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 "Plain Jane" - Potpourri of Bidding Challenges by Marti Ronemus

Less experienced players often think that if they could just learn a few more conventions, their game would improve geometrically. Well, it just isn't so.

Bobby Darin knew the reality in 1958 when he recorded "Plain Jane." At least 85% of auctions only require us to have a solid grip on basic fundamentals. Let's take a look at some "Plain Jane" bidding sequences.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 Q J 10 9
 K Q 10 5
 Q 9
 8 6 5
 
Q: 1 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--1 No-trumpPass
2*Double***2Pass
?

**Stayman: "Do you have a four-card major?"
***Lead Directing Double. Usually, the double of an artificial bid (like Stayman) is for lead direction.

 Your choice:
A: 4: Pard showed 15-17 points with his opening bid. Opposite that, we've got game-going values. We found our major suit fit. We don't need any more information so we place the contract.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 Q J 10 9
 K Q 10 5
 Q 9
 8 6 5
 
Q: 2 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
?



 Your choice:
A: 3: We have the same hand, but this time Pard opens 1. We need to make a Plain Jane limit raise, showing 10-12 points and usually four pieces of trump.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 K Q 9 5 4
 8 7
 A Q 9
 K 8 4
 
Q: 3 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 3: We don't need to get fancy here. We can't rebid our Spades, as that would promise six. We hold a No-trump shape, so we could bid 2 No-trump. But holding two honors and an honorette in Pard's bid suit, why not show him a little support first? We like raising Diamonds. If we had a Heart stopper, No-trump would be our first choice.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 K Q 9 5 4
 8 7
 A Q 9
 K 8 4
 
Q: 4 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2 No-trump: Same hand, but this time, Pard has bid 2. Knowing that the Hearts are covered, and knowing we (most likely) don't have an eight card major suit fit, we're going to limit our hand by bidding 2 No-trump. Pard will know we have a minimum opener with stoppers in the unbid suits. Now it's his problem.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 K Q 9 5 4
 8 7
 A Q 9
 K 8 4
 
Q: 5 - South:
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass: Pard limits his hand with his 2 bid. Even if he is at the max of 9 points, we aren't going anywhere. "Plain Jane" bidding requires that we be able to Do the Math. We do it, and we pass.

And now, how about a not-so Plain Jane hand?

Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

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Overall Results

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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