1♠. The modern style of pre-empt is with a range of 5-9 HCP: the reason for this is because 10 HCP and a good seven-card suit constitute a strong enough hand to open the bidding at the one-level. When evaluating the hand you should include the value of a strong and long suit: 3 extra points for a seven-card suit. 10 + 3 = 13 which is definitely enough for an opening one bid. Here the auction might well proceed: 1♠-2♦-4♠-End. Had you opened 3♠ then your partner would have passed.

East Hand ♠ Q8 ♥ 987 ♦ A9863 ♣ A82

4NT. Note the vulnerability: your side is vulnerable and your opponents are not. This means that your partner should be on his best behaviour – he should have a strong suit – it is not worth the risk of pre-empting on bad suits when you are at unfavourable vulnerability. Suspecting that your partner might have seven spade tricks (with the help of your holding), your diamond suit then offers the potential of many more tricks; one ruff might be enough to establish the 
suit. You have control in every suit, so you should try for slam by using Blackwood (ideally a version that includes the king of trumps in the responses). Playing simple Keycard Blackwood, East would respond 5♥ to 4NT showing two key cards and you would raise to 6♠. The play should be straightforward: draw trumps and play ♦A-K and ruff the third round – your diamonds are now likely to all be winners so you have plenty of tricks for your slam.

East Hand ♠ AKT9852 ♥ 92 ♦ 32 ♣ 42

Pass. South opens with a pre-emptive style opening at the two-level. It is important to get used to dealing with weak twos: they are becoming much more popular. The most sensible defence against weak twos is to play double for take-out and have a natural 2NT overcall showing a strong balanced hand (about 16-19 HCP). Your overcalls should generally be based around a six-card or longer suit. Bearing in mind the defence described above, you should pass: your hand does not fit any of the given categories. You are not strong enough to bid no-trumps; you do not have good (or long) enough clubs and you certainly do not have the shape for a take-out double (your partner would respond in hearts). The best result your side is likely to get on the hand would be 2♠ going one or two off.

East hand ♠ 763 ♥ K532 ♦ AK52 ♣ T4

Double. Your partner opens 1♠ and South overcalls 1NT. The answer to this question is relatively straightforward, but surprisingly elusive. Doubles of no-trump bids are used for penalties: you should use them when your side has the majority of points or when you have a strong hand sitting over an opponent. Here, you hold 10 HCP and your partner has opened, so you can be sure of the majority of points and should therefore double. 2♣ would be natural, but would suggest a weaker hand. No-trump bids change the nature of an auction, because one player has accurately described his hand.

East Hand ♠ AK543 ♥ QJ2 ♦ T9 ♣ K52