What’s your call?
| 2♦ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 2NT | |
| 3♣ | 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass |
LHO didn’t make a Michaels call, nor did he make a takeout double. Partner couldn’t muster up a negative double and so far, righty has nothing to say. Where are the spades?
Lawrence bids 3♥. “I considered 2NT, but I might not have the time to set up diamond tricks. I’m not doubling or bidding 2♦ because the opponents may have an undiscovered spade fit. 3♥ is an accurate and simple value bid.”
Robinson’s 3♥ mini-soliloquy: “Do I pass just because I have a singleton spade? Partner needs to hold very little for me to make 4♥.”
Meckstroth jumps to 3♥. “I don’t think it’s likely that partner has a club July 2015 Bridge Bulletin 43 trap pass.”
Sanborn likes 3♥ a lot. “This is not the right hand to reopen with a double. 3♥ shows the strength and length and gets the hand with the lead values to be declarer.”
Lee, too: “3♥ seems right on values, and I’m afraid that partner will pass 2♦ with something like 2–3 in the red suits.”
Meyers: “Good suit, good hand, not enough to bid game on my own.” 3♥ by Stack. “Let’s give this great hand some direction. We can make game opposite the red queens, although partner will probably not bid game with just the red queens.”
Hampson’s 3♥: “Double will trap partner into bidding spades when I really just want to play hearts. 2NT would be OK if I had a second spade or at least an honor in spades.”
Cohen explains why he elects to double. “No matter how many spades partner bids, I will correct, of course. Meanwhile, it is vaguely possible he could leave the double in, or remove to something other than spades.”
Boehm also doubles. “With much ground to cover, a space-saving start seems in order.”
Korbel bashes to 4♥. “I need basically nothing to make 4♥: Either red queen should be more than enough. I don’t want to give anyone a chance to bid spades. It’s just too bad if partner has a bunch of diamonds headed by the ace.”
4♥ by the Sutherlins. “The auction raises the question, ‘Where are the spades?’ We don’t care. Our 4♥ almost certainly shuts out the spades and ends the auction. A little something from partner (like a red queen) gives us a good shot at game.”
This time, Rigal likes 2♦ on the 6–4. “Partner does not have a penalty double of clubs, so I choose to compete to get both suits in. A direct 2♥ planning to bid diamonds later, perhaps, is also reasonable. Yes, they could be cold for 4♠. Let’s find out the hard way.”
Handley is true to form. “2♦ . With two viable trump suits, I’d like to get both of them into the auction.”
Either Colchamiro’s sporting a fetching new devil-may-care attitude or he’s lost his mind. “2NT. Partner must have ‘a million’ spades, so for me, it’s ‘what, me worry?’ ”
