♠7 ♥Q 8 6 5 4 3 ♦K 9 4 2 ♣A J
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♣ | 1♥ | ||
| Dbl | 2♣ | 3♣ | ? |
| 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT | |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Dbl | Pass |
What’s your call?
Even though South has only 10 high-card points, eight experts made a game try by bidding 3♦.
“I choose 3♦, a game try.” said August Boehm. “The negative double shows four spades but needn’t hold diamonds.”
Larry Cohen agreed. “3♦,” he said. “I’ve not enough to insist on game, but too much to bid only 3♥. Note that North should have five or more spades because West should have exactly four and East has fewer than four.”
“Partner has a limit raise or better for hearts,” said Don Stack, “and, by inference, must have five or more spades. This hand, although light in high cards, is worth a game try.”
“Game will make if partner has diamond help, so we invite with 3♦” said Kitty and Steve Cooper. “We know North has at least five spades, so we are afraid he has wasted high cards there. We are vulnerable at IMPs, but partner knows that, too.”
“A 6–4 hand is worth a game try when partner shows support,” said Kerri Sanborn. “It only takes a well-placed minimum to produce 10 tricks.”
“3♦* as a general game try is our choice,” said Linda and Robb Gordon. “We have a six-loser hand with at least a nine-card fit.”
With six losers opposite a limit raise (eight losers), your side should usually be in game. Six experts agreed with that.
“4♥,” said Barry Rigal. “Why beat around the bush? Bidding 3♦ does not show diamonds, but is the only game try available, so it’s non-specific.”
When all suits are available, 3♦ is a help-suit game try. When it’s the only suit left for a game try, however, it becomes a general try — it’s only coincidental that you have diamonds. That’s what the Gordons mean by gen¬eral and Rigal means by non-specific.
Steve Robinson agreed with 4♥. “With 6–4, bid more,” he said.
“4♥,” echoed Kay and Randy Joyce. “Partner could have the right 8 count or the wrong 12 count.”
“At pairs, I would be willing to stop in 3♥, but not at IMPs,” said Jeff Meck¬stroth.
Two players bid only 3♥.
“I don’t play the cuebid as forcing to the three level,” said Mike Lawrence, “so bidding 3♥ says I have a hand I like, but not good enough to bid game.”
“We don’t have enough to bid 4♥,” said Peggy and John Sutherlin, “and too much to pass. A 3♥ bid should show the in-between hand.”
What would 3♦ mean?
“Pass,” said Allan Falk. “Partner has not announced heart support, just a good hand. I don’t want to give partner the impression I have more than a minimum by bidding in front of him.”
After an overcall, a cuebid guaran¬tees a fit in Bridge Bulletin Standard. With heart support by North, your hand is strong enough to make a game try.
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