A lot has been written on bidding in Bridge. Countless conventions reign supreme as far as finding the right contract is concerned. And yet even at the highest international level, catastrophes occur in bidding when partners are not on the same wave length misconstruing and misunderstanding each other's bids to land in ridiculous contracts or the wrong level of contract.
Bridge is after all a game where human vulnerability is a factor to be reckoned with. Sometimes the high pressure of the game and at times the psychological effect of opponents deceptive tactics in bidding make the opposing side confused leading them astray in their bidding. Of course when one is playing a duplicate pairs most of us try to settle in 3NT to keep the game level at its lowest. But then, we are sometimes wide open in one suit from both ends leading us to defeat. But this is often excusable for there are more chances in getting away in 3NT if the opposing side fails to find the right suit to attack. Today's illustration is a quiz in Bridge bidding to test your bidding prowess. The first illustration contains the following west east hands:
The bidding:
As you can see 3NT is a hopeless bid with the club suit wide open from both ends. What do you think should have been the best contract? 4H, 4S or 5D? Go ahead with your bidding from east's opening 1NT bid. Take it from there. Your next move as west after east bids 2C? Obviously west being short in clubs would not prefer the NT contract if east bids two spades you show your diamonds suit by bidding 3D now east bids 3H to show his 3 carder support. This leaves west with what? Enough bidding space to show 3 good spade support by bidding 3S. East willingly acknowledges this gesture by bidding 4D, thus avoiding 3NT to underline club weakness. Of course here slam in diamonds can be on the cards but it requires breaking of the major suit hearts and the favourable trump break. Thus the best par contract would be to settle in 4S on the Moysian fit of 4-3.
Let us give another illustration:
Playing strong NT (15-17) east opens 1NT, west bids 3NT hurriedly. What would be your move as West? Remember you are wide open in 2 suits. So a suit contract preference should be clear by bidding 3D and not 3NT. Here as east what's next? Your best holding of spades spells a bid of 3S. West has no other choice but to go for the 4S contract even if it is on a Moysian fit of 4-3. West should correctly bid 4S. It does not take an expert to find the best contract. You can find it too if you are alert enough and brave enough to play the Moysian fit.

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     West         East
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    K Q 3      A J 6 5
  A 7 5 2        K Q 4
A Q 9 8 3        K 4 2
        3        7 6 5
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  West            East
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 1 N T (12-14)     2 C
   2 H           3 N T
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       West       East
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      K J 3    A Q 9 2
        4 3        J 5
A Q J 7 5 3      K 8 2
        9 2    K Q 7 4
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