This conundrum was written by NICOLAS LHUISSIER and was originally published in the magazine Bridgerama+ No. 65 - you can find out all about it further down the page.
Variations on a hand
1. What do you bid as West?
2. What do you bid as West?
2. What do you bid as West?
Click here to reveal the answer
2♦ or 3♠: Opposite the 1♥ opening, your hand is strong enough to force to game. After all, you hold no less than 14HLD, counting one point for the fifth Diamond and two for the ninth trump! Either you opt for a Splinter in Spades (for purists, it requires having five trumps, but it’s a worthy option) or you bid a new suit at the two–level.
3♣: Your partner has guaranteed a strong hand, with at least 19HCP, including at least five Clubs. Slam in Clubs is therefore quite conceivable as you yourself have 12HLD. The best way to start a constructive dialogue is to show your support naturally by a forcing raise in Clubs at the three–level.
4♦: Having come up empty in your attempt to find a fit in your major, fall back on the prospect of a minor–suit slam! In the case of a Diamond fit, you have sufficient material to play slam with East’s 22–23HCP. This bid is perfectly natural (and not a cue–bid, as some people think). Your partner will give you his opinion on the matter; he will make a cue–bid if he is suitably interested in Diamonds or say 4NT if he is not.
In this month’s Bridgerama+, Norbert Lébely’s At the Crossroads puts you in the hot seat with defense choices that can make or break the deal. That’s just one of the highlights in the latest issue of Bridgerama+.
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