End of Year 1 General Quiz. by Paul Bowyer

A: 1♠. With a 5-5 shape it is almost always right to open the higher of the two suits. Certainly this is true if you have both majors.

If you were to open 1♥ what would your rebid be if partner responded, say, 2♣? A bid of 2♠ would be a strength-showing high-level reverse.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. A 2♠ response doesn't promise much (6-9 points, give or take a little) and you have little prospect of escaping with just three losers.

Take the plus score in 2♠!

Your result so far:

A: 4♠. Only 12 points but the attractive shape compensates for any missing values. Opposite four trumps and 10-11 points (give or take a little) there should be a play for game.

True, if some of partner's values lie in the ♣K Q there may be four top losers. Live with it.

Your result so far:

A: 3♥. You know of a good fit in a major so you must pass on the good news immediately. It is a cardinal error to respond 1♠ on hands like this - partner never realises that you have a decent fit with his suit.

"I had to show you my Spades" whined a partner of mine, pathetically, when bidding such a hand some time ago. "I'd have seen them when dummy went down!" I snapped back.

Your result so far:

A: 1♥. You have to respond by bidding your suits and the proper technique is to bid them "up-the-line". You might ignore a feeble four-card minor to bid a four-card major but with both majors you should always respond 1♥ to 1♣ or 1♦.

Your result so far:

A: 2♠. The classic weakness take-out. You have muck, it is true, but your hand will produce more tricks in Spades than partner's will in No-trumps with this heap exposed as a dummy. Think of it as damage limitation.

2♠ is a sign-off and partner will Pass (if he wants to remain your partner, anyway). This hand belongs to East-West. Well, let them start their conversation at the three-level.

Your result so far:

A: Double. A classic take-out Double. You are saying you are short in Hearts and can support any suit partner chooses to bid.

That's a great description of what you have, isn't it? Also, most players like to have four cards in the other major when they Double; here the Great Dealer in the Sky has obliged by giving you four Spades to Double 1♥. Perfect!

Your result so far:

A: Pass. The golden rule in these competitive auctions is that you should strain to bid when you are short in the opponents' suit and should keep your mouth firmly shut when they start bidding your best suits.

Here, East wants Spades to be trumps. So do you, so why get in the way?

Your result so far:

A: 1♠. You should strain to overcall when you have Spades, the top-ranking suit. Also, overcalls at the one-level are relatively safe. Here, you may well win the auction by outbidding East-West and, if not, you may at least attract the best lead from your partner.

"He who hath Spades ruleth the auction"

Your result so far:

A: 1♠. Pass. Overcalls at the two-level are very different kettles of fish from one-level overcalls. The best that can be said about a 2♣ overcall is that it will attract the right lead should West become declarer.

On the downside you cannot expect to contest the auction with puny Clubs (you will always be outbid) and it is often the case that you suffer a bad penalty with an injudicious overcall at the two-level. Prudent players demand a six-card suit for a two-level overcall or compensating values in terms of high cards or shape.

Your result so far: