♥ K65 in this week’s quiz? 2NT was 11-12 but is

♦ K1064 S ♦ A7 a poor bid with 3 ♠’s. The best bid is 2♦ (or

♣ KQ5 ♣ 83 1NT playing 2/1) followed by 3♠.

♠ 1072 (2) What did you bid with this East hand B

♥ AQ3 in this week’s quiz? 3♠ is wrong because

♦ J95 partner’s bid is invitational and 3♠ shows a

♣ J1094 weak hand with 6 ♠’s. 4♠ is correct.

Apparently East did not want to bid 4♠ as partner may have had a singleton ♠. That cannot be the case, 2NT guarantees 2 ♠’s and is normally precisely 2344 shape. Maybe West had a ♠ in with his ♣’s?

(3) West finally admitted to the fact that he had excellent ♠ support.

And what happened? Everybody was in 4♠; two made. One made +1 and two went down.

And Dave’s problem with the ♥’s often did not materialize as many North’s returned a ♥ at trick two and then declarer is guaranteed a ♥ trick.

The bottom Lines.

- When partner responds a natural 2NT (11-12) the follow-ups are much the same as if he has responded 1NT (but one level higher of course). Responder’s 2NT is a limit bid and opener is the captain – a new suit (not a reverse) or a repeat of the suit opened are weak bids looking for a better spot to play – they are not forcing.

- For example, 1♦ - 2NT - 3♣; declarer wants to play in 3♣ or 3♦.

- I wrote this hand up because of the bidding and then noticed that it was Dave’s hand, I won’t write up any more restricted choice stuff as it’s way, way too complex for the news-sheets and really is a waste of time.

In the dark again Board 4 from Friday 25^th

Last week I wrote an article titled ‘In the Dark’. It discussed opener not knowing what to do when partner raised his 1♠ opening directly to 4♠. This week it’s a similar problem, but this time both opener and responder did not know what to do and they got it wrong.

Dealer: ♠ 1085 Table A

West ♥ J43 West North East(J) South

Both vul ♦ Q104 1♠ pass 4♠ (1) 5♦ (2)

♣ 9754 pass (3) pass 5♠ (4) all pass

♠ AJ432 N ♠ KQ96 Table B

♥ 8752 W E ♥ Q96 West North East(J) South

♦ A86 S ♦ 3 1♠ pass 2♣ (1) 2♦ (5)

♣ Q ♣ A10863 2♥ pass 4♠ (6) pass (7)

♠ 7

♥ AK10 ‘Expert Table’

♦ KJ9752 West North East(J) South

♣ KJ2 1♠ pass 4♦ (1) dbl (8)

4♠ (9) all pass

Table A: (1) What did you respond with this East hand J in this week’s quiz? 4♠ is wrong because that shows a weak hand (about 6-9 points) with 5 ♠’s. If you do not play splinters (why not?) then 2♣ is the bid – show your values and raise to 4♠ next go.

(2) A bold (reckless?) bid, especially when vulnerable.

(3) But West does not know what to do! Presumably partner’s 4♠ bid could be weak or could be strong?

(4) And East does not know what to do. He has values that his partner does not know about – so should he double or bid 5♠? It’s a dilemma of his own making and he got it wrong.

Table B: (1) This East also does not play splinters and so correctly bid 2♣.

(5) This lets South in at a sensible level with his ♦’s but that’s not important. The important thing for East-West is to describe their shape and strength to each other.

(6) Now East has shown his hand – 4 ♠’s, a ♣ suit and 12+ points.

(7) And obviously South does not want to go for 1100 and so passes.

‘Expert’ (1) Our experts play splinters of course and this is the answer to question J. This 4♦

Table: splinter is easily the best bid – it sums the hand up in one bid – game values, 4 card ♠ support and ♦ shortage.

(8) South can now safely show his ♦’s with a double but that’s no problem for E-W.

(9) In fact the dbl would have helped West if he had slam ambitions as a redouble would be a cue bid showing the ♦A. Since West has no slam ambitions and a poor opener he decided to settle for 4♠.

And what happened? 5♠ went one down. Three pairs were in the comfortable 4♠ and one pair stopped in 3♠. The bottom Lines.

- Sequence P (1♠ - 4♠) is weak (5 trumps and 5-9 pts) – do not bid it with game values.

- Without shortage, show a sound raise via the delayed game raise if you do not play Jacoby 2NT and/or Swiss. With a sound raise and shortage – splinter.

- I have written up the Delayed game raise – it’s in the conventions folder and on the web.

- Refer to (Conventions > Section 1> Delayed Game Raise).

A poor double – part 1 Board 21 from Friday 25^th

Dealer: ♠ A Table A

North ♥ AQ106432 West North(K) East(F) South

N-S vul ♦ 985 - 1♥ pass pass (1)

♣ Q7 1♠ 2♥ (2) dbl (3) pass

2♠ (4) pass 3♠ (5) pass

♠ KQ5432 N ♠ J1097 4♠ (6) all pass

♥ 9 W E ♥ KJ8

♦ KQ10 S ♦ AJ42 Table B

♣ A92 ♣ 108 West North(K) East(F) South

♠ 86 - 1♥ pass pass (1)

♥ 75 1♠ 3♥ (2) dbl (7) pass

♦ 763 pass (8) pass

♣ KJ6543

Table A: (1) A weak jump shift of 3♣ is an alternative if you play them.

(2) What did you bid with this North hand K in this week’s quiz? I much prefer the bid chosen at Table B.

(3) What did you bid with this East hand F(a) in this week’s quiz? Firstly, what does double mean? – is it some sort of take-out or penalties. If East had a minor two-suiter then he would presumably have bid the UNT. In my opinion it’s 100% penalties – East has a ♥ stack and so was unable to bid on the first round. Apparently this East meant it as some sort of wishy-washy ‘leave it up to you’ double. I would not double but bid either 4♠ (if you play that as a sound raise) or cue bid with 3♥ on the way to 4♠.

(4) Fortunately for East, West considered his hand unsuitable for defending at the two level and so pulled his partner’s double. If I was West I would have passed if I trusted my partner – and so get a complete bottom.

(5) With 4 good trumps and the ♥’s well placed over the overcaller I would bid 4♠, but then I would have last go.

(6) And fortunately for East again, West had a hand good enough to go to game.

Table B: (2) This is the best answer to question K – it shows good long ♥’s and may make life difficult for the opponents if it is their hand.

(7) What did you bid with this East hand F(b) in this week’s quiz? This double is clearly penalties and clearly wrong. I would simply bid 4♠.

(8) At the three level West has no reason to remove partner’s penalty double.

And what happened? 3♥ doubled went just one down for a bottom to E-W. 4♠ was bid at all other tables and either made or made +1.

The bottom lines

- It is rarely correct to double the opponents for penalties when you have a 9+ card fit with partner.

- I do not believe in ‘wishy-washy leave it up to you’ doubles and take the doubles at (3) and (7) to be (very poor) penalty doubles.

- With 4 card support for partner’s 5+ card major – support!

A poor double – part 2 Board 9 from Friday 25^th

E-W can make 3NT or 5♣ on this deal, but it’s almost impossible to bid. But that’s no problem if an opponent doubles you in 3♣!

Dealer: ♠ K753 Table A

North ♥ K3 West North East South

E-W vul ♦ AKQ8 - 1NT 2♦ (1) pass

♣ Q87 2♥ (2) pass 3♣ (3) pass

pass (4) dbl (5) all pass

♠ A10986 N ♠ J

♥ 852 W E ♥ AQJ6 Table B

♦ J743 S ♦ 5 West North East South

♣ 9 ♣ AKJ6532 - 1NT dbl (1) pass

♠ Q42 2♠ (6) pass 3♣ (7) pass

♥ 10974 pass (8) pass

♦ 10962

♣ 104

Table A: (1) Multi Landy, showing a single suited hand (suit unspecified). I think that this hand is a bit too good and I would bid as Table B.

(2) A relay.

(3) A ♣ suit.

(4) East is limited to 15 points for this sequence and clearly West has no reason to bid on.

(5) But this really is silly. East has shown a shapely hand willing to compete to the three level and North has nothing more than his original 1NT opening with a now worthless ♣Q.

Table B: (1) I much prefer this double to the Multi Landy bid.

(6) This is borderline. It’s a good 5 points (excellent intermediates) and pass is certainly worth considering (it would have scored a near top).

(7) This now shows a very good hand with a good ♣ suit.

(8) But West does not really have enough to bid on.

And what happened? Every East played in 3♣ or 4♣, all making 11 or 12 tricks. 3♣ doubled made just +1 but scored an outright top for E-W despite making less tricks than every other pair.

The bottom lines

- When you open 1NT you have said it all – partner is the captain.

- Don’t bid your hand twice (open 1NT and that’s it, don’t subsequently double).

- This East hand is far too good for an overcall (via Multi Landy or whatever) and should double the 1NT opening. This also has the big advantage that if partner pulls the double into ♥’s then you can have a shot at 4♥ (maybe an invitational 3♥).

Systems on Board 23 from Friday 25^th

Most pairs play systems (transfers and Stayman) on when partner makes a natural NoTrump overcall. But this E-W pair got in a mess because of a Multi 2♦ opening.

Dealer: ♠ 10

South ♥ AK West(H) North East South

both vul ♦ 9765432 - - - 2♦ (1)

♣ J96 2NT (2) pass 3♥ (3) pass

3♠ (4) pass 3NT pass

♠ AJ5 N ♠ 974 4♠ all pass

♥ J7 W E ♥ Q8643

♦ AQJ10 S ♦ K

♣ A854 ♣ KQ32

♠ KQ8632

♥ 10952

♦ 8

♣ 107

(1) A multi two diamond – in this case a weak ♠ hand. Some people frown upon pre-empting with an outside 4 card major and it’s probably a matter of style. I have no problem with it if the points are in the pre-empt suit and the 4-card major is weak – as here.

(2) What did you bid with this West hand H in this week’s quiz? Defense to the Multi two diamonds is up to partnership agreement and as a few people have had difficulty with it I have written a page on the web site. I personally would only bid a natural 2NT with a stopper in both majors and with this hand I would double to show 16+ points (and deny a stopper in both majors). Anyway, 2NT here (sequence M) is natural (15-18) unless you have some other strange agreement.

(3) East was unsure what 2NT meant over a Multi 2♦ and so bid his ♥’s.

(4) But West took it as a transfer.

And what happened? The 400 for 4♠-4 was indeed in the right column (somebody did query how E-W got to 4♠). 3NT+1 was the most popular spot.

The bottom lines

- Defence to the Multi 2♦ is up to partnership understanding. There are a few ideas around and I have written up a simple and basic one. It’s in the conventions folder and on the web.

- For details, refer to (Conventions > Section 3> Defense to the Multi 2♦).

Charging into Blackwood Board 12 from Monday 21^st

It’s never a good to jump directly into Blackwood – take it slowly (in a forcing sequence of course) and find out more about partner’s hand first.

Dealer: ♠ J964 Table A

East ♥ 62 West(A) North East(C) South

Love all ♦ J1098 1♦ pass 1♠ (1) pass

♣ Q54 3♣ pass 4NT (2) pass

5♥ pass 5NT pass

♠ 3 N ♠ AQ108 6♦ pass 6NT all pass

♥ AQ W E ♥ KJ7

♦ KQ7532 S ♦ A Table B

♣ AJ102 ♣ K9873 West(A) North East(C) South

♠ K752 1♦ pass 2♣ (1) pass

♥ 1098543 4NT (3) pass 5♣ pass

♦ 64 6♣ pass 7NT (4) pass

♣ 4 pass

‘Expert’ Table

West(A) North East(C) South

1♦ pass 2♣ (1) pass

3♠ (3) pass 4♦ (5) pass

4♥ (6) pass 4♠ (6) pass

4NT (7) pass 5♣ (8) pass

5♦ (9) pass 6♣ (10) pass

pass or 6NT (11)

Table A: (1) What did you respond with this East hand C in this week’s quiz? I prefer 2♣.

2♣ is better than 1♠ - this is not ‘denying a 4 card major’ because East plans to show his shape and strength by reversing into ♠’s next go.

(2) West’s jump is game forcing and so 4♣ is a sensible alternative.

Table B: (1) This East chose the preferred response of 2♣.

(3) What did you bid with this West hand A in this week’s quiz? This leap into Blackwood is totally premature – West has taken over while not knowing if partner has 10 points or 20 or if he too is interested in slam (or a grand).

(4) One should not usually over-rule the Blackwood bidder, but East has 7 more points than he has promised and he has my sympathies.

‘Expert’ (1) Our experts respond 2♣ of course.

Table: (3) 3♠ is the best answer to question A – a splinter agreeing ♣’s with ♠ shortage and slam interest. 2♠ is a natural reverse (sequence T) and forcing so it’s best to play 3♠ (sequence U) as a splinter.

(5) Many experts play 4♦ here as RKCB – Kickback. But as nobody at the club plays this they are playing standard and so 4♦ is a cue bid agreeing slam interest.

(6) A cue bid (7) RKCB for ♣’s (8) 3 keycards

(9) Trump queen? (10) No, and only 5 ♣’s

(11) West knows that a grand slam is dodgy with the ♣Qxxx missing; he can pass or go for the more optimistic 6NT.

And what happened? 7NT went down, others were in 6NT or 6♣, generally making exactly. Everybody launched into Blackwood blindly but most stopped in a small slam.

The bottom lines: -

- Don’t launch into Blackwood prematurely.

- With shortage and 4 card support for partner, splinter with a game-going hand.

- After a two-level response, I play a single jump (so a sequence like U) as a splinter.

- So Sequence T (1♦ - 2♣ - 2♠) is forcing and 3♠ is a splinter.

- Playing RKCB, the next bid after a 5♣/♦ response (but not 5 of the trump suit) asks for the trump queen.

- In response to a trump queen ask, six of the trump suit denies the trump queen, any suit bid acknowledges the trump queen and shows a king of the suit bid and 6NT acknowledges the trump queen but denies a king elsewhere.

- When asked for the trump queen, you should generally acknowledge it even if you don’t actually have it if you have one more trump than partner can reasonably expect (i.e you have 10 trumps between you).

Bidding Sequences Quiz Answers

L 2♦ pass 2NT pass 2♦ is weak and 2NT and the response depends

3♥ upon whether you play standard or Ogust.

If you play Ogust then (a) 2NT asks how good the 2♦ is

and (b) 2♥ shows a good 2♦ with values outside ♦’s.

If you play standard, then (a) 2NT asks for a feature

and (b) 3♥ shows the ♥A or ♥K.

M 2♦ 2NT I play 2NT as natural, 15-18 balanced with a stop in both majors.

N 2♦ dbl I play this as 16+ not suitable for 2NT.

P 1♠ pass 4♠ The direct 4♠ is weak, about 6-9 with 5 ♠’s.

Q 1NT dbl 2♣ 2♣ is natural – a 5 card suit.

R 3♦ pass 3♥ a new suit over partner’s pre-empt is forcing.

S 1♠ pass 2NT pass This pair do not play the Jacoby 2NT, so 2NT is 11-12 points;

3♠ so then 3♠ is weak and to play.

T 1♦ pass 2♣ pass 2♠ is forcing, it’s a reverse.

2♠

U 1♦ pass 2♣ pass 3♠ is a splinter showing ♠ shortage and ♣ support and

3♠ probably looking for slam.

V 1♥ pass pass 1♠ Penalties, doubler has a ♥ stack.

2♥ dbl

W 1♣ 1♠ pass 1NT INT opposite a 1-level overcall is not 6-9. It’s more, about 10-12, because partner is only promising 7-8 points.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A: 3♠. A splinter agreeing ♣’s. Note that this is not a double jump but it is best played as a splinter as 2♠ is a reverse and forcing.

Hand B: 4♠. Partner has 11-12 points and two ♠’s, so bid game. 3♠ is wrong because that’s a weak bid.

Hand C: 2♣. This is not ‘denying a 4-card major’ as you intend to bid ♠’s next go. Bidding 2♣ is far better than 1♠ as you will not be able to show your shape to partner if you start with 1♠.

Hand D: (a) 3♣. This is game forcing and emphasizes the weakness in the red suits.

(b) 3♠. This is forcing and promises a 5 card ♠ suit. If you play Lebensohl it also denies a ♦ stop. Some people play transfers on in this sequence (so 2♥ is a transfer to ♠’s). It’s not my cup of tea (2♥ should be weak, to play) and Lebensohl solves most of the problems associated with 1NT being overcalled.

Hand E: 3♥, this is forcing. If you think that partner may pass 3♥ then bid 5♦, 3NT is a poor bid with a void in partner’s 7 card suit as you will have entry problems to his hand.

Hand F: (a) 3♥, to show a sound raise to 3♠ or better; 4♠ is an alternative but generally shows a weaker hand and 3♠ is a bit too feeble for me. Double is a poor bid as it’s penalties and as you have 4 card support for partner’s 5 card major you will not get a good score by defending.

(b) 4♠. You do not have room to show that this is a sound raise. Double is a poor bid for exactly the same reasons as outlined above.

Hand G: 2♦, to be followed by 3♠ over a minimal rebid by partner, this shows 11-12 points with 3 card ♠ support. 3♠ is wrong as that guarantees 4 ♠’s and 2NT is wrong as that denies 3 ♠’s.

Hand H: Double or pass. The defense to the Multi Two Diamonds is up to partnership understanding. I like to double with 16+ and only overcall a natural 2NT with a stopper in both majors. Pass is also fine as you always get another go. If you pass then LHO will presumably bid 2♥; if RHO passes then you double (take out) and if RHO bids 2♠ then you bid 2NT (showing a ♠ stop).

Hand J: 4♦, a splinter agreeing ♠’s with 4 card ♠ support, ♦ shortage and game values. If you do not play splinters then bid 2♣ followed by 4♠ - a Delayed Game Raise. This is the classic way to show a sound raise to 4 of partner’s major. A direct 4♠ bid is wrong because that shows a weak hand with 5 ♠’s. If you play Keycard Swiss then bid 4♣, Showing two keycards, 12-15 points, and a feature (the singleton ♦).

Hand K: 3♥, this is a good ♥ suit and 2♥ is too feeble. 4♥ would be a reasonable alternative at favourable vulnerability.