Here are the answers to my Christmas Competition.
1. With West the dealer and neither side vulnerable, how should the auction proceed? See the sequence in the diagram. But if North passes, deciding his suit isn't good enough for a second-seat pre-empt, East would open one diamond and South might well jump to four hearts. (If South overcalls only one heart, probably West would make a negative double to show four spades, North would bid one spade anyway, East would rebid two diamonds, and South would leap to four hearts.)
2. Assuming the three active players know where all of the cards lie, what leads from West would defeat four hearts? The spade three and spade six. If West leads the spade 10, South wins with North's ace, unblocking his queen. Later, he plays a spade to dummy's seven.
3. How should you play the North-South spade holding for six tricks? Lead the queen from the South hand, hoping to find East with the doubleton 10-9.
4. East deals and opens one diamond. What should he rebid after West responds one spade? Two diamonds. He has the playing strength for three diamonds, but with only 13 points and one spade, he should underbid.
5. South deals and opens one heart. What should he rebid after North responds two clubs? Two hearts. Although South has the values for three hearts, he has a difficult hand to describe. And since a two-over-one response promises a second bid, two hearts is forcing. Save the three-heart jump for a (near) solid suit.
The winners will be announced on March 24.
1. With West the dealer and neither side vulnerable, how should the auction proceed? See the sequence in the diagram. But if North passes, deciding his suit isn't good enough for a second-seat pre-empt, East would open one diamond and South might well jump to four hearts. (If South overcalls only one heart, probably West would make a negative double to show four spades, North would bid one spade anyway, East would rebid two diamonds, and South would leap to four hearts.)
2. Assuming the three active players know where all of the cards lie, what leads from West would defeat four hearts? The spade three and spade six. If West leads the spade 10, South wins with North's ace, unblocking his queen. Later, he plays a spade to dummy's seven.
3. How should you play the North-South spade holding for six tricks? Lead the queen from the South hand, hoping to find East with the doubleton 10-9.
4. East deals and opens one diamond. What should he rebid after West responds one spade? Two diamonds. He has the playing strength for three diamonds, but with only 13 points and one spade, he should underbid.
5. South deals and opens one heart. What should he rebid after North responds two clubs? Two hearts. Although South has the values for three hearts, he has a difficult hand to describe. And since a two-over-one response promises a second bid, two hearts is forcing. Save the three-heart jump for a (near) solid suit.
The winners will be announced on March 24.