How strong do you think your partner is? By Bobby Wolff

A: Pass: This sequence is not a reverse. If opener has real extras and both minors, he jumps to three diamonds here, so this sequence suggests 4-4 or 4-5 in the minors and 12-15 points. Since you have no extras, you have no reason to invite game. You would raise to three diamonds if one of your small diamonds were the queen.


Your result so far:

A: 3♠: My personal style (which I would also recommend to others) is that facing an overcall, all jumps in new suits are fit-showing, meaning that they promise at least invitational values and guarantee at least three-card support for partner, while also showing a decent suit in which you jump. A jump in partner's suit remains natural and pre-emptive, of course, but this hand is tailor-made for a three-spade call.


Your result so far:

A: 3NT: You certainly have enough to drive to game, but your absence of aces should concern you in five clubs. Best is to bid three no-trump now and not worry about the spades. If you bid five clubs, you will get a heart lead through your tenace. Now, unless partner has great heart shortage or an unexpected heart honor, you will probably be sunk at once.


Your result so far:

A: 4♣: Your partner has shown a strong hand, typically with four hearts and five-plus clubs. (Assuming you use four-suit transfers, then with a weak or strong hand and just clubs, your partner would transfer into clubs and not use Stayman.) Despite your minimum hand, it feels right simply to raise clubs and hope partner has a diamond control -- in which case he will show it, and you are off to the races!


Your result so far:

A: Pass: Since a direct call of two hearts by your partner would be natural and forcing, you should assume he has long hearts (typically six) and not enough values to follow an invitational sequence to game. Typically, you would expect about an eight-count here, so it feels best to pass (albeit reluctantly) on the grounds that anything else may be worse.

Your result so far: