National "Elvis Week" by Marti Ronemus

A: Pass: It only hurts for a moment. Let's think this through. Pard has 5-1/2 tricks. We've got 3, maybe 3-1/2. We know Pard should have the ♥K Q (disciplined, right?), and cannot have much more. If we ask Pard for a feature and he has a king, which one? BUT! The presence of The King in our hand might make this bid another story.

Your result so far:

A: 3♦: Our job is to describe our hands as clearly as possible. So we need to get up on the big stage and tell Pard we are very distributional and have enough to bid at the three-level. We'd like to have another Diamond for this bid, but nothing is perfect. By the way, is Pard likely to think this is Help Suit Game Try? No, because we are competitive bidders, not opener and responder.

Your result so far:

A: Double: We must get in the auction. Although we have good Diamonds and might just consider bidding them, the presence of four Spades and a nice playing hand mandate that we come up with a bid that shows both suits. We can do that with a Double, which essentially amounts to a Take-Out Double. To do less would make us a "HOUND DOG."

Your result so far:

A: 2♦: Remember the long-standing admonition against rebidding 5-card suits. Yes, the suit is good and yes, you aren't crazy about No-trumps. BUT bidding Diamonds tells Pard you are very shapely and have at least nine cards in two suits. It strongly suggests a singleton also. If you were 5-4-2-2, you might like No-trumps better. We "CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE" with this hand. It deserves another bid.

Your result so far:

A: 7♥: We're "ALL SHOOK UP" when we hear about Pard's three aces. There are so many possibilities for 13 tricks, we just have to go for the whole enchilada. When are you going to get a hand like this again? In just a minute, we're going to play this hand and hope we're not left "CRYING IN THE CHAPEL."

Your result so far: