Doubler’s Rebid & Subsequent Auction

Answers

Part I

a) Pass. With a minimum hand for the takeout double, do not get the partnership any higher. Partner’s advance at the cheapest level has not promised any strength.

b) 3♣. With a medium-strength hand, you can raise partner’s suit. You may get overboard, but it is worth the risk. Partner could have 7 or 8 points and a game is possible…perhaps in notrump.

c) 2♥. With a maximum hand, you want to make a strong invitation to get to game. You could do this by making a jump raise, but that might get you too high and it would take you past the possible game contract of 3NT. Instead, cuebid to show the extra strength. If partner cannot do anything more than rebid 3♣, it is time to stop bidding.

d) 2♠. You doubled because you were too strong for a 1♠ overcall. Now finish the description of your hand.

e) Pass. Partner has only shown about 6-8 points by bidding 2♦ over responder’s bid. With a minimum takeout double, leave any further competition to partner.

f) 3♦. With a medium strength hand, raise partner to the three level. Even if you cannot make game, try to get to play the contract in your side’s trump fit.

g) Double. You have enough to bid again but raising with only three-card support is not a great idea since partner may have only a four-card suit. Instead, double to show the extra strength. This is still for takeout and partner will know that you do not have four-card support for diamonds.

h) 3♠/5♦. You have an excellent fit with partner and a maximum hand…15 high-card points plus 5 dummy points for the void. You could simply jump to game but clam might even be possible if partner has exactly the right cards. The cuebid is forcing.

Part II

a) Pass. Partner’s jump is invitational, showing about 9011 points. With nothing extra for your takeout double, settle for partscore.

b) 4♠. Accept partner’s invitation and bid game.

c) 3♣. You were intending to bid clubs after doubling to show a hand too strong to overcall 2♣. Partner’s invitational bid should not prevent you from describing your hand. Partner may have only a four-card spade suit. 3♣ if forcing, since you are showing extra strength and partner has already made an invitational bid.

d) 4♠. Even though you have 19 high-card points, slam is unlikely since partner has at most 11 points. Settle for game.

e) Pass. Partner is showing a hand too strong to make a simple overcall of 2H. Even so, it is not worth going any higher on this hand.

f) 4♥. Having bid only 2♦ at your first opportunity, you could not have a better hand in support of hearts. Partner should have about 17 or more points, so game should be reasonable.

g) 3♥. You have too much to pass but an awkward choice of rebid. Partner is likely to have a good six-card suit in this sequence, so treat your doubleton ♥K-4 as adequate support to raise.

h) Pass. You do not much like hearts as trump but bidding again is likely to get the partnership into further trouble.