Bridge
Expert Panel

You're playing with me and we're playing two over one - 15-17 notrump openers. We haven't discussed 1♦ pass 2♣. How much would you have to add to ♠AJxx♥??♦??♣Kxxxx? to respond 2♣ instead of 1♠ to my 1♦-opener? …

1♦ - Pass – 2♣ (Game Forcing) is a difficult sequence in standard bidding.

You open a 15-17 1NT and responder invites in diamonds. Your diamond holding is K32. Are there some hands with K32 of diamonds that are too weak outside to accept the invitation? Experts weigh in on aces, stoppers, and the importance of nine fast tricks.

The perfect takeout double is 4441 with shortness in the opponent's suit. Supposed you are 3=3=4=3 (four diamonds). What is the minimum hand that you would make a takeout double of 1♣? What is the minimum hand …

When is 4NT in competition not asking for keycards? Which of the following is ace asking? (Do you have rules?) After 1♠ (by partner) -- 4♥ (by opponent), what does 4NT mean? After 1♣ (by partner) -- 4♥ (by oppo…

Playing matchpoints, the bidding goes 1♠ – pass – pass to you. What is the minimum hand with 3334 distribution that you would balance with 1NT? Does it matter if the opening was 1♦? Do IMPs change your approach?

You open a 15-17 1NT and responder invites in diamonds. KQJxxx, AQxxxx, or AJ10xxx and out is what I would expect responder to have. With better holdings AQJxxx or AKJxxx just bid 3NT. Some use a direct jump to…

Your average partner gave you his standardish convention card with many conventions on it. He said that you could change up to two conventions or understandings. Which conventions, (conventions you think are ei…

Playing matchpoints, neither side vulnerable, the bidding goes 1♠ - pass - pass to you. What is the minimum hand with any 3334 distribution that you would balance with? If the opening bid was 1♦, would that mak…

The auction goes 1♦ - pass - pass to you. Assuming you pass with ♠Jxxx♥Jxxx♦x♣Jxxx (or do you), what additions would you need to balance with a double? Assuming you pass with ♠Jxx♥Jxxx♦xxx♣Jxx, how much extra s…

Bergen Raises: One-of-a-major – three-of-the-same-major is a preemptive raise. Partner opens 1♠ and you bid 3♠ holding ♠Qxxx♥Qxxx♦xxx♣xx. Four trumps and fewer then seven support points. One-of-a-major - 3♣ is …

I want to discuss what do you do when it goes 4♠ -- Pass – Pass to you? Would you do something holding ♠AQx♥xx♦AKJx♣QJxx? Would you something holding ♠AQx♥xx♦AKJx♣AKxx? Now make it ♠-♥Kxxx♦KQxxx♣AQxx? Does vuln…

Your Left Hand Opponent (LHO) opens 4♠ and your partner doubles. Your understanding is that the double is not a penalty double. What are the minimum hands you would need in order to pull the double? What differ…

Your LHO opens 5♣, your partner doubles and RHO passes.

An opponent opens 1NT that shows 15-17 HCP. What is the minimum you need to bid in direct seat non-vulnerable? In the passout seat? Which convention would you suggest the average player use and which would you …

When do you play 3NT with an eight-card major suit fit? The form of scoring can make a difference. Since the object of IMPs is to get the game bonus, +600 is just as good as +620. In order for 4♠ to be right at…

Competing means bidding when the auction could end if you pass. When your opponents are in a two-level eight-card fit, it's your job to compete. Nine-card fits, maximal doubles, light overcalls, and the 2NT takeout — a complete guide to part-score battles.

The auction goes 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♠ - 3♣ (the opponents are bidding clubs). You hold ♠K5432♥A32♦K32♣Q2. You have five spades and if partner has three spades you have an eight-card spade fit. What does it take to bid …

You hold ♠Q109x♥xxx♦AKJx♣xx and you're playing with me and we have agreed to play limit raises with no other discussions. It goes by us only 1♠ - 3♠ (limit raise) - 4♦. What would you expect me to have for my 4…

Your side opens 1NT (15-17 or 14-16) and the opponents compete. What are your rules on penalty doubles vs. takeout doubles vs. optional doubles? What about doubles when LHO balances such as 1NT - Pass - Pass - …

More players are using transfer responses to a non-forcing 1♣-opener. After 1♣–pass–1♦ (showing hearts), what defenses do you use? Does double show diamonds or hearts? What about after 1♣–1♠ (artificial)?

You would like to have a good six-card suit and an opening bid to overcall at the two-level. However, sometimes you are dealt five-card suits. Assume they open 1♠ and you're vulnerable at IMPs. What are the min…

Right Hand Opponent (RHO) opens a weak notrump and you double for penalties. If partner doubled LHO's natural 2♣ by Left Hand Opponent (LHO), what would that mean? If partner doubled LHO's natural 2♠, what wou…

You hold ♠32♥AKxxx♦AQxx♣xx. You open 1♥, LHO bids 4♠ and partner doubles. What is the minimum change that you would make to the above hand where you would remove partner's double. Since this is a generic quest…

You open 2♣ which is strong and artificial. If your LHO overcalls 2♠, what should Responder's double mean assuming you're not playing controls which makes double conventional? What about doubles of 3♥, Four-of-…

You open 1NT, partner bids 2♣ and the next player doubles. What's the difference between Pass and 2♦? Does two-of-a-major say anything about your club stopper? Does redouble have any other meaning other than yo…

Your RHO opens a 12-14 notrump. Holding Kxx/Kxx/Kxxx/Kxx, I think you would pass. Assuming you're playing penalty doubles of weak notrumps, what are minimum additions you would need to make a penalty double? Wh…

You have KJxx of clubs in dummy opposite A109xx. ‘Eight ever, nine never’ means that you play the Ace and then the King. In what situations would you deviate and take a finesse? If the contract is 3NT? What if…

There is nothing worse than passing a call around to partner, expecting him to do something and partner places the green card on the table. There are at least two auctions one doesn't have to worry about, game-…

Partner opens 1NT(15-17). You're playing 2♣ followed by 2♥ shows both majors and is weak, which is called Garbage Stayman. After 1NT -- 2♣ -- 2♦ -- 2♥, opener passes with three hearts and corrects to 2♠ with th…

You open one-of-a-major and partner raises to two-of-your-major. What are your thoughts about game tries? What is the prototype 3♣ game try after 1♠ - 2♠? What about 1♥ - 2♥?

You hold ♠QJ98754♥3♦52♣K92. You're playing Swiss teams against a good team and you are vulnerable in second seat.

You open 1♠ holding ♠AKxxx♥AYxx♦Zxx♣x and partner bids 2♠. What would Y and Z have to be in your hand to make a game try (invite game) at matchpoints? What would you need if you were vulnerable at IMPs?

Your Left Hand Opponent (LHO) opens 1NT and your Right Hand Opponent (RHO) bids 2♣ (Stayman). What types of hands would you double 2♣? What types of hand would you double a 2♥ transfer?

What is the strategy that experts use when they have a disaster? I asked the panel the following question. You're playing a seven-board Swiss match against a team that's close to your skill level. On the first …

You hold ♠ABxx♥CDxxx♦xx♣xx. Partner opens 1♦, RHO overcalls 1♥. What values of ABCD would you make a negative double and with what values would you pass? Assume double shows four spades and 1♠ shows five.

Playing a standard 2/1 system, you hold ♠43♥A543♦Q32♣8765. Partner opens 1♠, you bid one notrump and partner bids 2♥. What are some minimum additions you would need to make in order to have enough strength to r…

When do you open 1NT? You're playing 15-17 1NT openers. What our your thoughts about opening 1NT on slightly unbalanced hands? Five-card majors? Hands with non-stopped suits such as ♠432♥AQ32♦AKQ2♣32, 4-5-2-2 h…

You hold ♠432♥KJ32♦1098♣1098 on lead against 4♠. Hearts have not been bid. Against what auctions do you lead a heart? Against what auctions do you lead a passive minor? Experts debate active vs. passive leads.

Assuming you usually do not overcall in a four-card suit at the one-level, when would you make an exception to this practice and do so? Does type of game or vulnerability make a difference?

You're playing five-card majors and two-over-one. This means that in first seat you open ♠xx♥AKQx♦Kxxxx♣xx 1♦, or would you? What are your thoughts about opening four-card majors in third or fourth chair?

Most doubles are takeout doubles — but are these four? 2♠–P–3♠–P–P–Dbl; 2♠–P–4♠–P–P–Dbl; the Ogust auction; and 1♠–P–1NT–P–2♠–Dbl. Experts debate the rules for when pass-then-double is penalty.

What advice would you give to a quartet of up-and-coming bridge players who are about to play a 24-board Regional knockout match against a team that obviously has more experience and more talent?

You're playing with a new average partner and you're filling out a card. You get to the sections about opening preempts and weak-twos. What do you tell your partner to expect when you open a weak two-bid or thr…

Partner opens 3♦ favorable and you have five diamonds with nothing on the outside. An example hand would be ♠432♥32♦KJ432♣432. Over RHO's double, what tactical bid do you think is best? Suppose RHO passes.

You hold ♠32♥AKxxx♦AQxx♣xx. You open 1♥, LHO bids 4♠, partner doubles. When do you pull? What shape or distribution changes would make you bid 4NT or 5♦? Experts weigh spade shortness, 5-5 shape, and vulnerability.

You open 1♠ with ♠AQxxx♥Kx♦Qxx♣Jxx. Your partner bids 3♠ which is a standard four-card limit raise. [You would probably pass] What are minimum upgrades you would need to make in order to bid 4♠ non-vulnerable?…

What is the minimum needed to invite opposite a 15-17 notrump at matchpoints? The notrump opener is an average declarer. In order to answer this question, I asked some of the country’s best players four questio…

You are 1345, ♠x♥xxx♦AKxx♣AJxxx for instance, with 11-14 HCPs playing a five-card major, strong notrump, standard system. How do you bid this type of hand playing with a partner who you know will respond 1♠? (G…

You're playing two-over-one, five-card majors with 2♣ as your strong bid. The opponents are not in any of these auctions. You open 1♠ and partner bids 2♣. What do you think of a rebid of 2♠ promising six spades…

It goes 1♣ by you – 1♠ -- negative double -- pass to you. You hold a balanced hand with 12-14 HCP. What do you rebid if your highest spade is the four? Hand one ♠432♥???♦??♣Qxxxx? Hand two ♠432♥???♦???♣??xx? Ha…

It goes one-of-a-minor (by Partner) – 1♠ (by you) --- 1NT (by partner). I assume that if you held ♠KQJ10x♥xxx♦xxx♣xx (hand #1), you would bid 2♠. If you held ♠65432♥Kxx♦Kxx♣xx (hand #2), you would pass 1NT (or …

When does a redouble say, I think the Opponent has made a mistake. We’re going to make it. When does a redouble say, The Opponent thinks we are going down and I agree. Lets find a better spot. 3♠ - 3NT - Dou…

Playing five-card majors and strong notrump you open 1♣, Your LHO bids 1♠ and it goes Pass - Pass back to you. Holding ♠AKxx♥xxx♦xxx♣AJx, you should pass. However, holding ♠x♥AKxx♦xxx♣AJxxx you should reopen w…

Partner opens 1♥ and you're not playing Flannery or Kaplan inversion (1♠ is a forcing notrump and 1NT shows spades). You have exactly four spades. I'd like your thoughts in what situations you would not bid 1♠.…

You're playing 2♣-opener is strong and artificial with no other understandings other than cheapest minor is second negative. What is the weakest hand/suit that you would respond 2♥? What is the weakest hand/sui…

At equal vulnerability, LHO opens 1♦, partner overcalls 1♠, and the normal happens. It goes Pass – Pass – Double – Pass -- Pass back to you. Assuming you don't have a six-card suit or a solid five-card suit, wh…

Partner opens one-of-a-major. You have a game-forcing hand with at least four-card support for partner and you have an outside singleton. What types of hands do you splinter? What types of hands do you make a f…

What are your thoughts on three-card limit raises in the following auctions? 1♠ - pass - 3♠, 1♥ - pass -3♥ or if playing Bergen raises, one-of-a-major -- pass -- 3♦ (artificial four-card limit raise). This is a…

Today you're playing with John Aknown Underbidder. The last time you played, you were +180 + 710 and a few other overtrickish scores. Is there any strategy you will use so that you that you will have fewer over…

You hold ♠32♥2♦Q5432♣Q5432. Your RHO opens 1♥. At equal or you're vulnerable, you probably wouldn't overcall 2NT showing both minors. You might at favorable. What is the minimum addition you would need to bid 2…

What are the minimum hands that you would bid 2NT(unusual) over RHO's one-of-a-major opener? You may give different answers based on type of game and vulnerability. What about Michaels over a one-of-a-minor ope…

Three auctions — after a cuebid, after a limit raise, and after a splinter — each followed by a double. What do Pass, Redouble, and returning to the trump suit show? The principle of fast arrival applies across all three.

You have six spades and four hearts. You open 1♠ and partner bids 1NT. Holding ♠AKQ543♥5432♦K2♣2 you would probably rebid 2♠. Holding ♠987654♥AKQ2♦K2♣2, you would probably rebid 2♥. Please give me the minimum h…