Opener’s rebid is often the most critical bid in a constructive auction, especially if you haven’t yet found a fit. Your choice will be obvious with some hands, but others require judgment.
To find the most descriptive – or in some cases, the least misleading – rebid, you have to be ready to bend some of the “always” and “never” rules you may have learned as a beginner.
In the previous issue, we looked at common misconceptions about opener’s rebids. There are many others, including the ideas behind these pieces of dubious advice:
Don’t raise responder’s major unless you have four cards ?If you can get past this prohibition, you’ll solve many other awkward rebid problems. A 3-card raise may be the only rebid that comes close to describing your hand -- and it will sometimes get you to a 5-3 fit that would have been difficult to find otherwise.
A 4-3 fit isn’t necessarily more difficult to play than a 4-4 fit if you’ve raised with the right type of hand. An ideal 3-card raise has at least one high trump honor and shortness in an unbid suit (usually a singleton, but can be a small doubleton).
Rebid your 5-card minor to confirm it’s a “real” suit ?There may be situations where you’re forced to bid a 5-card suit twice, but it shouldn't be your first choice. You’d always like to promise at least six cards. If you open 1C and partner responds 1S, rebid 1NT with ♠K10 ♥KJ5 ♦753 ♣AQ754. With a more distributional hand -- ♠K104 ♥KJ52 ♦3 ♣AQ754 -- a raise to 2S stands out.
Always show 4-card major if you can do so at the one-level ?This is a basic tenet of up-the-line bidding, but there are important exceptions. One is a balanced 18 or 19 points. After 1C by you, 1H from partner, ignore your spades and jump to 2NT with ♠AK104 ♥Q95 ♦AQ ♣KJ75 . This shows your hand type and strength all in one bid, gets notrump played from the right side and allows you to investigate other contracts. You won’t lose a possible 4-4 spade fit because partner has the 3-level available to ask about your major-suit length.
It’s also become common for opener to skip a 4-card spade suit with a 4-3-3-3 minimum. After 1C by you, 1D or 1H from partner, you would rebid 1NT with ♠KQ98 ♥843 ♦Q64 ♣AQ5 . If you instead rebid 1S, it promises a more suit-oriented hand with at least four clubs and a ruffing value in a red suit. This style offers several advantages, but it's not universal, so it's a good idea to discuss it with your partner.
Don’t rebid 1NT without stoppers in the unbid suits ?Opener’s notrump rebid shows a hand type and a limited point range. It can't promise honors in every suit. If you open 1D and partner responds 1H, there’s no good alternative to 1NT with ♠AKJ ♥743 ♦K8654 ♣Q7 . The diamonds aren’t rebiddable and your hand is wrong for a 3-card raise -- the hearts are weak and the doubleton queen is more of a notrump holding than a ruffing value.
Change your hand to ♠AK6 ♥J74 ♦KQ654 ♣107 and it’s a closer decision. With the slightly better hearts and weaker doubleton, a raise to 2H is worth considering, but it still looks like a notrump hand. If you're playing matchpoints, it looks even more like a notrump hand.
Steve Weinstein proposed a handy guideline for choosing rebids with these semi-balanced hands. If you’re deciding between 1NT and a 3-card raise, go with 1NT if your doubleton is 10x or better. With 9x or lower, raise partner’s major. Although a 10 doesn’t seem that much stronger of a “stopper” than a 9, there’s logic behind the distinction and it can make a difference.
© 2020 Karen Walker