On what’s hopefully a peaceable Christmas morning, followers of card video games are pondering forward to a brand new yr of enjoying bridge — hopefully face-to-face with pals. For the vacations, right here is one other within the present collection of quizzes on deciphering associate’s bids.
At present’s quiz: Within the following downside, you might be given an public sale accompanied by three palms, solely one in every of which may really match the bid your associate has made. Which of the three palms do you assume associate has?
The bidding: You-1NT (15-17 factors); Accomplice-2NT; Accomplice may maintain:
a) S J53 H Q82 D J764 C A72
b) S 92 H J53 D AKJ4 C 8632
c) S AJ2 H 75 D QJ1032 C Q83
Reply: In Normal American bidding, during which a gap one notrump opening guarantees a balanced hand of 15 to 17 factors, a increase to 2 notrump exhibits about 9 factors in excessive playing cards and asks associate to bid three notrump with a most and to cross with a minimal. Responder can sometimes improve an eight-point hand to 9 factors and bid two notrump if it incorporates a robust five-card go well with, however most eight-point palms ought to cross a gap notrump bid.
Accomplice can due to this fact not have hand a), since even when you held a 17-point most, the mixed palms wouldn’t comprise the 26 factors usually wanted for recreation at notrump. Nor can associate maintain hand c), as with 10 factors and a robust five-card go well with, there can be no want for him to ask when you had a most; as a substitute, associate would merely bounce to a few notrump straightaway. However with hand b), associate couldn’t be certain whether or not the mixed belongings totaled 26 factors, so he must inquire through a increase to 2 notrump and go away the ultimate choice to you.
Correction: In final week’s quiz, the given public sale was incomplete and will have learn: You-1D; Accomplice-1H; You-2D; Accomplice-2NT. The lacking two notrump bid was made apparent by the dialogue that adopted, however this author apologizes for the error.
