What should I Bid? - Best enquiry for January 2007 

The best submission for January came from Barbara Hansen.

 Hand: Vulnerable, dealer East, the partnership held:

KQ9  A  KQ865  AQ87

8632  Q954  9  KJ65

Bidding:	West	North	East	South
			Pass	1
	Double	Pass	1	Pass
	1NT	//

Comments:    We play Standard American. In response to a double a bid at the 1-level shows 0-7 HCP. My partner steadfastly maintains that with 20 HCP, irrespective of shape, the correct action is to double. How would you bid this hand?

Peter's Reply:

Hi Barbara,

Many players are taught that all hands of 19+ points, after an opponent's opening one of a suit bid, should start with a double and describe the hand with the second bid.

There are other approaches. Most experts deal with balanced hands that include a stopper in the opponent's suit, thus -

Less than 15 HCP = Pass unless the hand includes a 5-card suit or qualifies for a double.

15 - 18 HCP = 1NT

19+ HCP = Double and then, after partner's response:
                 1NT = 19 - 20 HCP
                 Jump in NT = 21 - 22

These bids come on top of the normal hands that qualify for a take-out double.

It looks to me that partner chose to consider the hand as balanced, particularly after your 1 bid.

Thus INT showed about 19 - 20 in a balanced hand. I would want at the very least to invite game with your hand. What the appropriate bid might be is a matter of partnership understanding, but, in anticipation of the possibility of partner having 4 spades, I would want to introduce that suit. Having determined that there is no spade fit, I would bid 3NT with this nice six count and expect partner to make it.

There are many, many bidding methods and styles afoot. Most are good, but both players in a partnership need to play the same.

Regards
Peter Fordham

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