Advanced Law of Total Tricks & Minor Adjustments Answers

Chart for 17 Total Tricks

Nobody Vulnerable

   We play the hand in                            They play the hand in

          three spades                                          three hearts

Our Tricks       Our Score                    Their Tricks     Our Score

10                    +170                            7                      +100

9                      +140                            8                      +50

8                      -50                               9                      -140

7                      -100                             10                    -170

Bid three spades. The only time this will be wrong is if one side had only seven tricks and double was a possibility.

2. a. 18 (eight for them, ten for you)

b. 18 (nine for them, nine for you)

c. 16 (eight for them, eight for you)

d. 18 or 19 (nine or ten for them, nine for you)

e. 17, 18, or 19 (nine or ten for them, eight or nine for you)

3. a. Bid four spades (only wrong if each side has exactly nine tricks). Waiting to see what they do is acceptable, but the direct jump is preferred.

b. Bid four spades (this will be wrong only if each side has exactly nine tricks). Bidding only three spades is possible.

c. Pass for now. If they compete to three hearts, let them play there. Partner will go on to three spades over three hearts if he has four-card support.

d. Bid four spades. This will only be wrong if each side had nine tricks.

e. Double. If we can make five spades, they should be going down four. Think of the “Chart”.

4. No. Always try to use the LAW in competitive auctions. It is more accurate than even the best player’s judgment.

5. No.

6. a. Pass. Your side has at most eight hearts, and they have at most eight clubs (barring the remote change that partner is void!) With a maximum of 16 total trumps, don’t bid three over three!

b. Pass. Again we expect 16 trumps, and should pass. For there to be more than 16 trumps partner would have to have either a fourth spade or a singleton club – and in both cases he would know to bid three spades by himself.

c. 3♥. Don’t be influenced by your lack of high-card points. There are at least 17 trumps (eight for them and nine for us) and if you go through the “chart analysis” you’ll see that you shouldn’t pass.

d. 3♠. In spite of your minimum high-card, the LAW says that you should bid, since there are quite likely to be 18 trumps.

e. Double. Most people play this as “responsive”. Even if you play it as pure “penalty” you should still double. Opposite 4-4-4-1 there are eight spades and nine clubs for only 17 trumps and 17 tricks. The “chart” shows that it would be wrong to bid four spades.

f. 3♠. Yes. You have a zero count. We have at least nine trumps, and the opponents have at least eight, for a total of 17 or more. We don’t want to let them play in three clubs, since we know that at least one partnership can take nine tricks.

g. Pass. There is no indication that there are enough total trumps to warrant any other action.

h. Double (or pass). Partner rates to have four spades and one heart – for a total of only 17 trumps. Why should we contract for only 10 tricks?

i. 3♦. You have nine, they have at least 8.

j. 3♠. Either they can make three hearts or you can make three spades! There have to be at least 17 trick (ensuring nine for one side). Partner can’t be 4-4 in the majors, so he either has five spades (giving your side nine) or he has only three hearts (giving their side nine).