This is our second week studying the bidding of two-suited hands. Look only at the South hand. With your side vulnerable, you open one heart, West passes, North raises to two hearts, and East intervenes with three diamonds. What would you do now?

As I mentioned last week, when the opponents are out of the bidding, and you hit a fit with your partner, keep your second suit hidden. But when they enter the auction, the dynamic changes. With this South hand, if you jump to four hearts and everyone passes, fine; but what if West goes to five diamonds? What would you do then?

The answer is that you would have no idea. It could be right to double their sacrifice or to bid on to five hearts. However, your partner will know what to do if you describe your hand to him.

When you have a two-suiter, you find a fit in your first suit, and the opponents enter the auction, bend over backward to show your second suit. Here, bid three spades. Then let partner judge what to do over five diamonds.

In this deal from a tournament in Orlando, Florida, North had an easy five-heart bid. He had two magic cards with four-card heart support, and he knew South was very short in diamonds. But if North had had (nearly) all of his stuff in the minors, he would have doubled five diamonds.

Note that five diamonds doubled would have been down only 500, and five hearts made easily.

One last point: If you jump to four hearts over three diamonds, you assume captaincy; you are telling partner that you know what to do if they bid five diamonds.