Bidding Quiz
Playing Detective
Famous Deal
ANSWERS
Bidding Quiz
1 . ♠J 6 5 ♥Q 9 7 5 3 ♦K 8 3 ♣7 4 2♦ . If East had passed , you would have responded with an artificial waiting bid of 2♦ since the heart suit isn ’ t quite strong enough to make an immediate positive response . East ' s double hasn ' t taken away any of your bidding room , so you can make exactly the same call as if East passed . 2 . ♠8 6 4 ♥Q 7 3 2 ♦10 8 5 ♣J 7 3 2♦ ( 2♥ ). When right-hand opponent doubles partner ' s 2♣ opening , the straightforward approach is to simply ignore the double since it hasn ’ t taken up any bidding room . If the partnership uses 2♦ as an artificial waiting bid , then you would still respond 2♦ . If the partnership uses 2♥ to immediately show a weak hand , bid 2♥ since you hold only 3 highcard points . 3 . ♠J 9 3 ♥7 4 ♦A K J 9 7 5 ♣10 5 3♦ . With a good six-card suit headed by the ♦A-K , you would have given an immediate positive response to 2♣ , showing a good five-card or longer suit . East ' s double doesn ' t have any impact on your response .
4 . ♠6 5 ♥Q 9 5 3 ♦K 8 3 2 ♣7 6 4 Pass . East ' s overcall has taken away your normal response . To compensate , the standard agreement is that passing shows enough strength to commit the partnership to game , typically about 4 or more high-card points . Holding 5 high-card points , you can make a game-forcing pass . 5 . ♠J 10 7 4 ♥8 6 3 ♦J 9 6 4 ♣7 2 Double . East ' s overcall has taken away your normal response to partner ' s 2♣ opening . The popular agreement is that double here shows a very weak hand , warning partner not to expect any help from your hand . Partner can now decide what to do what this information . 6 . ♠K 4 ♥Q J 9 7 6 ♦5 3 ♣Q 7 5 2 3♥ . After East ' s overcall takes away some of your bidding room , you can make a natural bid showing a fivecard or longer suit headed by at least
20 Audrey Grant ’ s Better Bridge | July-August 2024
the queen . Opener won ' t expect quite as strong a suit as you might have promised with an immediate positive response if East had passed . 7 . ♠K J 9 4 ♥7 3 ♦J 10 8 4 ♣K 6 3 Pass . With partner showing a strong hand , you would like to double East ' s 2♠ overcall for penalty . However , a double would show a very weak hand . Instead , you must pass , showing at least game-going values . Perhaps partner will reopen with a double . Then you can pass to defend for penalty . 8 . ♠9 4 ♥K 3 ♦Q 10 8 4 ♣J 9 6 4 3 Pass . You have enough strength that the partnership should belong in at least game , but your club suit isn ’ t strong enough to bid at the four level . You can simply pass . The standard agreement is that the pass is forcing , showing at least game-going values . 9 . ♠7 3 ♥K 8 7 4 2 ♦7 4 3 ♣ A 7 3 4♥ . East ' s jump overcall has taken away a lot of your bidding space . With a reasonable five-card suit and enough values to want to be in game , you can bid your suit at the four level . You don ' t want to give West a chance to raise to 4♠ without having at least described something about your hand . 10 . ♠8 4 ♥8 6 3 ♦9 7 3 ♣J 9 6 4 3 Double . The standard agreement is that double shows a weak hand , and that ' s what you have . You are warning partner to expect no help from your hand .
Playing Detective
1 . No . If West held the ♠K-Q , West would likely have led the ♠K , top of the touching high cards against a suit contract . So West likely has the ♠K or the ♠Q , but not both .
2 . South holds the ♠K . Holding the ♠A-Q , South would have won the first trick with the ♠Q , not the ♠A .
3 . Since declarer has the ♠A-K and will be able to take tricks with dummy ' s diamonds , the best hope is that the defense can take tricks in clubs .
4 . After winning the ♥A , lead a club and hope the complete deal is something like this :
Dummy
♠ 7 5 4 4♥
♥ 8 4
♦ A K J 10 5 Partner
Y0u
♠ Q 10 6 3 ♣ 7 5 4 ♠ J 9 8 2
N
♥ 7 5 2
♥ A 3
W E
♦ 8 2
S ♦ 9 7 4 3 ♣ A J 9 3 Declarer ♣ Q 10 8
♠ A K
♥ K Q J 10 9 6
♦ Q 6
♣ K 6 2
If you lead a club , the defense gets three club tricks to go with the ♥A . If you lead anything else , including returning partner ' s suit , declarer takes the rest of the tricks , discarding the club losers on dummy ' s diamonds .
Famous Deal
This deal was played by Alphonse " Sonny " Moyse Jr ., the publisher and editor of The Bridge World from 1956-1966 , a bridge writer , and a member of the Bridge Hall of Fame . Here ' s the complete deal :
Dummy
♠ Q 5 6♥
♥ 4
♦ A K 7 6 5 3 2
♣ J 7 3
♠ K J 10 9 8 6 3 2 ♠ 7
N
♥ 10 3
♥ 7 6 2
W E
♦ 8 4
S ♦ Q J 9 ♣ 9 Declarer ♣ K Q 10 6 4 2
♠ A 4
♥ A K Q J 9 8 5
♦ 10
♣ A 8 5 Sonny won the first trick with the ♣A , drew trumps , and played the ♦10 to dummy ' s ♦K . He then played dummy ' s ♦A on which he discarded the ♠A ! He ruffed a third round of diamonds to establish the suit and then led his remaining ♠4 toward dummy ' s ♠Q . With only spades left in hand , West could take the ♠K but then had to lead another spade to let declarer get to dummy and discard two club losers on the established diamonds .