Which is my Best Lie?

Here is your hand:
♠K
♥AK75
♦KQJ2
♣AKJ2

You are Dealer. What do you open the bidding?

You have 24 HCP. Most players would open this 2♣ saying NOTHING about the ♣ suit -- just saying they have a VERY big hand.

Nothing wrong with opening 2♣ on this hand. Your Partner now bids 2♦. This says nothing about the ♦ suit. It just says they are waiting to see what you now bid.

So now you have to describe your hand.

What will you bid over Partner's 2♦ bid?

Show Answer

This is not the greatest hand to find a rebid over.

If you bid 2NT you show a balanced hand with 22 to 24 HCP.

You do NOT have a balanced hand. You have a singleton.

If you bid a suit you are now forcing the partnership to game and showing at least a five card suit.

You do not have a five card suit.

So what is your bid? Which is the best "lie"?

Bidding 2NT is probably the best way to describe the hand. You have an awkward rebid.

I wouldn't encourage you to bid NT with singletons but in case of emergency sometimes you must make the best of a bad situation. Bidding 2NT is better than any other call.

If you REALLY don't want to rebid 2NT on this hand then you must open the bidding 1♦. If Partner responds then you have various ways to force to game. However if Partner doesn't respond you may be stuck in 1♦...

If you feel you have too many HCP to open just 1♦ then rebid 2NT over Partner's 2♦ waiting bid.

Declarer Play Problem

Dummy:
♠KQ763
♥974
♦KJT6
♣T

Here is your hand:
♠5
♥AKQJ63
♦Q85
♣K93

You end up in a 2♥ contract after your RHO opens the bidding 1NT (15-17 HCP).

The lead was the J♠. You played Q♠ from Dummy and RHO wins the A♠. Then they switch to the Q♣.

What card are you playing from your hand? The King, the nine or the three?

(Hint: Review the bidding!)

Show Answer

I hope you won your King♣!

How should you know to play that card?

Think about it. What was the bidding?

RHO opened the bidding 1NT. They have 15-17 HCP. You have 15 HCP. Dummy has 9 HCP. There are 16 HCP missing. That means that your LHO has AT MOST a Jack.

What was the opening lead? The J♠. LHO has no more high cards.

The Opponents Interfere over a 1NT Bid

Here is your hand:
♠JT842
♥5
♦732
♣7542

Your LHO is Dealer. They Pass. Partner bids 1NT. (You make your "15 to 17" announcement like a good little bridge player.) Your RHO bids 2♥. Your turn to bid.

Look at that. You were just about to bid 2♥ to transfer Partner to ♠! You remember that you and your Partner are playing "Stolen Bids". That means that IF you "Double", Partner will know that this is a transfer to ♠ and bid accordingly. What is your call? You are playing match points.

Show Answer

I hope you PASSED!

Before the opponents bid you were intending to transfer to ♠. That was a better contract then 1NT probably. But you really didn't want this contract did you? You have a terrible hand.

The opponents aren't really stealing this contract from you. They are rescuing you from a disaster. If you don't have a ♠ fit you are in big trouble. Even with a fit you might still be in trouble.

Let them have this hand. You don't want it.

P.S. If you bid you are in big trouble. Even if the Opponents don't find a "Double". Which they will of course. The one has five of your ♠ (much better ones than you have) and their Partner showed a nice hand by bidding over the 1NT bid.