Are You Rising To The Occasion?

You hold only 13 high-card points, five of them in the suit bid at your right, so a pass is your best bet. If West also passes, partner will strain to keep the bidding open with as little as 10 points, plus some distribution. If partner has fewer than 10 points, you will have risked missing only a part score and avoided a possible big penalty in the event that West has the balance of power. Three spades may uncover a good 5-3 fit, while providing a possible retreat to three no trump if you are doubled. Three no trump could be your best spot if West holds a singleton diamond. But a takeout double could lead partner to bid hearts, for which you have no support; if you then retreated to spades, partner would expect a much stronger hand.

7

5 [Club]—10
6 [Club]—6
Double—4
4 NT—2

As much as you might like to play in four no trump, you cannot bid it, over four spades four no trump is a conventional takeout double, to which partner is sure to respond in a suit higher than clubs. However, I have given this bid a small award on the theory that if you have forgotten the convention, maybe partner has, too. The five-club bid is sound; six clubs seems a fair gamble; and a penalty double might produce the best result on some hands.

8

Pass—10
3 NT—5

By converting partner's takeout double into a penalty action, you should collect at least 500 points, which will more than compensate for a game at no trump. The trouble with three no trump is that partner may choose to go on if he has made a distributional double—and you don't want that to happen.

9

Double—10
3 [Spade]—5
Pass—1

You must take some risk rather than allow West's preemptive effort to succeed. You have reasonable support for all of the unbid suits; and if partner has passed because the bulk of his strength is in clubs and thus chooses to leave your double in, you can contribute tricks on defense. Three spades shuts out the chance to reach a better contract in one of the red suits, especially hearts. The award for a pass is in deference to those occasions when any bid will be costly.