Sitting South, what would you bid next?
Mikael Rimstedt
Here you are faced with a difficult decision after partner’s take-out double.
What‘s your call?
Mikael Rimstedt‘s solution
With all the heart honours well-placed, you need to think about the best game. The only problem is that you don’t know if that game is 3NT or 4S… or none of them! But one thing we know for sure is that if your opponents play in hearts, you are almost guaranteed three tricks. Here passing will often be your safest way to achieve a decent score, or even a big one, without having to guess where you belong. Take advantage of your opponents falling into bad splits instead of you being that person!
Score: 20/20 ✅
If I was faced with this hand and had to choose which game is most likely to make, I would say 3NT. All heart honours are perfectly placed to stop the opponents and partner, who usually holds an opening hand in this type of sequence, will make sure the other suits are stopped and you may be able to take nine tricks. In 3NT, you won’t have to worry about bad splits and ruffs, which are usually an issue after the opponents’ weak opening.
Score: 15/20
In theory, 2NT as a mini cue bid to continue with 3NT, which will show four spades and a stopper in hearts. The only problem is that partner will only pass over 3NT if you don’t have four spades because you are not showing such strength in hearts.
Score: 10/20
Partner will expect you to have between 0 and 9 points, so this bid is clearly an underbid. When partner makes a take-out double, you have to jump to show strength, and bidding 2S here is not a jump.
Score: 5/20
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