BRIDGE

You have the following hand, both sides vulnerable:

♠ QJ75 ♥ 6 ◆ K1042 ♣ A875 1. You pass,

left-hand opponent passes, partner bids One Spade, and your right-hand opponent bids Two Clubs. What would you bid now?

2. Partner bids One Notrump, and your right-hand opponent bids Two Hearts. What would you bid now? 3. Partner bids One Notrump, and your right-hand opponent bids Two Diamonds. What would you bid now?

4. Partner bids

One Heart, you respond One Spade, and partner jumps to Three Diamonds, which you raise to four. Partner next bids Four Spades. What would you bid now?

1. Four spades. Your hand has improved to the point where you should think that game in spades is a favorite to make, so you should bid four spades straightaway.

Alternatively, if you happen to play "splinter bids," you could bid four hearts, indicating spade support with a singleton or void in hearts, which could conceivably be the key to reaching a good slam if partner has the right hand. 2. Three hearts. Most players treat a non-jump bid of a new suit in this sequence as competitive and not forcing, so it is better to make a bid that leads to game. You hope partner will answer three hearts with three spades, which you will happily raise to four. If he rebids three notrump, indicating heart strength, you plan to pass, while if he bids four clubs or four diamonds, you will raise to five.

3. Double. Game

is not absolutely certain, so it is best to grab the sure profit by making a penalty double. You can probably beat two diamonds two or three tricks.

4. Five clubs.

Slam is certainly a possibility, and the question is how best to try to reach it. Five clubs shows first-round control of that suit and interest in a slam; if you were interested only in game, you would bid five diamonds over four spades.

The next step is up to partner. If all he does next is bid five diamonds, you must pass because you cannot be sure of losing only one trick.

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