Bidding Nine

Dealer: North
Both sides vulnerable

North

8 6 3

A K J 3

A K J 9 5

West

Q 7 4 2

7 5 4

Q J 10 4 3

East

Q 9 8 2

8 7 4 3 2

K 9 8

South

A K J 10 9

10 6

Q 10

A 7 6 2

North	East	South	West
1�	Pass	1�	Pass
2�	Pass	3�	Pass
3�	Pass	6�	All Pass

Opening Lead:� Q

The laws of bridge prohibit bids of more than seven (though I once had an opponent who, when I bid five clubs, jocularly bid “ten clubs” in lieu of doubling me). Today’s South landed at a good six spades but handled the play as if he were higher, much higher.South took the ace of clubs, ruffed a club in dummy and led a trump to his jack. West ducked smoothly. South then ruffed another club in dummy, returned to his queen of diamonds and cashed the ace of trumps.

When East discarded, South took the king of trumps and led a second diamond. He would have been safe if West had held another diamond, but West ruffed and cashed a club.

SAFE PLAY
South played as if the bid were nine spades. To safeguard his contract, he leads a heart to dummy at Trick Two and returns a trump to his jack.If West ducks, South leads the ten of trumps or goes to the ace of hearts and leads a trump to his ten. He can win any return and is sure of 12 tricks: four trumps, two hearts, five diamonds and one club.

DAILY QUESTION�

You hold:
A K J 10 9
10 6
Q 10
A 7 6 2
. You open one spade, your partner bids two hearts, you rebid two spades and he tries three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER�
A bid of 3NT might work well and would be the choice of many players. Since you have a primary club stopper, a three-heart preference is possible. Partner can expect no better support since you would have raised directly with many hands containing three-card support.