When the bidding gets more complicated by Bobby Wolff

A: 2♥: Hearts looks like the right place to play here, so the question is whether to bid two hearts, three hearts or four hearts. The latter would be wildly optimistic, and unilateral, since partner could always raise three hearts to four, if appropriate. Here, I think I would go low with a call of two hearts; your partner's bidding and the opponent's double are all danger signals.

Your result so far:

A: Pass: I'm as capable of overbidding as the next person, but I would pass two diamonds now and hope that it made, rather than look for a game. Since my partner would typically raise with three spades and an unbalanced hand, and would surely have bid clubs on his second turn with four, we have no good fit, no aces and, thus, remarkably few prospects.


Your result so far:

A: Pass: It never does any harm to go over the basics once in a while. This auction is natural and non-forcing. Your partner knows you have six or more spades but wants strongly to suggest playing diamonds instead. Who are you to overrule him? You have two more diamonds than he knows about! So pass, happily.

Your result so far:

A: 3♠: The three-heart call shows 5-6 in hearts and clubs, but does not promise slam interest. It is up to you to let your partner know that, in context, your hand is highly suitable for hearts. A bid of three spades should be a cue-bid -- for hearts, I think, since you would bid four clubs to set that suit as trump. If you wanted to play spades, you would surely have rebid that suit over two hearts.

Your result so far:

A: Pass: Avert your eyes, all readers of delicate sensibility! Partner could easily have set spades or clubs as trump by raising those suits. This is a quantitative sequence, suggesting a balanced 14-15 or so, and in the context of your last call having suggested extras in shape or high cards, you have nothing in hand. So pass, unless playing with someone who never bids four no-trump except to ask for aces.

Your result so far: