Last week, we looked at auctions after one of a major was raised to two of that major. Mentioning a new suit now said that the bidder was too strong to pass, not strong enough to jump to game, and particularly wanted partner to look at his holdings in the bidder’s two named suits. This is called a help-suit game-try. It is a game-try because the partnership can still stop short of game.

But what happens when, say, one spade is raised to three spades, as in today’s deal? What do the opener’s rebids mean now?

There are three choices. If he has a minimum opening, he will pass. Most of the time, he will raise to game. Anything else suggests a slam. What would bidding a new suit promise?

There is a case for making this a help-suit bid also, but that is not the standard agreement. More traditional is that the bid shows a first-round control (ace or void) in the suit named and denies a first-round control in any suit skipped.

Why make one of these control-bids?

Usually because the opener has the values for a slam but holds two immediate losers in an unbid side suit – here, in hearts.

So, South control-bids four clubs. Then North does likewise with four hearts. This being music to South’s ears, he now uses some form of Blackwood before jumping to six spades.

What happens after West leads the diamond jack: queen, king, ace?

South must delay drawing trumps until he has cashed his three club winners and discarded dummy’s diamond loser. Then he leads a high spade from hand and claims when they break 1-1.