What to Respond?

Here is your hand:

♠K4
♥Q9732
♦Q94
♣T98

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 2NT. The Opponents are silent throughout the auction. What will you respond? You and Partner have agreed that you are playing Jacoby Transfers over a 2NT opening bid as well.

This one is pretty easy. Respond 3♦.

Now Partner bids 3♥. After all you did force them to! What is your call?

Show Answer

Bid 3NT.

First of all you have to realize that you have a nice enough hand to get the partnership to game. Partner should have 20 or 21 HCP. This measly little 7 count should just be enough.

But you do not KNOW you have a ♥ fit. Partner was forced to say 3♥. It does NOT mean Partner has three of them. Partner is allowed one doubleton. It could be in ♥.

3NT gets the partnership to game. You have already shown five ♥ when you transferred. If Partner has three or more ♥ they can take you out of 3NT and bid 4♥. You will have found your fit.