Rebids by Responder

Bidding can be very tough. There are quite a few things to think about. Let's practice what to do as a Responder. That means that Partner has opened the bidding.

Initially it's not so bad to figure out what to say. Not easy, but the first bid tends to be fairly straightforward. It's what happens next that gets hard.

This is my hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

What should I respond when my partner opens 1♦?

First I should count my HCP. I have 7 HCP. This means I have to bid. I should bid if I have at least 6 HCP. What will I respond to Partner?

1♠. Pretty easy, right? This shows 6 or more HCP and at least 4♠. Note that I only need 4♠ in my hand to respond to my Partner's opening bid. I do not need a 5 card suit to bid 1♠. I would have needed a 5 card suit to open 1♠ but I did NOT open the bidding. Partner did. So I no longer need as many HCP (to open I would need 13 HCP) and I no longer need a 5 card major to bid 1 of that major.

So I bid 1♠.

Now here's where it get's more difficult. Now Partner has to bid.

First question. DOES Partner have to bid? Is my 1♠ bid forcing?

Yes. Absolutely 100% forcing. On this hand I have only 7 HCP but I could have 13 HCP. If Partner Passes then we have just missed a game. I could also have 20 HCP. If partner Passes we have just missed a slam. Partner has no idea whether or not I have 6 points or 13 points or 20 points. They have to bid so we can get to our game (or slam) if it is there.

So now Partner responds 2♠. It is my turn to bid. What will I do?

First thing I have to do is ask myself "what is Partner saying for their 2♠ bid? What does that show?"

If Partner responds 2♠ this should show that they have 4 ♠ for me (I am only promising 4 so Partner needs 4 to tell me that we have a fit) and they are also telling me how many points they have. Partner should have not too much more than an opening bid. They have about 13 to about 16 points. Notice that this is points, not just HCP. Partner KNOWS we have a fit so Partner can now add any Dummy points to their existing HCP to come up with a new total in points.

So now that I know about how many points Partner has I can ask myself -- do we have a game?

It's pretty clear we don't. I have 7 HCP. Now that I know we have a fit I can count 1 for my extra length in ♠. (Declarer counts Length points remember.) But that brings my total to 8 points. Partner has (at most) 16 points. 16+8=24. That is not enough for game. Not even if Partner has the best hand they could possible have.

So since we can't make a game I will just Pass.

Okay, that wasn't so bad. Let's try another response from Partner.

This is my hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

Partner opened 1♦ and I responded 1♠. Now Partner bids 4♠. My turn to bid. What will I say?

Again, first thing I have to do is ask myself "what is Partner saying for their 4♠ bid? What does that show?"

If Partner responds 4♠ this should show that they have 4 ♠ for me (I am only promising 4 so Partner needs 4 to tell me that we have a fit) and they are also telling me how many points they have. So far in the bidding I have only promised 6 points. We need about 25 or 26 points for a major suit game. If Partner is putting us all the way to game and I am promising only 6 points they must have the rest of the points. This should a hand with about 19 to 21 points. Again, this is points, not just HCP. Partner KNOWS we have a fit so Partner can now add any Dummy points to their existing HCP to come up with a new total in points.

So now that I know about how many points Partner has I can ask myself -- do we have a game?

We definitely have enough for game -- Partner put us there. Do we have enough for a small slam?

Well, a small slam would requite at least 33 points. I have 8 points and Partner has about 20 points. Not quite there. So I will just Pass since we are where we should be.

Hey, that wasn't so bad either. Let's try another response from Partner.

This is my hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

Partner opened 1♦ and I responded 1♠. Now Partner bids 3♠. My turn to bid. What will I say?

Again, first thing I have to do is ask myself "what is Partner saying for their 3♠ bid? What does that show?"

If Partner responds 3♠ this should show that they have 4 ♠ for me (I am only promising 4 so Partner needs 4 to tell me that we have a fit) and they are also telling me how many points they have. Hmmmmm. Partner could have said 2♠. That would have shown a minimum opening hand. They must have more than just a minimum opening hand. BUT Partner could have also said 4♠. That would have shown a hand that could make game opposite a hand with 6 points. They didn't. They probably have somewhere between a minimum hand and a moose. They should have about 17 or 18 points. Again, this is points, not just HCP. Partner KNOWS we have a fit so Partner can now add any Dummy points to their existing HCP to come up with a new total in points.

So now that I know about how many points Partner has I can ask myself -- do we have a game?

Well, a game would require about 25 points. I have 8 points and Partner has about 17 or 18 points. I think we have enough. I will bid 4♠.

Hey, these are not so bad are they? Let's try another response from Partner. These will be a little more difficult.

This is my hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

Partner opened 1♦ and I responded 1♠. Now Partner bids 1NT. My turn to bid. What will I say?

Again, first thing I have to do is ask myself "what is Partner saying for their 1NT bid? What does that show?"

Hmmmmm. That's not so easy. Well, I'm pretty sure Partner does NOT have 4 ♠ for me. They will always support me with 4 ♠. They should also have a balanced hand. They did bid NT. They don't have much more than an opening hand -- about 13 or 14 points. (If they had 15 to 17 they would have opened 1NT. If they had 18 or 19 they would have jumped to 2NT.) I'm also sure that they have 4 ♦ in their hand.

I can hear you screaming at home right now. WAIT!!! What?!? You TOLD me that when I opened 1 of a minor I only promised THREE of them! Now you are telling me I need to have 4?

First of all, relax. To open 1 of a minor you only promise a 3 card suit. You are right. However (quiz time), when are you going to open the bidding 1♦ on a three card suit? You will open the bidding 1♦ with only a three card suit in one situation and one situation only. Figured it out?

The ONLY time you will open 1♦ on a three card suit is when you have four ♠ and four ♥ and three ♦ and two ♣. That is the only time. With three ♣ and three ♦ in your hand you will ALWAYS open 1♣.

So with that in mind I know my partner has 4 ♦ in their hand because they do NOT have 4 ♠. With 4 ♠ in their hand they would support my ♠ suit.

Armed with that information what do you think my bid will be?

Well my hand is unbalanced. I have two doubletons. I know we have a ♦ fit. My hand is weak so I don't want Partner to bid much more. I will respond 2♦.

Is this a forcing bid?

No. This doesn't even show a nice hand. Partner will either Pass or perhaps bid 2♠ if they have 3♠ in their hand. Either way we are still low in the bidding.

It's a little tougher when Partner doesn't support your suit, isn't it? Told you. Let's try another response from Partner. This time you are on your own.

This is your hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

Partner opened 1♦ and you responded 1♠. Now Partner bids 2♣. Your turn to bid. What will you say?

Again, first thing you need to do is ask yourself "what is Partner saying for their 2♣ bid? What does that show?"

Then figure out what your bid will be. Is this a forcing bid?



Hope you got that one right. Let's try another response from Partner.

This is your hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

Partner opened 1♦ and you responded 1♠. Now Partner bids 2♦. Your turn to bid. What will you say?

Again, first thing you need to do is ask yourself "what is Partner saying for their 2♦ bid? What does that show?"

Then figure out what your bid will be. Is this a forcing bid?



Hope you got that one right. Let's try another response from Partner.

This is your hand:

Hand
♠KJ842
♥52
♦QJ65
♣52

Partner opened 1♦ and you responded 1♠. Now Partner bids 3♣. Your turn to bid. What will you say?

Again, first thing you need to do is ask yourself "what is Partner saying for their 3♣ bid? What does that show?"

Then figure out what your bid will be. Is this a forcing bid?