National Hangover Day by Marti Ronemus

A: 4♠: North, your long-suffering partner, has exactly five spades and 10 plus pts. The only decision here is whether to correct to Spades or leave it in No-trumps. There are those who, with the 4-3-3-3 shape, would pass leaving it in no-trumps and sometimes it works. The problem though is that Pard transferred for a reason. You're not sure how distributional partner is. You could be in trouble in No-trumps.

Your result so far:

A: 3♠: The intervening bid changes everything. With a limit raise or better, you'd cuebid the opponent's suit to say "YES! We have a fit and I've got 10-plus points." But this hand is so miserable that we need to obey The Law of Total Tricks and bid to the level of trumps in our combined hands and jump to 3♠ to say, I've got a minimum hand with four pieces of trumps. Remember this key concept: In a competitive auction, a direct raise of Pard's suit regardless of level is the weakest bid you can make. Hands like this can give us a real headache if we don't obey The Law.

Your result so far:

A: 3 No-trumps: This is a real hangover producer. There you are with eight tricks cold in your hand, opposite a partner who opened. Who could blame you for thinking about slam? But stop. Transportation is going to be a nightmare. Shortage in your partner's suit(s) is bad real estate. You've got three entries to partner's hand, and hopefully one of them will result in a trick. Don't be blinded though. This hand could be major trouble.

Your result so far:

A: 3♣: Until East got into the act, we were vacillating between an innocuous 2 No-trumps and 3♣. The 2 No-trumps bid would imply red stoppers, but... rarely is a hand perfect. East's intervening bid made up our mind. We're going to show pard support for his minor. Could we pass? Yes we could, as that would show what we've got... nothing extra, no other suit and a minimum opener. Pass is our second choice on this. What, you say? Pard is unlimited and named a new suit! Yes, but the intervening bid prevents the auction from ending if Pard doesn't want it to.

Your result so far:

A: 2 No-trumps: The lack of Club stoppers give us pause, but we can't come up with a more descriptive bid. We've got eight tricks plus 17 pts and, without a major suit fit, we belong in game. What will partner do? How will things turn out? You are about to play the hand. Should you have "one for the road" before you do? We suggest not.

Your result so far: