3 Bidding Quiz Problems
The first 40 bidding problems of a 52-deal team match
15 Foundations
Theories of bidding and their applications
52 Mental Processes
Can declarer take too long to think over trick one?
Features
2 Introduction
4 Bidding Your Shape
by Alvin Roth
13 Corporate Vs. Congress Match
14 World Championships Update
51 Bizarre Bridge Puzzles
by Richard Pavlicek
55 The Final Session
63 Last Chance
Bidding Quiz Pages:
3 Problems 1-40
30 Solutions 1-10
35 Solutions 11-20
40 Solutions 21-30
45 Solutions 31-40
55 Problems 41-50
58 Solutions 41-50
63 Playoff Deals 51-52
Back Inside Cover: Post Mortem
Page 3All problems are at IMP scoring.
Assume you are playing in a team match. The stakes? Representation in the world championship for the winning team. Thus, all you have to score is 51% to win.
(Luckily for you, your opponents are not subscribers to Bridge Today.) Good luck!
Problems 1-10
Deal 1
You hold: S. K963 H. KT32 D. J4 C. T43
partner you
West North East South
1 C double pass ?
Options
one heart
one spade
two clubs
Deal 2
You hold:
S T6 H 753 D AT5 C AKQ64
partner you
West North East South
pass 1 S pass 2 C
pass 2 D pass ?
Options
two hearts
two notrump
three diamonds
Deal 3
You hold:
S. 6 H. A862 D. KQJ954 C. T8
partner you
West North East South
- pass 1 H ?
Options
pass
two diamonds
three diamonds
Deal 4
You hold:
S. AQ H. AKQ873 D. K863 C. 9
Partner opens three notrump, showing a sold minor with no outside ace or
king. What is your call?
Options
pass
four hearts
five clubs
six clubs
Deal 5
You hold, not vulnerable versus vulnerable:
S. QJT6 H. QJT4 D. 7 C. QJT6
partner you
West North East South
- 1 D double ?
Options
pass
redouble
one heart
one spade
one notrump
Deal 6
You hold:
S. 984 H. AK842 D. Q432 C. 6
partner you
West North East South
pass pass pass ?
Options
pass
one heart
two hearts
Deal 7
You hold:
S. AKQ94 H. 73 D. 9 C. AKQ54
You are first to speak. Your bid?
Options
one club
one spade
two clubs
Deal 8
You hold:
S. AKQJ932 H. KT D. 32 C. 87
partner you
West North East South
- - - 1 S
2 H double* pass ?
*negative
Options
two spades
three spades
three notrump
four spades
Deal 9
They are vulnerable and you are not. You hold:
S. T932 H. 9 D. AK74 C. 8642
partner you
West North East South
1 H 2 S double* ?
*negative
Options
pass
redouble
three diamonds
three spades
four spades
Deal 10
With neither side vulnerable, you hold:
S. QJ92 H. AK62 D. 9753 C. 2
Your RHO opens three clubs. Your call . . .
partner you
West North East South
- - 3 C ?
Options
pass
double
Deal 1
Bid one spade. If the bidding gets competitive, you can also show your
hearts. If you began with one heart, you would have to "reverse" to show
both majors.
North
S A Q 10 4
H A Q 7
D Q 8 6 5
C 7 2
West East
S J 7 5 S 8 2
H 6 5 H J 9 8 4
D A 9 D K 10 7 3 2
C A K J 9 8 5 C Q 6
South
S K 9 6 3
H K 10 3 2
D J 4
C 10 4 3
partner you
West North East South
1 C double pass 1 S
2 C pass pass 2 H
pass 2 S 3 C (all pass)
If you started with one heart, over two clubs you would have to balance
with two spades. It would work on this hand, but if partner had four hearts
and three spades, it would force the bidding to the three level. As for
cuebidding to show both suits, it's a good idea but you're an ace short.
Three clubs was defeated after your side led trumps.
Scores
one spade 10
one heart 5
two clubs 3
Deal 2
Bid two hearts. This is a perfect example of "fourth-suit-forcing." That
is, the fourth suit in any auction is artificial and forcing, saying
"Partner, I must force but I have nothing to bid."
North
S A K 8 4 2
H K 9
D K 9 7 2
C J 8
West East
S 7 3 S Q J 9 5
H Q 10 6 4 2 H A J 8
D Q 8 6 3 D J 4
C 9 5 C 10 7 3 2
South
S 10 6
H 7 5 3
D A 10 5
C A K Q 6 4
partner you
West North East South
pass 1 S pass 2 C
pass 2 D pass 2 H
pass 2 NT pass 3 NT
(all pass)
You did well to steer the notrump to partner's side of the table. The raise
to three diamonds would also have worked here, but might have backfired if
partner was more distributional and bid on in diamonds, hoping for
four-card support.
Scores
two hearts 10
three diamonds 7
two notrump 0
Deal 3
Overcall three diamonds, not two. This is a closer decision than if partner
were not a passed hand, but the fact that he is makes your preempt less
likely to miss a game for your side. And it might create a problem for
them.
North
S J 10 9 7 4
H 10 5 3
D 8 6 2
C J 9
West East
S K 8 5 3 2 S A Q
H 9 H K Q J 7 4
D A 7 D 10 3
C A Q 6 4 3 C K 7 5 2
South
S 6
H A 8 6 2
D K Q J 9 5 4
C 10 8
partner you
West North East South
- pass 1 H 3 D
3 S pass 4 S (all pass)
It's nice to be +50 instead of -920. Here is a case where your risk is
small but your reward is huge.
Scores
three diamonds 10
two diamonds 3
pass 0
Deal 4
Bid six clubs. Forget bidding the hearts - you can use them in your club
contract.
North
S 8 4 2
H 6
D 10 5
C A K Q J 5 4 2
West East
S K 7 5 3 S J 10 9 6
H J 10 5 2 H 9 4
D A 9 4 D Q J 7 2
C 10 8 C 7 6 3
South
S A Q
H A K Q 8 7 3
D K 8 6 3
C 9
partner you
West North East South
- 3 NT pass 6 C
(all pass)
This is not a difficult problem for advanced players. But beginners and
intermediates have a difficult time with this type of bid, because they are
taught to follow rules rather than think.
There is a juncture in many bidding sequences in which one player must
picture the two hands and bid to the final contract. Here, the juncture
came on the first round of bidding.
Scores
six clubs 10
pass 3
five clubs 1
four hearts 0
Deal 5
Pass, planning to double them. West is unlikely to have enough to pass out
one diamond doubled. In any event, it is worth the risk for the potentially
huge set.
North
S 9 2
H A 5 3 2
D A K Q 9 3
C 4 2
West East
S 8 5 3 S A K 7 4
H K H 9 8 7 6
D J 6 5 4 2 D 10 8
C 9 8 7 3 C A K 5
South
S Q J 10 6
H Q J 10 4
D 7
C Q J 10 6
partner you
West North East South
- 1 D double pass
2 C pass pass double
Final contract: two clubs doubled, +500 for you. Notice that a redouble
would not work quite as well, because it would allow West to pass and East
could run to one heart, then one spade.
Your rattlesnake shape is best for trapping and then penalizing.
Scores
pass 10
redouble 7
one notrump 3
one heart 1
one spade 0
Deal 6
Open one heart. Your hand is deficient in highcards and spade length, but
on the other hand, you might easily make a game if you catch a heart fit.
Our rule is to open distributional light hands in third or fourth seat with
the minimum of an ace, a king and a queen and a five-card major.
Without the strength to rebid, it is usually preferable to open a weak
two-bid. But with a "three"-suited hand, one heart is more flexible.
North
S 10 3 2
H 10 9 6 5 3
D A J
C A 7 5
West East
S A Q 7 S K J 6 5
H J 7 H Q
D K 7 6 5 D 10 9 8
C J 10 8 2 C K Q 9 4 3
South
S 9 8 4
H A K 8 4 2
D Q 4 3 2
C 6
partner you
West North East South
pass pass pass 1 H
double 4 H 4 S pass
pass double (all pass)
Down four is nice. You got all your ruffs, didn't you?
Scores
one heart 10
two hearts 7
pass 3
Deal 7
Open one club. When he holds a light hand, your partner is more likely to
keep the bidding open after a one-club bid than a one-spade bid. It is
possible to open with two clubs, but the first chance you'll get to show a
suit will be at the two-spade level. Playing natural, you can start the
auction with the lowest possible bid.
North
S J 6 2
H A Q
D A 7 6 4
C 8 6 3 2
West East
S 10 8 3 S 7 5
H 10 9 5 4 2 H K J 8 6
D K J 3 D Q 10 8 5 2
C 9 7 C J 10
South
S A K Q 9 4
H 7 3
D 9
C A K Q 5 4
partner you
West North East South
- - - 1 C
pass 1 D pass 2 S
pass 4 C pass 4 NT
pass 5 H pass 7 C
(all pass)
Compare:
West North East South
- - - 2 C
pass 2 D pass 2 S
pass 3 S pass 4 C
pass 4 D pass 4 S
pass 5 H pass 6 C
pass 6 S (all pass)
In the first auction, you described both suits while still at the
two-level. In the second auction you had to go to the four-level to show
your club suit, and even then partner could not be sure you weren't simply
cuebidding.
Scores
one club 10
one spade 5
two clubs 0
Deal 8
Bid three notrump. You have eight tricks with a heart lead and perhaps
partner will oblige with an ace. Even without an ace . . .
North
S 6
H Q 6 2
D Q J 10 6
C K Q J 4 3
West East
S 10 5 4 S 8 7
H A J 9 8 4 3 H 7 5
D K 9 D A 8 7 5 4
C A 2 C 10 9 6 5
South
S A K Q J 9 3 2
H K 10
D 3 2
C 8 7
West will have to lead the D9 to defeat you (with East returning a heart)!
A reminder: Three notrump is most often the best game. Why? Because it is
the cheapest game to make.
Scores
three notrump 10
two spades 6
three spades 1
four spades 0
Deal 9
Bid three diamonds. This implies a spade fit. True, you give them extra
bidding room, but on the other hand a diamond lead from partner might be
crucial later.
North
S K Q J 8 7 6
H 7 5
D 10 5 2
C 10 3
West East
S A 4 S 5
H AKQJ832 H 10 6 4
D J 3 D Q 9 8 6
C Q 9 C A K J 7 5
South
S 10 9 3 2
H 9
D A K 7 4
C 8 6 4 2
partner you
West North East South
1 H 2 S double* 3 D
4 H pass 4 S** 5 S
pass pass double (all pass)
*negative
**cuebid
Result: down three, -500. Compare, however:
partner you
West North East South
1 H 2 S double 4 S
5 H pass 6 H ?
Do you have the methods to double for a diamond lead?
The principle here is to let partner in on the secret defense before the
bidding gets out of hand.
Scores
three diamonds 10
four spades 3
other 0
Deal 10
Double. You have a rock-bottom minimum in high cards, but what can you do?
Takeout doubles require primarily the right shape (i.e., shortness in their
suit and at least three cards in all the other suits).
North
S A K 8 4
H 8 3
D A Q J
C 6 5 4 3
West East
S 7 6 5 3 S 10
H Q J 10 9 H 7 5 4
D K 10 8 6 D 4 2
C Q C A K J 10 9 8 7
South
S Q J 9 2
H A K 6 2
D 9 7 5 3
C 2
partner you
West North East South
- - 3 C double
pass 4 S (all pass)
What would North have called after three clubs-pass-pass? This is why the
hand that's short must be the one who jumps into the water.
(Good thing there are no sharks in the water.)
Scores
double 10
pass 3