When the opponents get in by Bobby Wolff

Bidding gets more complex when the opponents get in.

Have you talled about the situations of the following five questions with your partner? If not, we suggest you do it.

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ J 9 6 3
♥ 10 9 8 5
♦ K 10 6 5
♣ 10

Q: 1 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♥	2♦
?

A: 2♥: A jump to three hearts would be more about shape than high cards, and I would advocate this call if your heart 10 and diamond king were switched. Here, though, you have decent defense (in context), so I would simply bid two hearts, perhaps intending to compete to three hearts over three clubs.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ Q 7
♥ A J 5
♦ A Q 5 4
♣ J 8 7 4

Q: 2 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	1♣	Double	Pass
?

A: 2♣: It would be extremely dangerous to pass for penalties here. And to jump to three no-trump could prove extremely embarrassing if your partner has a singleton or void in clubs. Start by cue-bidding two clubs and you will always be able to follow up with a three-no-trump call at your next turn, suggesting a little more doubt about the final contract.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ A K 7 6 3
♥ 9 4 3
♦ Q 7
♣ Q 7 5

Q: 3 - What do you bid next as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	Pass	Pass
1♠	1NT	Double	Pass
?

A: Pass: The double of a no-trump opening or overcall is for penalties, so you have no reason to remove it. Your partner knows you opened third in hand (when, traditionally, a few liberties can be taken) and you have no reason to be ashamed of your values. Pass, and await developments.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ 9 7 4 3
♥ Q J 8
♦ Q 9 7 3 2
♣ 3

Q: 4 - What do you bid next as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♣
Pass	Pass	Double	Pass
1♦	Pass	2NT	Pass
?

A: 3♣: This auction shows more than a strong two-no-trump opening -- remember that a balancing action of two no-trump by your partner at his previous turn would show 19-20. So you have enough to go to game, and the best route is to use Stayman with a call of three clubs. This should not be natural. Unless proven to the contrary, bids in the opponents' suit are always forcing.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ 9 4 3 2
♥ K 6 2
♦ A J 3
♣ A K Q

Q: 5 - What do you bid next as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♦
1NT	Pass	2♦	Pass
?

A: 2♥: In this auction, it is probably best and certainly simplest to play exactly the same structure after a one-no-trump overcall as you would over a one-no-trump opening. So here the two-diamond call is a transfer to hearts, and you should simply complete the transfer. It is not yet against the law to have a maximum for your bid.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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