Complimentary Issue of Better Bridge Magazine March / April 2020 | Page 22

ANSWERS
B idding Q uiz
West is dealer and opens the bidding
1♦. North passes, and East passes.
You are sitting South. What call do
you make with each hand?
Pass
opener
1♦
Pass
?
1. ♠J 10 9 2 ♥A 8 ♦K Q 9 ♣K 10 5 3
1NT. South has 13 high-card points.
After left-hand opponent’s 1♦
opening bid and passes by the next two
players, a balancing 1NT call shows
about 12-15 points and diamond
stoppers. It follows the general
guideline of making the same call
with 3 fewer points than in direct seat.
2. ♠Q 10 9 ♥A J 4 ♦K Q 5 3 ♣K 8 7
1NT. South has 15 high-card
points, which is the maximum for a
balancing 1NT call after a minor-suit
opening bid by left-hand opponent.
3. ♠A K 9 2 ♥K 4 ♦Q J 10 8 ♣K J 3
Double. With 17 high-card points,
this hand would be appropriate for
a direct seat 1NT overcall. However,
it is too strong to balance with 1NT
over West’s 1♦ opening bid, which
would show about 12-15 points.
Double first with a plan to bid 1NT
on the next round of the auction.
4. ♠A Q 9 8 ♥A 4 ♦K Q 10 ♣A J 9 3
2NT. A jump to 2NT in balancing
seat shows a strong, balanced
hand of about 19-21 points
after West’s 1♦ opening bid.
West is dealer and opens the bidding
1♣. North and East both pass.
Sitting South, you double. West
passes, partner responds 1♥, and
East passes. What's your call?
Pass 1♥
opener
1 ♣ Pass
Pass Pass
DBL
20
?
5. ♠A J 8 7 ♥Q 4 ♦K J 10 8 ♣A Q 8
1NT. South has 17 high-card points,
too strong to make a balancing
1NT overcall. To show a strong
hand of about 16-18 points, South
doubles first, planning to rebid
1NT. Without four-card support
for partner’s 1♥ bid, stick to the
original plan and bid 1NT.
6. ♠K 8 ♥A Q 5 3 ♦J 10 9 3 ♣A K 2
2♥. This hand has the same number
of high-card points as the previous
example. The auction starts the same.
However, after North advances with
1♥, South should raise to 2♥ to show
four-card support, a strong hand of
about 16-18 points to invite game.
West is dealer and opens the bidding
1♥. North and East both pass. You
are sitting South. As South, what
call do you make with each hand?
10. ♠A 9 8 ♥A J 8 ♦K Q 4 3 ♣A Q J
2NT. A balancing 2NT overcall
shows a strong, balanced hand.
Over West’s 1♥ opening bid, it
should show about 20-22 points.
L iterary R eference
This passage is from The Chess Artist
by J.C. Hallman.
P laying D etective
Partner could be leading a singleton
club, but that’s unlikely since that
would leave declarer with a five-
card suit. More likely, partner
is leading fourth highest from a
four-card suit. Partner can’t have
more than four cards because
you can see the ♣3-2 in dummy.
Partner wouldn’t lead away from an
ace against a suit contract, especially
a slam, so declarer is marked with
Pass
the ♣A. Either partner or declarer
could have the ♣Q. To find out,
play the ♣J on the first trick. If
opener
declarer wins the ♣A, partner
1♥
Pass
holds the ♣Q. If declarer wins the
♣Q, declarer started with ♣A-Q.
This is a key play because you may
?
need to know whether to lead back a
7. ♠A 6 5 ♥K J 9 ♦Q 9 8 ♣Q 10 5 3 club or a spade after winning the ♥A.
1NT. With 12 high-card points, this This could be the complete hand:
hand is about the minimum for a
NORTH
balancing 1NT overcall after a 1♥
6♥
(Dummy)
opening bid by left-hand opponent.
♠ 8 5
8. ♠J 8 ♥K Q 4 ♦A J 4 2 ♣K Q 8 3
♥ Q 8 5 3
1NT. A balancing 1NT overcall after
EAST
WEST ♦ A Q J 5 3
a 1♣ or 1♦ opening bid shows about
(You)
(Partner) ♣ 3 2
12-15 points. However, the upper
limit is higher when the opening bid ♠ A J 6 4 3
♠ 10 9 7 2
n
is 1♥ or 1♠ because a notrump rebid ♥ 4
♥ A 7
w
e
will usually have to be at the two ♦ 8 7 4
♦ 9 6
s
level, potentially taking the contract ♣ 10 8 6 4
♣ K J 9 7 5
too high. A balancing 1NT call over
SOUTH
a major suit opening bid shows about
(Declarer)
12-17 or maybe even 18 points.
♠ K Q
9. ♠K 7 ♥A J 9 ♦A Q J 2 ♣K 9 8 3
♥ K J 10 9 6 2
Double (1NT). Depending on
♦ K 10 2
partnership
agreement,
this
♣ A Q
hand might be in the range for a
balancing 1NT overcall after a 1♥ If you return a club after winning
opening bid, showing about 12- the ♥A, declarer makes the slam.
17 or maybe even 18 points. Other Perhaps declarer should have used the
partnerships might prefer to double Blackwood convention, but that won’t
and rebid 2NT after partner makes be much comfort if the slam makes.
a minimum advance at the two
level to show about 18-19 points.
A udrey G rant ’ s B etter B ridge | M arch -A pril 2020