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Hand Evaluation Part X

Responder Has Made a Game Try - Opener's Third Bid

By the time that both members of the partnership have bid twice and a trump suit has been agreed, a lot of information has been exchanged and the opener is usually in a position to decide whether to bid game or settle for a partscore.
1-1-2-2NT-?

(i)		7 4
		K Q 8
		J 7 5
		A K J 10 4

Bid 3NT. You have a good hand in terms of high cards but only three trumps. The maximum suggests that you should accept the game try while the balanced nature of your hand and lack of a fourth trump suggests playing in no trump. partner has already heard you show heart support so can go back to 4 if he thinks it appropriate, though he will not often do so after himself suggesting no trump as a possible place to play.

(ii)		Q J
		9 7 6 5
		A Q
		K Q J 5 3

Bid 3NT. Again it is clear to bid game. Though you have four trumps this time, they are weak while both your doubletons are strong. 3NT doesn't have to be the right spot but with partner suggesting all round strength and a fairly balanced hand you would not be surprised to find 3NT making on sheer weight of high cards while 4 failed due to having two or three trump losers.

(iii)		K J 4
		J 6 3 2
		Q 10 7
		A J 8

Pass. Obviously, you can only hold this handtype if playing a strong no trump. Equally clearly, you must decline the game try as you are completely minimum both in terms of high cards and distribution. Despite the four card heart support, your hand looks right for no trump. You have weak hearts and strength in every other suit with not even a doubleton as a ruffing value.

(iv)		Q J 5
		Q J 7 5
		7
		K Q J 8 2

Bid 3. With a small singleton in an unbid suit plus four respectable trumps, you should insist on playing in hearts. Superficially, your hand is not too bad, 12 HCP plus a singleton, but the lack of aces and kings means that partner will need perfect cards to allow game to make. Consider that he is limited to invitational values and you have only one king and no ace. He can have at most three of the missing key cards and it would be very fortunate if there was no wastage in diamonds.

(v)		9
		K J 8 5
		A 8 7
		K Q 9 7 4

Bid 4. You have reasonable trumps, a good sidesuit and excellent controls with no unsupported minor honours. Much more and you would have raised to 3 on the previous round so it is clear to accept the invitation this time around. 1-1-2-3-?

(vi)		A 4
		K J 7 6
		7 6 5
		A Q 9 7

Bid 4. Again, it is clear that you could only hold this hand if playing a strong no trump based system. If you are doing so, then partner will expect that 1-1-2 will frequently be based on a weak no trump type and will allow for this when deciding whether to try for game. In the context of a weak no trump, your hand is excellent. You have good hearts, a ruffing value, and all your honours are working well. Note that had partner's game try been in diamonds you would have been significantly less enthusiastic about your hand because of the worst possible diamond holding.

(vii)		A Q
		Q 9 6 4
		K J
		J 9 6 4 2

Bid 3. Had partner's game try been made in either spades or diamonds, you might have been tempted. But he has length in clubs and hearts, two suits in which you also have length but little strength. Your high cards are not pulling their weight and game will be an uphill struggle.

(viii)		K Q 6
		J 10 8 4
		A K
		Q 10 9 5

Bid 3NT. Given that partner knows that you both have length in hearts and clubs, he may well over-rule this decision, however, that does not mean you should not make it. Your 15 HCP are enough to make you want to try a game contract, yet most of your high cards are in your short suits. It may be that 3NT will be safer than 4 and is costs nothing to suggest it. If partner is really unbalanced he will go back to 4 and no harm is done, 1-1-2-2-?

(ix)		8 4
		A K Q 2
		Q 5
		J 8 6 4 3

Bid 3. Wonderful hearts but if anything they are too good, leaving you with little outside. The rest of the hand is pretty uninspiring and the spade holding only moderate. Partner may occasionally be able to bid game when it is correct to do so simply because your 3 bid has confirmed the fourth trump.

(x)		6 2
		A Q 4
		K Q 9
		A 10 5 4 3

Bid 3NT. You only rebid 2 rather than 1NT because of the spade weakness. If partner has spade length then you need no longer worry about the suit for play in no trump. With your maximum in high cards, good diamond stopper and only three hearts, 3NT looks the best chance of making game. As always, partner can go back to 4 if he is shapely. But 3NT gives him an option and describes your hand nicely.