Points are important in Bridge, but... by Bobby Wolff

A: 2♠: Brace yourself: This hand is an absolute minimum for a two-spade call, but you should still make that bid. Your ruffing value and honor in spades mean that you are offering partner something that will surely be useful, while denying the opponents some space. So gird your loins and enter the fray!

Your result so far:

A: 3♠: This auction is forcing: You may have a minimum (or even subminimum) hand, but you have spade support. So raise to three spades without a qualm. I could imagine producing a splinter raise to four clubs if my heart four were the ace, or even perhaps the king.


Your result so far:

A: 2NT: Some 8-counts are not worth a further move after partner completes the transfer to a major. This hand is an exception, since your intermediates (even in clubs!) are all worth something, and the spade and heart 10s represent almost a full point between them. So invite game with a call of two no-trump, or drive to three no-trump if feeling adventurous.

Your result so far:

A: 3♥: It is tempting to drive this hand to game, since you are under such pressure to raise hearts with less, but the diamond queen is probably worthless, so all you really have is a nine-count. That being so, maybe a bid of three hearts is sufficient here. Switch the diamonds and spades, and I might bid four hearts.

Your result so far:

A: 4♦: It looks obvious to bid four hearts here, but what are you supposed to do if your LHO bids four spades and the auction comes back to you? You will have to guess, and your partner will be unaware of your hand type. Help him get involved in the decision by bidding four diamonds, so he knows whether his cards are working on offense or defense and can perhaps choose for you.

Your result so far: