Let Partner Decide? by Bobby Wolff

Where do you want to play at?

And can you take matters into your hand or should you show partner what you have to let him decide?

Test yourself in these five examples.

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ 9 8 6
♥ 9 6
♦ 9 8 7 4 3
♣ A Q 6

Q: 1 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	1♦	Double	Pass
?

A: 1NT: I could understand the attempt to play for penalties here, by passing out one diamond doubled. Give me the diamond J-10 instead of the four-three, and I would consider it even more seriously, but as it is, I would try to win the event on the next deal and simply bid one no-trump. Don't get creative and bid any three-card suits.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ A K 2
♥ A Q
♦ A Q 7 5 4
♣ 8 6 3

Q: 2 - What do you bid next as South?

South	West	North	East
1♦	Pass	1♥	Pass
?

A: 2NT: Jump to two no-trump, showing your range as 18-19 high-card points. You should not worry about the absence of a club stopper, since you have three cards in that suit. For the record, if you had a doubleton club and three hearts, you might consider inventing a force of two spades, planning to raise hearts at the next turn, I suppose.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ 6 3
♥ 8 6
♦ A 7 5 3
♣ A 9 8 5 4

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

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♠	Pass
1NT	Pass	2♥	Pass
2♠	Pass	3♣	Pass
?

A: 3♦: You have enough values to drive to game, but should it be the 5-3 (or 5-4) club fit or the 5-2 spade fit? I suggest you temporize with a call of three diamonds, planning to raise spades, or play clubs if partner rebids the suit. And if partner makes the unlikely rebid of three no-trump, you should probably pass.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ J 8 3
♥ A 8 6 5 4
♦ 8 5 3
♣ K 3

Q: 4 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	1♦	Double	1♠
?

A: 2♥: You would have been close to jumping to two hearts had East not responded to his partner's opening bid, but as it is, unless one of your opponents has dramatically misled you about his values, your side's combined assets do not add up to the game zone. I would bid two hearts, planning to compete to three hearts over a call of three diamonds by one of my opponents.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ A Q 9 8 6
♥ K 10 8 7 5
♦ Q 9
♣ 4

Q: 5 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
1♠	Pass	2♠	Pass
?

A: Pass: While there are hands where your side can make game, or find it to be dependent on a finesse or break, this is distinctly against the odds. If I had the heart queen or jack in addition, I would feel different, but I'd need distinctly better hearts or spades to make a try for game. So I would pass now.

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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Overall Results

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