after take-out or re-opening doubles? by Bobby Wolff

A: 3♣: This hand is surely worth a second call, and the most descriptive effort in my opinion is to bid three clubs now. Since you didn't repeat your spades, which you would do with five of them, this ought to be a four-card spade suit with equal or better clubs. I'm not sure if a double of two hearts would show this hand, and I am not prepared to take the risk of making a complicated call when a simple one will do.


Your result so far:

A: 3♣: In this auction, your re-opening double suggested extras, but your partner was known to be weak; therefore, game is not really in the picture. So what does a call of two no-trump show? Not spades -- instead, it suggests two places to play -- also described as a scramble. Bid three clubs, and let partner correct to three diamonds with the red suits, if necessary.

Your result so far:

A: 4♥: Your partner's combination of cue-bid and heart call are forcing. With a hand worth no more than an invitation, he would have jumped to three hearts on his second turn. So you must bid, and the choice is to raise to four hearts or bid four clubs. I can't say I like the raise with a singleton, but I'd like to make the most discouraging noise I can, and this is it.

Your result so far:

A: 4♦: The jump to four clubs shows game-going values (approximately an opening bid) with real spade support and a singleton or possibly a void in clubs. You have a minimum in high cards and cannot quite make a Blackwood inquiry, since even facing two aces you cannot count 12 tricks. I'd cue-bid four diamonds and hope partner can take control.


Your result so far:

A: Transfer; via 2NT or 3♣: This isn't the right place to tell you which form of transfers to use over one no-trump. However, whichever scheme you have in place, you should transfer to diamonds, since your hand is useless in no-trump and you want to keep the opponents out. Transfers do not promise values -- as opposed to suit length.

Your result so far: