How much is your hand worth? by Bobby Wolff

A: 3♠: You may not be able to justify this on high cards alone, but I would certainly feel sympathetic to a jump to three spades rather than a simple call of two spades. Since you plan to compete to three spades if necessary, and you have a great hand on offense compared to defense, why not use up that extra round of bidding at once?

Your result so far:

A: 3♣: You cannot raise partner's suit with only two, and your diamonds are not quite good enough to bid. I'd make a second negative of three clubs and hope to get my values across later. You can always raise or give preference to hearts on your next turn.

Your result so far:

A: 3NT: There is no rule against using Stayman on flat hands. But the weaker your major, the less attractive it is. Here, a 4-4 or 5-4 heart fit might be right if the diamonds were open; equally, a 4-4 heart fit breaking badly might go down when the no-trump game came home. And Stayman may allow a lead-directing double or may reveal declarer's shape to the defense. So I'd just raise to three no-trump.

Your result so far:

A: 4♣: Where you are playing two-over-one game-forcing, you have enough for a cue-bid of four clubs. You have great controls and plan to bid four hearts if partner cooperates with four diamonds. If you play that this sequence is only invitational to game, then you have more than enough to bid four spades, but not enough to cue-bid for slam.

Your result so far:

A: Pass: This is something of a crapshoot. It would be right to balance if partner has values, whether he is long in diamonds or not. It is wrong to balance if you let the opponents find a better fit or turn a plus score into a minus. My diamond honors persuade me to pass, but with the heart queen in addition, I'd consider overcalling one no-trump, showing 11-15 HCP. I'd feel stronger if one or both sides were non-vulnerable.

Your result so far: