BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

PARTNER opens 1♥. What would you respond?

IT’S ENCOURAGING to note that more players now seem to be using a jump response, not only as game forcing, but also to show slam interest. This is a much more sensible approach than responding on the basis of your honour point count.

This hand has only 11HCPs, but North judged that he might not be able to describe the full potential of his hand later in the auction and, rather than trying to ‘play catch-up’, he opted to force with 2♠.

It is absolute minimum strength for the bid, but justified by the doubleton in partner’s suit, in the event that South turns up with very long hearts.

In the event, North’s judgment was well rewarded, because partner held ♠74, ♥AKQ108, ♦AK3, ♣632, and 6♠ was reached easily, making all of the tricks after a trump lead.

Most North players reasonably responded 1♠, and only one of them subsequently managed to reach the very good slam.