Quiz Time!
This week, something different. Not just one deal reviewed but half a dozen! All with a point to make. I won’t repeat the full hand records, just the bidding situations that arose each time.
Board 1. Sitting West, after three passes, what would you do with:
 T74 |
 AK6543 |
 K4 |
 73 |
Board 4. As dealer and both vul, would you open this:
| QJ6 |
| KQ963 |
| 65 |
| KT8 |
Board 6. EW Vul. Sitting East, you pass, pass from South, and West opens 1C (natural, 4+). Pass to you. What would you bid? You hold:
| T4 |
| A9652 |
| J853 |
| 92 |
Board 7. At all vul, South opens a weak 2H and West passes. You are North and hold
| 5 |
| AQJ52 |
| J932 |
| J83 |
Board 13. You are North and dealer, all vul. Would you open a weak 2D holding
| KJ9 |
| 96 |
| J95432 |
| Q4 |
Board 26. You are South and both vul. East opens 1D, PASS, PASS to North who bids 1H. 3D from East. What do you do? You hold:
| KQ52 |
| Q6 |
| 8 |
| 976432 |
Have a think about these problems before reading on.
Not easy ones, are they? For what it’s worth, here is what I would do.
Board 1. Sitting West, after three passes, what would you do with:
| T74 |
| AK6543 |
| K4 |
| 73 |
Good enough for an opening weak two, if not too good. No difference in this case but you know that the points are evenly distributed, so 2H should stand a chance of making. If you open 1H, anything could happen, opponents might find their suit or suits, partner might bid too much, etc. Still a weak two and you’re more than likely to end up playing in 2H, just hope for a good result.
Board 4. As dealer and both vul, would you open this:
| QJ6 |
| KQ963 |
| 65 |
| KT8 |
It would not cross my mind to open this if playing Acol, Precision, perhaps, that is what Precision is about, 11 point five card major openings. This balanced eleven count is not my idea of a vulnerable opening bid. What is likely to happen, as it did at the time, East had a huge hand and ended up in 6NT, not a great contract.
Board 6. EW Vul. Sitting East, you pass, pass from South, and West opens 1C (natural, 4+). Pass to you. What would you bid? You hold:
| T4 |
| A9652 |
| J853 |
| 92 |
Your 5 HCP and five hearts is definitely worth mentioning, so bid 1H. What can go wrong? Much more can go wrong if you pass 1C just because you don’t have your recommended 6+ HCP.
Board 7. At all vul, South opens a weak 2H and West passes. You are North and hold
| 5 |
| AQJ52 |
| J932 |
| J83 |
You have a huge heart fit and opponents are bound to be able to make 4S, if they csn conveniently bid to it. Make life as difficult for them as you can and bid 4H immediately, then if they still get to 4S, think about a sacrifice though equal vulnerbility makes that very dicey.
Board 13. You are North and dealer, all vul. Would you open a weak 2D holding
| KJ9 |
| 96 |
| J95432 |
| Q4 |
I do like to bid as much as possible but this one I would not consider unless at favourable vulnerability.
Board 26. You are South and both vul. East opens 1D, PASS, PASS to North who bids 1H. 3D from East. What do you do? You hold:
| KQ52 |
| Q6 |
| 8 |
| 976432 |
You could consider a takeout double but partner is unlikely to have four spades, more likely to have six hearts. Your spades will certainly help, as will your ruffing value in diamonds, so bid 3H and hope partner doesn’t go to game. He will know you could be a bit short for a normal raise to 3H in such a competitive situation.
