Obvious Answer? by Bobby Wolff

A: Double: Are you a man or a mouse? Most experts would re-open with a double with barely a second thought. If West has been lurking with a powerhouse, you might regret it. But say your partner has five spades to the king and three little hearts. Then no matter what the rest of his hand is, either four spades doubled should come close or the opponents can make game -- and sometimes, both games will make.

Your result so far:

A: 2♠: The simplest path is to raise to two spades, since you have bad trumps and good defense. You might compete to three spades later, depending on how the auction works out. An immediate jump to three spades would be a pre-emptive raise, and this hand is too strong for that. A fit jump to three diamonds, showing a spade fit and a diamond suit you want partner to lead, would be possible if you had a fifth diamond.


Your result so far:

A: 3♥: This is a problem with no sensible answer. If you bid two diamonds, you will force the hand to game without any real confidence in a fit or source of tricks. You could raise either clubs or hearts to the three-level to invite game, which somewhat overstates your trump support in either case, or you could go very low by bidding only two hearts. If you twisted my arm, I would bid three hearts, but don't expect me to like it.

Your result so far:

A: 2♠: This auction is maybe more about partnership agreement than it is about judgment. I play that when the opponents respond in a new suit after my partner has doubled, a double by me is penalty, not responsive, and a call of two spades says, "That is what I would have bid without intervention." Either of those actions is possible, but the simple two-spade call has a lot to recommend it.

Your result so far:

A: 2♥: While your hand might not be worth a call of two hearts, you expect the opponents to bounce to at least the three-level in spades, and you therefore need to get your hand off your chest at your first turn. Bid hearts, then raise clubs, which will at least get the basic nature of your hand across to your partner at the cost of a mild overbid.

Your result so far: