How much is your hand worth? by Bobby Wolff

A: 2♣: With game-forcing values, you would need to find an exceptional hand to persuade me not to bid my longest suit first. The rationale is not so much that we should always find spades, even if I bid clubs first. It is more that if we have a club game or slam, we make it far harder to locate the suit unless it is introduced at once.

Your result so far:

A: 3♦: The two questions here are whether this hand is worth a drive to game, and if so, whether to mention the diamonds on the way to three no-trump, if there should be no eight-card spade fit. I say that the concentrated honors make it worthwhile to bid game, and that same factor argues for showing the diamonds and letting partner know the full story.

Your result so far:

A: Pass: The auction has turned your hand to dust and ashes. When your partner rebids his suit, he suggests a minimum opener with six or more hearts and implicitly no game interest unless you have undisclosed extras. You do not, so pass. If your spade queen were the heart queen, you would at least invite game in hearts.

Your result so far:

A: 4NT: Your partner has shown game-forcing values with a singleton club. Your hand could hardly fit better, despite having only 8 HCP. Use Blackwood, and be prepared to consider a grand slam if your partner comes through with the appropriate number of key-cards. After all, partner must have at least two key-cards, so where are your losers?

Your result so far:

A: 1NT: Clearly, your partner does not have any real extras, and he might not even have a full opener. You cannot double the opponents for penalty, but you have too much to sell out cheaply. While a double would be card-showing, not penalty, there is no need to do more than bid one no-trump and take it from there. If the opponents rebid in spades, I would probably let them play there.

Your result so far: