I am a bit confused on the bidding quiz.

The negative double “promised” support for the unbid major and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the unbid minor. I agree with that bid, as it was the best way to get hearts into play. It did, however, also suggest an absence of support for partner’s opening bid suit.

With partner’s rebid showing a real diamond suit, why is the answer focus on raising partner’s second suit instead of revealing support for partner’s first suit?

Hi Jim2,

You are right of course, and the following might be the only excuse for not doing so. By passing it might deprive the opponents of an extra round of bidding which could enable an opponent with a borderline supporting hand to conjure up a raise to 2 spades.

However what is partner supposed to respond holding:

xxxx

xx

AKxx

AQx

Two clubs rather than the stopperless 1NT could be an enlightened response by partner.

Thanks for overseeing our errors, this one completely unnecessary, although passing could get the best result.

I honestly do not know if there was an error, Mr. Wolff.

I should have been more clear in my first comment.

There are good arguments to pass – I completely agree. (It would probably be my choice at the table.)

There are also good reasons to bid 3C – I agree with that, also.

Bidding diamonds presents some problems. 2D sounds like no club fit and makes life easier for E-W. 3D, on the other hand, may be too much of an overbid. The drawback that the bidding box does not contain the card “2.5 D” may be a fine and sufficient reason not to make a diamond call, thus making the choice pass or 3C.

My first comment was intended only to solicit discussion on the relative virtues of diamond raises, especially in comparison with pass and 3C.

Hi Jim2,

My value judgment, on this hand, does not really cotton to a raise in either minor. Partner, by only bidding 2 clubs, has rather pointedly denied even as much as an intermediate hand, and by my heart holding being the QJ instead of the king further weakens my trick taking potential.

Holding:

Axx

x

AQxxx

Axxx

I would jump to 3 clubs as a response to the double showing a minimum intermediate hand and then if the King of diamonds was substituted for the queen I would also bid 3 clubs, but anything more and I would cue bid spades before then mentioning clubs.

Obviously, at least for me, responding to negative doubles includes a slightly different evaluation method, which, in turn, is designed to mesh with partners responsibility to coordinate which hopefully is in tune.