On the bidding quiz, how would North bid with:

1098xx

x

Kxxxx

xx

Hi Bobby,

Two questions- on the first hand presented, should north rebid diamonds to tell parter he has five and is not crazy about NT? Since the first bid was only two diamonds, partner knows the hand is not terrific. The club holding is great, but not much else about the hand is. On the second hand, is it possible partner is asking if I have three spades by bidding a second suit? He already knows I don’t have four with the big hand or I would have raised in spades rather than bid NT. Seems like with the second bid, partner might have the five-four hand and is looking for the spade fit if possible.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Jim2,

First, your example goes to the heart (or I probably should say the spades) of the matter.

Second, my bridge take on the problem, is that North should not bid 2 diamonds on the hand you offer, but rather either 3 diamonds or even 3 spades as a means of “running to daylight”, another description of trying to head to the most likely game available instead of the pusillanimous choice of pass we recommended.

Obviously 2 diamonds would be a standout choice on your example hand, by a large percentage of the readers of my column, as well as other average+ players, but why would anyone expect them to understand (will not fly in Peoria) what we are now discussing? A typical 2 diamond bid should instead be, Qxxx, x, 10xxxx, xxx which should be an attempt to find the best contract to go plus instead of possibly going set in 1NT.

You, as usual, go to the core of the problem and if there was a 4 year bridge college, these types of problems would not be discussed until the students entered their senior year when a course could be offered, possibly titled, “High-level” bridge, its numeracy, goals, and expert commitment.

Yes, I know that your example hand represents a fine 4 spades (opposite the exact hand suggested), although continual club leads might offer a successful defense against, assuming less than perfect opponent distributions.

Hi Jane,

Since the ships which pass in the night theory is ever present in our bridge blogging, let me suggest for you to read, if you haven’t already, the conversation immediately above, between Jim2 and me.

To answer your first question about North’s rebid after first bidding 2 diamonds and then having my take-out doubling partner respond with the strong response of 2NT to my bid (19-22).

For now it is prudent and very necessary for North to quickly raise partner’s 2NT response to 3NT. It is impossible to imagine (or provide for) all the different combinations of cards partner might have, but, as you pointed out, the KQJ of clubs is enough to try and bid and make game, and certainly NT is the spot to be. Don’t worry about it, but rather do your bridge duty, and then become a fervent rooter for your partner to score up 9 tricks.

On the second hand (as you describe it, but in reality it is the Bid with the Aces problem), the thinking at this point is somewhat different than the normal course of the responder (to the take-out double and then 1NT rebid over your initial 1 spade response). Partner should be trying to find a port in this storm of being very weak, but still wanting to seek a safe harbor in order to find a contract which is the safest one to play. Thus the responder is very likely longer in diamonds than he is in spades, having only responded in the major since you the doubler is almost guaranteed to have at least 3 spades and likely 4 while that is not-so in a minor. Because of that fact alone, bidding is quite different in this area than it is in the normal course of bidding wherein we are all taught to bid our longer suits first.

Yes, high-level bridge sometimes is more complicated than many think, and that is why in previous comments I have mentioned being all alone on a desert island with your partner and thinking and discussing bridge all day long for your chief hobby.

If you want to follow-up this discussion with more questions, I’ll be happy to follow suit (so to speak).