Playing like you can see your opponents’ cards

Do you miss regularly playing the game of Bridge in person? Keep your card skills sharp by trying out our weekly quiz instead.

Today’s quiz: Continuing the current series on responding to overcalls and takeout doubles, here is the first of several quizzes on responding to a one notrump overcall by partner.

In the following problem, with neither side vulnerable, your left-hand opponent opens with one diamond, partner bids one notrump (15-17 points) and the next player passes. What (if anything) would you now do? Your hand:

S K94 H J93 D Q42 C Q1087

Answer: If there had been no opposing opening bid and partner has simply opened with one notrump, it would be wrong to try to get to game on this eight-point hand since your side could not have more than 25 high-card points and might have as little as 23. Furthermore, your partner would have no clue as to the location of the missing high cards.

But in the actual case, there are three reasons to invite game by raising partner to two notrump: first, partner might occasionally decide to overcall one notrump with an 18point hand, as there may be no better action available; second, the opposing high cards are known to be sandwiched between your hand and partner’s, so that any finesses that need to be taken are much more likely to work; and third, partner can play the hand almost as if he had peeked at the opponents’ cards.

Therefore, you should give partner the chance to bid game with a maximum. Even if he presses on to qame with just 16 points, he should have a good chance to make it with the information he has to go on and the cards located as they are.