In most auctions, the first few bids are an exchange of information about suit lengths and point count. The purpose of this early bidding conversation is to describe your hand, not to tell partner what the final contract should be.
Later bids in the auction tend to be stronger suggestions about the best trump suit and level for the final contract. The critical decision is often made by responder at his second turn to bid.
These decisions are easiest in auctions where partner raises your suit (1C - 1H / 2H, 3H or 4H) or rebids notrump to show a balanced hand (1C - 1H / 1NT or 2NT). Raises and notrump rebids show an exact point range, so when opener makes one of these rebids, you are usually the one who will choose the final contract.
There will be some situations where you'll want to ask for more information. You may want to invite by raising partner's suit to the 3-level or by making a game-try bid . If you responded with a 5-card major and opener's rebid was 1NT, you can use a New Minor Forcing bid to see if he has 3-card support for your suit. On most deals, though, you are in control after these point-showing rebids.
Other rebids by opener (new suits and rebids of his first suit) often show distributional hands. Opener can make a new-suit bid with a fairly wide point range -- from a minimum opener of 12 points up to around 17-18 points -- so you may have to continue searching for information about partner's exact strength. The longer your auction, the fewer “rules” there are to follow. At your second and later turns to bid, you’ll need to use bridge logic and your picture of partner’s hand to choose your calls.
In general:
Partner may open a bit lighter than usual (10 to 12 points) when he has a distributional hand. He’s most likely to stretch when he has length in major suits rather than minors.
Remember that
you show your point-count range anytime you bid notrump, raise partner’s
suit or rebid your own suit. When you make these bids, be sure you choose the level
that
shows your strength (minimum, invitational or forcing).
If you locate a trump fit, add in your distribution points to determine your full playing strength and the level for your raise.
New-suit
bids by responder force opener to bid again. If you need more information after an
auction such as 1C-1S-2C, you can use an unbid suit (2D or 2H) to force.
Your bid of a new
suit at the two-level or higher shows at least invitational strength and may
be artificial. You don’t need length in the suit to use it as a force.
See
New Minor Forcing for more details on how to use
new-suit bids to collect information.
New-suit bids by opener
do not force responder to bid again unless opener's rebid is:
A jump-shift (1D - 1H / 2S or 3C) or
A reverse rebid, where his
second suit is higher in rank than his first suit (1C - 1S / 2D or 2H)
Other new-suit bids by opener -- 1D-1H / 1S or 1D-1H / 2C, for example
-- show less-than-forcing values. Opener could have up to 17 points for these
rebids, so you'll want to keep the auction open if you have a fair responding
hand. However, if you have a bare 6-7 points and opener's rebid is an acceptable
trump suit, you are allowed to pass.
Stop low on
misfits. If you have 6-10 points with little or no support for partner’s
suit(s), you may have to pass his minimum rebid. Don't try to “save” him by
running to notrump when you’re weak.
After an auction such as 1D - 1S / 2C or
1D - 1S / 2D, a 2NT bid by you would show 10-11 points and a stopper in the unbid suit(s).
It invites opener to bid 3NT.
Here’s a quick summary of the distributional pictures opener is giving you with his rebids:
► If opener bids his suit twice:
Low-level rebid [ 1H - 1S / 2H ]:
If you responded at the one-level, opener promises at least 6 cards in his suit and minimum strength (11-15 points).
If you responded at the two-level [1H - 2D / 2H], opener may have only a 5-card suit for his rebid. He may rebid his 5-card major if he can’t raise your suit or if his hand isn’t right for a 2NT rebid (he has shortness or no stopper in an unbid suit).
If opener bids the same suit three times, he usually has 7 cards (or a very strong 6 cards).
Jump rebid [ 1H - 1S / 3H or 1C - 1H / 3C]:
When opener makes a jump rebid in his suit, he's showing a very strong suit and a hand with playing strength of 16-18 points
If he jump-rebids his major suit, you don’t need a good fit to accept it as trumps. His suit is usually powerful enough that he can play opposite a singleton in your hand.
If he jump-rebids his minor suit and you have enough strength for game, consider playing 3NT instead of 5 of partner’s suit.
Jump to game [ 1H - 1S / 4H ]:
Opener has a very long, powerful suit. He could have minimum point-count, but he has game-level playing strength.
Opener’s jump to game is a command that his suit is trumps. You can bid on if you’re interested in slam, but you shouldn’t try to play in any other trump suit.
► If opener bids a second suit at the two-level or higher:
Assume he has at least 5 cards in his first suit and at least 4 cards in his second suit. Opener’s exact strength depends on the rank of his second suit and the level of his rebid.
If opener's second suit is lower in rank than his first suit [1H - 1S / 2C or 2D]:
If you have a bare minimum, opener wants you to choose one of his suits -- either by passing his second suit or by “retreating” to 2 of his first suit.
You may have to take a preference to a suit where you have only a 7-card fit (you hold a doubleton in opener's first suit).If you have a stronger hand, you can raise his second suit, bid notrump or force the auction by bidding the fourth (unbid) suit [1H - 1S / 2C - 2D].
Opener may have from 11 to as many as 17 high-card points, so try to keep the auction open for him if you have fair values (9+ points)
If opener's second suit is higher in rank than his first suit [1C - 1S / 2D or 2H]:
This is a strong reverse rebid. It promises at least 16-17 high-card points, 5+ cards in his first suit and 4+ cards in his second suit. This auction forces you to bid at least one more time.
Be sure you bid up to game level when you have a good 8-9 points or more. Add in your distribution points if you’re raising one of his suits.
Opener usually has a singleton for this auction, so bid notrump only if you have good stoppers in the unbid suit.
If opener jumps in his second suit [1H - 1S / 3C or 3D]:
This is a strong jump-shift, showing 18-19+ high-card points. You cannot pass. You must keep bidding until you reach at least game level.
Partner opens 1C, you respond 1S and partner rebids 2S. What is your rebid?
♠K9853 ♥2 ♦A1052 ♣QJ3
4S. Once you know you have a fit, add in your distribution points to determine your hand's playing strength. With the singleton heart and fifth trump, this hand values to at least 13 points, so go directly to game.♠Q987 ♥AQ3 ♦KQ4 ♣J93
3NT. This gives partner a choice of games. He knows you have 4 spades, so if he's balanced (or if he raised with 3-card support), he can pass. If he has 4 spades and a ruffing value, he will return to 4S.
Partner opens 1D, you respond 1S and partner rebids 1NT. What is your rebid?
♠KQ85 ♥A7 ♦J6 ♣J9654
2NT. A notrump contract is fine with you (there's no point in trying to show your clubs), but you aren't certain you have the 25 combined points needed to make 3NT. Your raise to 2NT invites game. If partner has a bare 12 points, he can pass. With a good 13 or 14 points, he will bid 3NT.♠J10943 ♥K1043 ♦K4 ♣53
2H. This auction (1 of a minor - 1S / 1NT - 2H) is the one exception to the rule that a new suit by responder is forcing. In this auction, 2H is not forcing. It shows 5 spades and at least 4 hearts and asks opener to choose one of your suits. A rebid of a new minor (1D - 1S / 1NT - 2C) would be forcing.
Partner opens 1C, you respond 1S and partner rebids 2C. What is your rebid?
♠K10643 ♥Q942 ♦QJ5 ♣3
Pass. This hand rates to be a misfit, so give up on finding majors and stop low. Your spades aren’t long or strong enough to rebid, and a 2H bid would force partner to bid again (new suits by responder are forcing).♠QJ10653 ♥863 ♦K74 ♣3
2S. This is the suit quality you need to insist on your own suit. Your low-level rebid shows a minimum hand of 6-9 points. Partner will usually pass.♠AK862 ♥742 ♦AJ7 ♣Q2
2D. You have game values, but which game? You can’t bid 3NT with no heart stopper, so try a new suit as an artificial force. Your problem will be solved if partner can bid 2S (showing “belated” 3-card support) or 2NT (showing a stopper in the unbid suit, hearts).♠K1086 ♥KJ4 ♦AQ93 ♣103
3NT. There’s no point in bidding your diamond suit. You have game strength and all suits stopped, so get to the final contract immediately.
Partner opens 1S, you respond 1NT, and partner rebids 3S. What is your rebid?
♠10 ♥K86 ♦AJ843 ♣10832
4S. The ace and king are valuable cards. Partner has a very strong suit, so don’t worry about your trump support. You need a stronger hand and better outside stoppers to bid 3NT.
Partner opens 1H, you respond 1S, and partner rebids 2C. What is your rebid?
♠Q10543 ♥J5 ♦A63 ♣742
2H. Partner has at least 9 cards in his two suits (5 hearts and 4 or more clubs), so his hand doesn’t have much room for spade support. Your choice is between a 5-2 heart fit and a 4-3 club fit. When in doubt, choose the 5-2 fit, especially if it’s a major and you have a good doubleton as here. Your 2H rebid does not show extra strength. It says you have a minimum response and prefer partner’s first suit.♠AQ642 ♥3 ♦765 ♣KJ103
3C. Partner could have up to 17 points, so try to find one more bid if you have a good response and a fit. Your raise shows 4+ clubs and around 9-11 points. Your spades are not strong enough to bid twice.♠AQ65 ♥62 ♦K107 ♣Q643
2NT. When you have close to game-level strength but your only fit is a minor, always consider a notrump contract. Your 2NT rebid shows invitational values (10-11 points) and stoppers in the unbid suit(s).
Partner opens 1C, you respond 1H, and partner rebids 2D. What is your rebid?
♠QJ102 ♥AJ92 ♦J73 ♣105
3NT. Partner’s second suit is higher in rank than his first, so he is making a reverse rebid, which shows 16-17+ points. This rebid promises at least 9 cards in his two suits (5+ clubs and 4+ diamonds). Your 9 points is enough for game, and with double stoppers in both of partner’s short suits, your hand is perfect for 3NT.♠AQ43 ♥A982 ♦2 ♣K1065
6C. Your hand is more powerful than its high-card points because it has aces, extra trumps (giving you a 9-card fit) and outside shortness (partner can take extra tricks by using your clubs to trump his diamond losers).
Or, if you play Lebensohl 2NT rebids, you can set the trump suit by raising to 3C (forcing), then using Blackwood to check on aces and kings. This may help you find a grand slam of 7C.
© Karen Walker