Quiz on Responding When Partner Bids Over a Preempt
By Mike Lawrence
ANSWERS TO QUIZ
Hand One. What do you respond when your partner
1. Doubles
It is reasonable to bid 3NT. Hope it makes. Bidding four clubs is not terrible, but it does not show values.
2. Bids 3H
You have more than the seven points partner expects and you have good heart support. Raise to 4H. The key is that when you have seven points with support, you realize that this is about what your partner is expecting. The rule of seven says that when an opponent preempts, you may 'expect' your partner to have seven ordinary points. When you have more than seven, you bid. When you have seven, you pass. When you have less than seven, you go down.
3. Bids 3NT
Pass. You may be fixed. Partner's 3NT bid shows anything from a balanced 16 count up to a 25 count that isn't suited to anything else. Usually partner has from 16-20 and a pass works out best for you. It isn't worth trying for the brass ring.
4. Bids 4D
Partner is showing the majors and since you are at the four level, he must have a fine hand. 4H is the obvious bid but you could be missing something good. Take full credit if you felt guilty about your 4H bid.
5. Bids 4S
This is a strong jump overcall. He expects to make 4S opposite a seven count. This hand is good enough that you can make a gentle slam try with 5D.
Hand Two. What do you respond when your partner
1. Doubles
A simple hand for a change. Bid 4S. Partner's double is takeout and even though he may have only three spades (do you agree with this?) you have lots more than the guideline rule of seven points suggests.
2. Bids 4C
Four level overcalls in a minor suit show very good hands with lots of shape. (Remember that partner didn't bid 3NT or make a takeout double.) I would respect a 4H cue bid, which by inference shows club support. Failing this, raise to 5C. Passing would be cowardly.
3. Bids 4H
What does this mean in your partnership? Some pairs play this cue bid asks for the minors. Some pairs play that it shows the unbid major and one of the minors. What you bid with this hand depends on your agreements.
Hand Three. What do you respond when your partner
1. Doubles
Pass. Partner's double is for TAKEOUT. But you do have the option of passing if you wish. This hand has little to offer offensively and there is a good chance of beating 4S. This is one of the benefits of playing double of 4S as takeout instead of the traditional treatment which says double is for business.
2. Bids 4NT
Careful. You have to bid five clubs, not five diamonds. When partner bids 4NT over 4S, he is showing a very good two suiter. The suits may or may not be the minors.
At this point you don't know which suits he has. The way you find out is to bid the lowest suit you have with three cards in it, after which partner will pass with support and will bid the next higher suit without support. Here, you bid 5C. If partner has clubs, he will pass. If he has hearts and diamonds, he will go on to 5D which you will pass.
3. Bids 5D
Pass. Partner will appreciate your trumps. Perhaps he will appreciate your queen of hearts too. I expect 5D will be down one, but that's bridge.
Hand Four. What do you respond when your partner
1. Doubles
Bid three diamonds. If you are using Lebensohl, this is a minimum three diamond bid, promising eight or more useful points. If you are not using Lebensohl, you still bid three diamonds. In this light, you have a good three diamond bid.
2. Bids 3S
Bid four spades. The jump overcall is not a weak bid, it is a strong bid. It says that if you have seven or more points, you should think about going to game. Here, you have seven points and a doubleton spade. Since partner has six or seven good spades, your support is adequate. If you had less, you could pass. The jump is strong, but not forcing.
3. Bids 2NT
Raise to three notrump or pass. Partner says he has a strong notrump hand of about 15-18 points. Your hand is a minimum raise. The important thing about this bidding is that you and partner know what the two notrump bid means. It is a natural bid, not an unusual notrump bid. That is a poor treatment. It is more important to show your good hands than your distributional ones. If you have 5-5 in the minors, you can do one of two things.
4. Bids 2S
Pass. This is a simple hand according to the rule of seven. You have seven ordinary points and your partner made a simple overcall. You have 'your bid' but you don't have anything extra. Pass two spades and expect it to be a close hand for your partner to make.