End of Year 2 General Quiz. by Paul Bowyer

A: 2♥. Partner has used Stayman, asking that you bid a four-card major. With both it is customary to bid Hearts first (following the principle of bidding four-card suits "up-the-line")

What happens next is out of our hands.

Your result so far:

A: 4♠. Partner's 2♣ bid shows at least one four-card major. When he bids 3NT he clearly doesn't have four Hearts so you can deduce...

Your result so far:

A: Double. For take-out - you just are too strong to Pass and allow the opponents to jockey you out of your probable contract.

You should strain to act when you are short in the opponents' suit and here, with two low Hearts and support for the other major, you are fully entitled to enter the auction.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. Like a flash. You put a gun to partner's head, forcing him to bid, and he simply had to do something. 3♠ does not promise any strength and even the three-level may be too high.

Your result so far:

A: 4♠. If you were to bid 3♠ your poor partner might Pass (indeed, will probably Pass) and you will miss game.

Opposite a take-out Double your duty is to show both length and strength and here 3♠ would be feeble. With 13 points, and confident of Spade support opposite, you must bid game.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. 4NT is quantitative (it is NOT Blackwood) and is inviting you to slam. In general you have two choices - Pass or 6NT. With a minimum 15 points you should decline the invitation.

Your result so far:

A: 4NT. You are not in a position to underwrite a slam with a 4.3.3.3 hand and 12 points facing a balanced 20-21. You may, though, issue an invitation to a slam by bidding a quantitative 4NT. North should now choose between Passing and advancing to 6NT.

Your result so far:

A: 4NT. This 4NT IS Blackwood. When a suit has been agreed 4NT asks for Aces.

Your next bid will be determined by partner's response. If he shows no Aces you will sign off in 5♠. If he shows one Ace you will try a small slam by bidding 6♠ and if he owns up to two Aces you are going to try for a grand slam with a bid of 7♠.

Your result so far:

A: 4♥. Partner's negative Double of 1♠ shows four Hearts (conceivably more) so you know of a fit. It's the old story. Opposite a Double your duty is to show both length and strength and here 3♥ would be merely competitive - an attempt to prevent East-West from stealing the hand in 2♠.

With 17 points, and confident of Heart support opposite, you must bid game.

Your result so far:

A: 1NT. Selling out to 1♥ doesn't look right - you must contest the part-score. Doubling with only two Spades would be wrong-headed - just what do you think partner will bid...?

In the balancing seat 1NT shows this sort of hand, 12-14 points or thereabouts, and is bid merely to protect the part-score.

Your result so far: