Evaluate your hands and then decide what to do by Bobby Wolff

A: 3♦: These days, the majority of pairs play direct jumps by responder on his second turn as invitational. After this start, really strong hands will use new minor (here, a call of two clubs as a Stayman equivalent) to set up a force. That being so, a jump to three diamonds should be this sort of hand: a shapely invitation interested in game in diamonds or spades.


Your result so far:

A: 4♣: I'm not sure a simple raise to three clubs will suffice here. Your partner came into a live auction, in a situation where you had implicitly denied values. He is likely to be 5-5 or have real extra values, so you should jump to four clubs to give him a chance to bid game.

Your result so far:

A: Pass: You are relatively unlikely to make game, and your own assets suggest the opponents won't make more than part-score. But if you pass, will your partner struggle in one spade when another spot would have been easier? Or will the opponents make something when you could have stolen the contract by bidding? I guess I'd pass, for fear the bidding might take our side way overboard in spades.

Your result so far:

A: 4♣: This sequence shows game-forcing values and clubs, typically with four hearts. Your controls are so excellent that I would bypass three no-trump and raise to four clubs, treating this hand as a maximum because of the aces. Let partner take the reins from here on in.

Your result so far:

A: 2♠: The action on this hand is somewhat dependent on vulnerability. I think there is a reasonable case for saying that, in second seat at all but favorable vulnerability, this is a maximum weak two-bid; but that it would be just too strong in that instance. Some would say that it qualifies at the fourth vulnerability, too. I can live with that, but I suggest you and your partner agree which side of the line it falls on.

Your result so far: