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Answer With 13 points you want to be in game, but which game? There is no reason partner to hold five hearts, so it is not safe to raise to 4H. Nor can you bid 3NT with only 10-x-x in the unbid suit. On this type of hand the only sound call is a bid in the fourth suit, here 3C. It means ‘I have a strong hand but no good bid to make. Please continue to describe your hand.’ If partner rebids his hearts you can play in game there. If he bids 3S, suggesting six spades or five good ones, you can bid 4S. Over 3NT you will pass. Awards: 3C-10, 4H-4, 4S-3, 3NT-2. David Bird — Knight Features
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YOU
may laugh at North’s uncultured bidding but it looks all right to me.
The hand is too strong for a splinter bid (4H to show a sound game raise
with at most a singleton heart). Anyway, take the East cards-covering
the West and South hands for a moment-and see how well you defend the
slam. Partner leads the queen of diamonds, won with dummy’s ace, and
at Trick 2 the singleton heart is led from the table. Do you take the
ace? If so, what do you return? The general rule when a singleton heart
is led from the table. Do you take the ace? If so, what do you return?
The general rule when a singleton is led from dummy is: do not rise with
the ace unless you can see the setting trick(s). If you play the ace
declarer will have a diamond discard on the heart king. The slam will be
easily made. Play low smoothly instead and declarer may misguess,
playing the jack in the hope that you have the queen. West will win with
the queen and the slam will go one down. Playing low works when South
has Q-J-x of hearts too. If you rise with the ace you set up a ruffing
finesse against partner’s king.
What should you say
now on those West cards?