| North |
 |
A K 5 4 |
 |
J 6 |
 |
A Q 3 2 |
 |
10 8 4 |
| + | East |
|
Q 10 9 3 |
|
Q 8 |
|
9 8 7 |
|
Q 9 6 5 |
| + | South |
|
J 7 6 |
|
7 5 4 3 |
|
K J 6 5 4 |
|
A |
Click the + buttons to peep
Click the + buttons to peep
Click the + buttons to peep
Click the + buttons to peep
Bridge Deal
from the deal bank
You:
North
Dealer:
West
Vulnerability: N-S
Source:
HEX Jones 4812
For use by: Intermediate
Click on "q1" below to see question 1, and on "A1" to see the answer.
- Question
1
North, you've got an opening-strength hand, but no 5-card suit. Dare you overcall, and upset your partner?
- Question
1
North, you've got an opening-strength hand, but no 5-card suit. Dare you overcall, and upset your partner?
Answer
Yes, it's worth a risk, but not with a suit - you don't want to lie about the 5 gold rings, (which a suit overcall guarantees, doesn't it Alex?)
In your case you've got a 3-suited hand, not a perfect 4441, but only one off. So, time for a "double for takeout". I know that some would pass, given the possibility of your partner responding in your unimpressive Clubs, but often even that will be 5-3 fit.
- Question
2
Your partner at South responds in 3 diamonds (even though the enemy have bid by responding in Spades, and so taken her out of her obligation to respond positively).
How many points must she have, and what will you do next?
- Question
2
Your partner at South responds in 3 diamonds (even though the enemy have bid by responding in Spades, and so taken her out of her obligation to respond positively).
How many points must she have, and what will you do next?
Answer
Partner should have 8 HCP to respond when not obliged, even 6 if not vulnerable. If South had responded to the takeout double with 2 diamonds (as might happen) then North should compete up to 3 diamonds if the opposition bid further, or pass if they don't.
- Question
3
Take a peep at South's hand. Is it best to respond to the takeout double with 2 or 3 diamonds ?
- Question
3
Take a peep at South's hand. Is it best to respond to the takeout double with 2 or 3 diamonds ?
Answer
One way that I like to think about responding to a takeout double is to remember that my partner has (1) the point strength of an opening hand and (2) 4 cards in my own longest suit and (3) imagine he has opened 1 of that suit. How would I reply?
That makes it very easy: I'd give a limit response, telling my partner how far we can push the auction knowing that we have an 8 card fit. My partner would leave it there - unless he had a trick more than the minimum he'd implied with his double for takeout.
So with 6-9 points (including shortage / shape points), or a losing trick count of 9, I'd reply 2 diamonds. With 10-12 points or a losing trick count of 8, I'd raise to 3. And so on.
In this deal I have 9 high card points, plus wonderful shape, and with 5-card trump support. If we call it 3 extra points for the singleton that's 12 points. And the losing trick count is 8. All this points to our ability to bid and make 3 diamonds, which will also push the enemy up into very high territory if they want to bid further. Another alternative is to bid a safer 2 diamonds, and bid further if the opposition keep bidding.
With hindsight, in this auction, East-West have hands good enough to make either 3 clubs or 3 Hearts, so a 3 diamonds bid from South might be a securer way of preventing E-W from exploring these options....
Other people's bidding
To examine how other people might have bid, look inside box #1 in the right-hand column (>>>), by clicking on the pink "+ button".
The card play
To see a suggested Opening Lead, look inside box #3 on the right (>>>).
Then make a plan! Think for a bit about how you'd play this contract.
Planning questions
If box #4 is there for this deal (>>>), see how others might have planned the play...
A
