1NT.

Your partner has made a 1♠ overcall: it is important to remember that he can be quite weak for this kind of bid. Perhaps as few as 7 or 8 points. Bearing this in mind, the 1NT response is a reasonably positive bid, showing 9-12 points and a stop in the opponents’ suit. Any change of suit after an overcall should also be a relatively positive bid: constructive but non-forcing. Your hand seems to fit the bill for a 1NT response – your partner has shown five spades so the singleton spade should not be a worry. Keeping the auction at the 1-level is certainly the best policy.

East Hand ♠ AK543 ♥ J82 ♦ 92 ♣ 952

2♠.

Spades are the most powerful suit in bridge because they win the auction (for suit contracts) at any given level. You should always try hard to show support if you have it, irrespective of your strength. You have three-card spade support so you should raise to 2♠ – bidding to the level of your fit: partner has 5 + 3 = 8; bid to make eight tricks. It might seem a pointless action, but North, who probably has 18-19 points, has now to bid at the 3-level and the auction might get out of control. If you pass 1♠, North will find it easy to show any suit he holds or will be able to rebid in no-trumps.  

East Hand ♠ AK876 ♥ A82 ♦ 9 ♣ 9852

3♦.

You opened 1♥, North overcalled 1♠ and then your partner supported, creating a very competitive auction. What are your ambitions on the board? You have a pretty good hand: 16 HCP, a reasonable five-card suit and two aces. The losing trick count gives 5 losers, but this is an over-statement of the hand’s values – always be wary of hands with two doubletons when using the losing trick count. However, although the hand is not worth a jump to game, it is certainly worth inviting to game. It is important to note that 3♥ does not invite game – it is a competitive bid – instead, you must choose another bid below 3♥: 2NT, 3♣ or 3♦. These bids are called game tries and I usually like to bid the suit I need help in – where I have the most losers. Here you should bid 3♦ which says, ‘Partner, I think there is a chance for game in hearts, particularly if you can get rid of my losers in diamonds.’ Your partner has a particularly good holding in diamonds – just the one loser, so he jumps to 4♥.

East Hand ♠ 875 ♥ AT43 ♦ A2 ♣ 9842

Double.

South opens 1NT and it is your turn to call. It is tempting to overcall in spades, but that would understate your hand. Any overcall suggests less strength than a penalty double, which in turn means that your partner will not raise to game. Over 2♠ on this hand, East would simply pass. Instead, when you hold a good 15 points or more, you should be making a penalty double. On many occasions, your opponents might escape (perhaps to 2♥ on this hand), but then when you rebid 2♠, your partner will place you with the equivalent of 16 points and, with his 9 points, he would go for game.

East Hand ♠ 93 ♥ 764 ♦ 9865 ♣ AKQ5