Opener's rebid is often the most critical bid in a bridge auction. If you've opened one of a suit, your rebid is your first opportunity to narrow your point range and clarify the nature of your hand. Ideally, you'd like to provide information that will put responder in charge, which is his natural role, since he usually knows more about your hand than you do about his.
In general, partner will have the easiest decisions when you make natural rebids that limit your strength. These include notrump bids, raises of partner's suit and rebids of your own long suit. The earlier you can make one of these "telling" bids, the simpler your auction.
The rebids that are most problematic -- and tend to create the longest auctions -- are those that ask partner to continue describing his hand. They include:
Reverse rebids: 1D - 1S - 2H
Jump shifts: 1D - 1H - 2S or 3C
"Could-be-short" rebids: 1H - 1NT (forcing) - 2C
Other new-suit bids: 1D - 1H - 1S or 2C
All these rebids are valuable, often necessary, for showing certain hand types. It's important to remember, though, that the real purpose of bidding is not to describe your hand; it's to get to the best final contract. To help responder make that decision, the best bidders -- and best partners -- think twice about the need for the "asking" bids and go with the simpler "telling" bids whenever possible.
Support with support
You open 1D and
partner responds 1H:
♠AK5 ♥KJ7
♦K96542 ♣4
-- Bid 2H. A raise is first on partner's wish list for your rebid. Even if
partner has only a four hearts, this is a fine dummy for a heart partscore or
game, so send that message now. If partner is considering a game try, you'd like
to cooperate, and a raise is more likely to encourage him than a rebid of your
weak diamond suit.
♠K ♥KQ87 ♦AJ103 ♣AQ84 -- Scientists might try a "picture bid" of 3C, hoping they can show a monster supporting hand when they next bid 4H. That plan will be scuttled, though, if partner rebids 3H or raises clubs -- your 4H bid now will sound like 3-card support. A direct raise to 4H -- or even a 3S splinter, if you're not fanatic about the never-with-a-stiff-honor "rule" -- won't be misunderstood. Although a singleton king isn't ideal for a splinter, 3S isn't really a misrepresentation here, as it gives partner an immediate picture of your distribution, overall strength and, most important, your heart support.
Bid notrump with notrump hands
You open 1C and
partner responds 1D: ♠K104 ♥AQ
♦J852
♣QJ104
Bid 1NT. The exception to the "support with
support" advice is when your fit is a minor. If partner has game
aspirations, he'll usually be more interested in 3NT than 5D. 1NT shows your
hand's suitability for the most likely game and tends to slow partner down if he
has marginal game-try values. If you instead raise to 2D, partner will fear
major-suit weakness in your hand and may have a much harder time trying to
determine if 3NT is a feasible contract.
You open 1C and
partner responds 1S: ♠Q4 ♥KJ93
♦A10 ♣AKJ87
Jump to 2NT. A 2H reverse describes your strength and
suit length, but it muddles the more valuable message that you have a good hand
for a notrump game. When in doubt, suggest a strain for the final contract
rather than trying to describe specific features of your hand.
You open 1S and
partner responds a Forcing 1NT: ♠AQJ86 ♥K
♦KJ63 ♣KJ10
The most straightforward action is the raise to 2NT,
showing 17-18 semi-balanced, which is exactly what you have. Opener's minor-suit
rebid is a weakness of the forcing notrump convention, so try to avoid it if you
have a reasonable alternative. This 18-count is too heavy for 2D and too soft
for 3D, both of which will delay your "real" decision. If partner
raises diamonds or takes a preference to spades, you'll be wishing you had
suggested notrump earlier, before you gave the opponents so much information.
You open 2C and
partner responds 2D (waiting or semi-positive): ♠AKQ4 ♥AQ107
♦J ♣AK106
Bid 2NT. Unless you have a gadget for showing a 4-4-4-1
game-force, your rebid is going to mislead partner. When faced with a choice of
lies, go with the one that gives partner the easiest options for his rebid. 2NT
describes your point range and allows partner to use your notrump system to find
the best contract.
© 2007 Karen Walker