23rd August 2017



The second round of Northern Bridge League matches on 19th August produced a lot of interesting deals.
Here is a bidding problem.


 S  8 
 H  AQ10
 D  52
 C  KQ108763

Game All IMPs Dealer West

South
West
North
East

Pass
1D 1S
2C Pass
2NT
Pass
?




You are playing a strong notrump system, so 2NT shows 12-14 balanced.
What do you bid now?

Solution

Partner may have had no option but to bid 2NT with an inadequate spade stop, or even no spade stop at all.  So three spades is the recommended bid, asking partner if he has a decent spade stop to bid three notrump or otherwise to bid something else.

In the event partner held 9765, K96, AK96, A4 so he would bid four clubs and at least five clubs would be reached, though bidding the slam is quite tough.