Rebid Dilema?

Here is your hand:

♠Q85
♥J9
♦A986
♣AQ82

You are up and open the bidding 1♦. Your LHO Passes. Partner bids 1♥. Your RHO Passes. What is your bid?

The auction proceeds as follows:

RHO	You!	LHO	Partner
	1♦	Pass	1♥
Pass	???

Question is: What will you bid now?

Show Answer

How about 1NT? This shows a balanced hand with less than an opening 1NT point count. So less than 15 HCP. You also have a smattering of values in the other suits.

This came up in the open game the other day. This hand bid 2♣ on their rebid. This tends to show an unbalanced hand with nine cards in the minors. Not as good a bid as 1NT.

Bidding Question -

Here is your hand:

♠5
♥Q5
♦KJT93
♣AK876

You are up and decide to open the bidding 1♦. (With two five card suits always bid the higher ranking suit first!)

The auction proceeds as follows:

RHO	You!	LHO	Partner
	1♦	Pass	1♠
2♥	???

Question is: What will you bid now?

If you are wondering about the vulnerability the answer is you and your partner are vulnerable and the opponents are not vulnerable.

Show Answer

This is a pretty easy bid.

You should PASS.

Quite a few people like to bid on this hand. After all you have two five card suits.

This is true. However your PARTNER bid your singleton. They are interested in ♠ and you don't have any. If Partner has long ♠ they will probably bid them again and you will not be happy.

The opponents bid your doubleton Q♥. Do you really think your Q♥ is worth 2 points now? Not likely. You are now down to an 11 point hand.

Partner cannot Pass 3♣ -- even with a fit. You could have a BIG hand.

At the table, this hand choose to bid 3♣. No one bid after that.

I hear you saying "HEY! You told me that 3♣ was a forcing bid! Partner should have bid again!"

This is true. Partner should have bid again. Partner made a mistake. It happens. In any case you are down two so it was probably lucky Partner passed.

What happens if you PASS 2♥?

The Opponents go down 2.

Neither partnership has a fit and you both got too high in the bidding.

Remember if Partner has a nice hand they get to make another bid! Then you can show your ♣ suit.

Game -- Standard American NON 2 Over 1 without Reverses: Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing or Game Forcing?

Let's play a game. The name of the game is "Standard American NON 2 Over 1 without Reverses: Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing or Game Forcing?"

I will give you a bid and you have to tell me whether or not it is a Non-Forcing bid (Partner is allowed to say Pass to the bid), a One Round Forcing bid (Partner must bid at least one more time but the partnership is not forced to game) or a Game Forcing bid (both Partners MUST bid until game is reached.)

This post concentrates on Standard American bridge in a NON 2 Over 1 auction. So basically when Responder responds at the 1 level to Opener's opening 1 level bid. Responder only promises 6 or more HCP so Opener needs a BIG hand in order to force to game.

Bids that Opener can now make that are ONE ROUND forcing:
Opener REVERSES (we are going to ignore these bids this post)

Bids that Opener can now make that are GAME forcing:
Opener makes a JUMP SHIFT

Don't know what a jump shift is? Check out this post:
Jump Shifts

All the rest of the bids Opener can make are NON forcing.

Pretty easy, eh?

You are probably thinking that is not really fair. Opener can't really force to game that easily at all. This is somewhat true. Remember Opener COULD HAVE opened the bidding 2♣ if they had a hand big enough to force Responder to game if Responder had nothing. So when Opener choose to NOT open the bidding 2♣ they do need a little something from Responder. If Responder has a little something they will bid again and game will be reached.

To be extra nice I even am giving the auctions in order and having Responder bid the next suit up from Opener's. This will eliminate all reverses (which can be confusing) and should hopefully make it easier to answer.

Hand 1

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
1♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 1♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 2

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
1♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 1♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 3

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
1NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 1NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 4

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 5

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 6

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 7

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 8

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
2NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 9

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
3♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 10

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♦
3♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 11

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
1♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 1♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 12

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
1NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 1NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 13

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 14

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 15

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 16

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 17

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
2NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 18

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
3♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 19

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
3♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 20

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥
3♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 21

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
1NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 1NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 22

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 23

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 24

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 25

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 26

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
2NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 27

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
3♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 28

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
3♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 29

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
3♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 30

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
3♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 31

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 32

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 33

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 34

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 35

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2NT

Is Opener’s rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 36

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
3♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 37

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
3♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 38

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
3♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 39

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
3♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?

Bidding Question

Here is your hand:

♠9
♥KQJ
♦AQJ984
♣AK8

There is a Pass on your right. You decide to open the bidding 1♦ and the auction proceeds as follows:

RHO	You!	LHO	Partner
Pass	1♦	1♠	1NT
Pass	???

Question is: What will you bid now?

Show Answer

This is a VERY difficult bid.

Quite a few options come to mind.

At the table, this hand choose to bid 2♦. No one bid after that.

Another option would be 3♦. No one is going to bid after that one either.

This hand needs to either BID a game (or slam) OR make a GAME FORCING bid.

So options are:
3NT -- it is Matchpoints afterall and this should make
5♦ -- safe, but it is Matchpoints and that might not get you many
6♦ -- no idea whether or not this will make but worth a shot
3♣ -- This puts a game force on the auction so you will eventually get to game

So if you bid a game or made a game forcing bid -- good job!

P.S. You actually can make 6♦ if you bid it. It depends on the ♦ finesse but that works.

So bidding 6♦ gets you 9 out of a possible 9 Matchpoints! Woo Hoo!
Bidding 3NT would get you 8 out of a possible 9 Matchpoints! Nice!
Bidding 5♦ gets you 6.5 out of a possible 9 Matchpoints! Not Bad.
Bidding 2♦ or 3♦ gets you 3 out of a possible 9 Matchpoints. Next time you'll be more aggressive.

Bidding Question -- Should you BID or not?

RHO	You!	LHO	Partner
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	Pass	2♣	2♥
Pass	???

Question is: What the heck is Partner's 2♥ bid?!? Is this a forcing bid?

Show Answer

Partner has ♥! They should have a LONG ♥ suit (probably six) and a WEAK hand. They do not want you to bid. They just didn't want to let the Opponents play in 2♣.

They might have something like this:

♠8
♥KQJ872
♦9842
♣87

or this:

♠86
♥AKJ872
♦982
♣87

How do you know Partner has a weak hand? They did NOT have enough values to bid 2♥ originally. You need 10 or more HCP to bid a new suit at the 2 level when Partner opens the bidding.

They should have length because YOU are supposed to Pass and let them play in 2♥ -- even with no ♥.

Game - Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing or Game Forcing in a Standard American 2 Over 1 Auction

Let's play a game. The name of the game is "Standard American 2 Over 1: Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing or Game Forcing?"

I will give you a bid and you have to tell me whether or not it is a Non-Forcing bid (Partner is allowed to say Pass to the bid), a One Round Forcing bid (Partner must bid at least one more time but the partnership is not forced to game) or a Game Forcing bid (both Partners MUST bid until game is reached.)

This post concentrates on Standard American bridge in a 2 Over 1 auction. This is NOT talking about the "2 Over 1" system. In that system, once anyone in the partnership makes a 2 over 1 bid the partnership is forced to game. So ALL (or some people just play most) 2 over 1 bids are game forcing. The 2 Over 1 in this case just means that Opener opened at the 1 level and Responder bid a new suit at the 2 level without jumping. Things are different when Responder bids a new suit at the 2 level because they promise at least 10 HCP. When Responder responds at the 1 level they only promise 6 or more HCP so things are different.

So here is a reminder of what bids Opener can now make that are NON-forcing:
Raising Responder's suit 1 level
Bidding 2NT

Bids that Opener can now make that are GAME forcing:
Opener makes a reverse
Opener bids a new suit at the 3 level
Opener jumps to bid a suit at the 3 level

All the rest of the bids Opener can bid are ONE ROUND forcing.

You might be wondering about that reverse statement. You are probably thinking you didn't think reverses were forcing to game. This is true in a NON 2 over 1 auction. When Opener makes a reverse bid in a 2 Over 1 auction the partnership IS forced to game. When Opener makes a reverse bid in a NON 2 Over 1 auction the partnership is NOT forced to game. The difference is that responder made a 2 over 1 bid to show they have 10 or more HCP. A reverse is now GAME FORCING.

To be extra nice I am giving the auctions in order. This should hopefully make it easier to answer. I will shake them up in another post to make it more difficult.

Hand 1

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2♦

Is Opener's rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 2

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 3

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 4

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 5

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 6

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 7

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 8

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♠

Is Opener's rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 9

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 10

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 11

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 12

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 13

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 14

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 15

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♠

Is Opener's rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 16

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 17

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 18

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 19

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 20

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 21

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♠

Is Opener's rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 22

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2♦

Is Opener's rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 23

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 24

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 25

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 26

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 27

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 28

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 29

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 30

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 31

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 32

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 33

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 34

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 35

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2♦

Is Opener's rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 36

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 37

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 38

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 39

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 40

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?

Play Question

Here is your hand:
♠J97643
♥AT
♦AQJ2
♣3

Partner opens the bidding 1♣. Your RHO Passes. What is your bid?

1♠ is a good bid on this hand. No need to jump to 2♠ (that shows a much different hand) since 1♠ is a FORCING bid. Partner MUST bid again.

LHO Passes and Partner bids 4♠. RHO Passes. What is your bid?

Think carefully. What does Partner have?

Most novices think this is a cut off bid. After all, you've just bid a game and that tends to be a sign off bid.

But Partner just bid a game when you have shown a weak hand. All you need to bid 1♠ is 6 HCP. Partner bid a game thinking you have four ♠ and 6 HCP. Partner should have about 19-21 points with four ♠.

This hand should bid again.

Depending on how much you know about exploring slams you can either just bid 6♠ (you have 12 HCP plus 2 Length points) or you can bid Blackwood to find out if you are missing two Aces. If you are not missing two Aces then you can bid 6♠.

In any case you end up in 6♠ and you are Declarer. The opening lead is the 9♥. When you play low from Dummy your RHO plays their J♥. How do you play the contract? Will you take twelve tricks?

Dummy:
♠AQ85
♥85
♦K98
♣AKQJ

Your hand:
♠J97643
♥AT
♦AQJ2
♣3

Tip: Since this is trump you need to count your LOSERS.

Deal out the cards at home and see how you will come to 12 tricks. (Or more!)

Show Answer

Losers:
♠ 1 loser
♥ 1 loser
♦ 0 losers
♣ 0 losers

You have two losers. That is one too many. However there are quite a few ways to get rid of those losers.

1) You can try the ♠ finesse. If the K♠ is on your LEFT you have no ♠ losers.
2) You can easily throw away the ♥ loser on all those ♣ winners. Even if the ♠ finesse loses you will not lose the ♥ because that will go away on the ♣ winners for sure.

No problems here, right?

Hmmmmm. Let's think this through. If I win the opening lead with the A♥ when the opponents get in they can immediately take a ♥ trick. So if the ♠ finesse LOSES then the opponents will then take a ♥ trick.

Does that mean this slam depends on the ♠ finesse? Doesn't really seem fair. If the opponents had lead anything else I would have made this slam for sure. There must be SOMETHING I can do.

Hmmmmm.

Maybe I can throw away my losing ♥ on the winning ♣ BEFORE I take out trump! I know I'm supposed to take out trump (my teacher is ALWAYS nagging at me to do that) but she does say "unless there is a GOOD reason not to take out trump, take out trump!"

I think this is a GOOD reason why not to.

So (this is getting complicated), I win the opening lead with the A♥. Then I play the A♣. Then I play the K♣ and since I have no more ♣ in my hand I can throw away my losing ♥ on the K♣.

So now I am down to this:
Dummy:
♠AQ85
♥8
♦K98
♣QJ

Your hand:
♠J97643
♥
♦AQJ2
♣

Now I'd better take out trump before my teacher catches me! I don't have a reason to delay taking out trump now.

If I want to take the ♠ finesse I need to get back to my hand to play a ♠. So since I am in Dummy, I play the 8♦ back to the A♦ in my hand and play the J♠ from my hand. If LHO plays a low ♠, I will play a low ♠ from Dummy. Phew! The J♠ lost to the K♠ in RHO's hand and they tried to play another ♥ but since I threw my other ♥ away on the K♣ I was able to trump the ♥ return, finish taking out trump and make my contract!

Here are the four hands.

	Dummy ♠AQ85 ♥85 ♦K98 ♣AKQJ
RHO ♠T ♥96432 ♦T73 ♣T987		LHO ♠K2 ♥KQJ7 ♦654 ♣6542
	Declarer ♠J97643 ♥AT ♦AQJ2 ♣3

I could also have just tried to cash the A♠ before I did any of this. That might have been safer. I blame matchpoints for making me try for that overtrick.

Another Rebid Question

Here is your hand:
♠AQ98
♥82
♦K98
♣AKQJ

You decide to open 1♣. Your LHO Passes and Partner responds 1♠. RHO Passes. What is your rebid?

Show Answer

The correct bid on this hand is 4♠. This shows 19 to 21 points and a fit for Partner. Partner is only showing a four card ♠ suit so you should also have a four card ♠ suit.

Some novices think this is a sign off bid. NO. This hand is saying "Hey, Partner. You told me you have 6 HCP and four ♠ and I want to be in a GAME. Since you need about 26 points for game I must have about 20 points to make this bid.

Other bids you should reject:
3♠. This gets the fit across but shows about 17 or 18 points. You have 19 HCP plus 1 Dummy point for the doubleton ♥. You KNOW the partnership belongs in a game. BID the game.

2NT. This shows a balanced hand with 18 or 19 HCP which you have, BUT this also DENIES having a fit for Partner. Tell Partner you have a fit with their ♠.

Rebidding Question

Here is your hand:
♠KJ2
♥AKQJ62
♦AT
♣T4

You decide to open 1♥. Your LHO Passes and Partner responds 1NT. RHO Passes. What is your rebid?

Show Answer

The correct bid on this hand is 3♥. This shows 16 to 18 HCP and a six card suit.

(Some people might bid even more on the hand to show a much stronger hand. That is a good bid also. What I DON'T want novices to bid is 2♥. That bid shows a MUCH weaker hand. That bid shows 13-15 HCP with a six card suit. Your hand is MUCH stronger than that.)

Bidding Question

Partner opens the bidding 1♥. What is your bid?
♠Q
♥95
♦K9742
♣KJ983

Show Answer

The correct bid on this hand is 1NT. This shows 6 to a bad 10 HCP, DENIES having 3 card support for Partner, DENIES having a four card ♠ suit and does NOT guarantee a balanced hand.

Defence Problem

Another quiz on defence. The contract is 3NT. Declarer opened the bidding 1♦, Dummy bid 1♠, Declarer bid 1NT and Dummy bid 3NT. Neither you nor your Partner bids. Partner leads the 2♥.

Auction:

Declarer	Dummy
1♦	1♠
1NT	3NT

Contract:3NT Lead:2♥.

	Dummy ♠KQJ4 ♥75 ♦AJ8 ♣KT52
Partner's Lead		Your holding
2♥		♠8753 ♥AT6 ♦762 ♣763

Question A: What card will you play when Declarer plays low from Dummy?

Question B: If you win the A♥, what card will you return? Be specific.

Show Answer

You MUST play the A♥ at trick one. If you do not, Declarer will make their contract.

You also must return Partner's suit. But in order to defeat the contract you must return the T♥. If you return the 6♥ Declarer can make the contract.

Here are the four hands.

	Dummy ♠KQJ4 ♥75 ♦AJ8 ♣KT52
Partner ♠962 ♥KJ92 ♦T43 ♣A94		You! ♠8753 ♥AT6 ♦762 ♣763
	Declarer ♠AT ♥Q843 ♦KQ95 ♣QJ8

Let's look at this from Declarer's point of view. How many winners does Declarer have?
♠ 4 winners
♥ 0 winners
♦ 4 winners
♣ 0 winners

Declarer has 8 winners. They need 9 tricks. They can easily get another trick by letting the Opponents in with the A♣. This will set up 3 more winners for Declarer. BUT the problem is the OPPONENTS (that is YOU and your Partner) can take the first FIVE tricks.

Well they CAN if the ♥ suit is played correctly.

Try this out at home to see what will happen.

If you win the A♥ and return the T♥ what can Declarer do?

If Declarer plays LOW, Partner can play low and you will win your T♥. Then you can just return your 6♥ and Partner will get two tricks no matter what card Declarer plays from their hand.

If, on the other hand, Declarer plays the Q♥ then Partner can win the K♥ and their J♥ and 9♥ are both winners. That is four ♥ tricks plus the A♣.

Now imagine you win the A♥ and return the 6♥. Declarer can just play a low card from their hand. Partner can win the trick with their 9♥ but now you are no longer able to take the first four ♥ tricks. If Partner now returns a ♥ Declarer will win a ♥ trick. Doesn't even matter what ♥ Partner plays. Declarer will win a ♥ trick either then or later on.

So Partner can no longer play ♥. They must play something else.

But then Declarer can win and play a ♣. This sets up enough winners for Declarer to make their contract.

And again Partner is stuck. If they win the A♣ and play a ♥ Declarer will get a ♥ trick. If they don't then Declarer has the rest of the tricks. Either way, Declarer makes their contract.

This illustrates several KEY points to any good Defence.

1) Third hand HIGH

2) Return Partner's suit

3) With two cards in a suit, lead the HIGHEST card

How to take that Extra Trick

This post talks about counting losers in a trump contract. If you want some practice on doing that please read this post first:
Counting Losers

This post picks up from the previous post so please read that one first:
How Can Getting an OVERTRICK be Bad?

Did you figure it out? How I can take 12 tricks?

Here are the hands again:

Contract:4♥ Opening lead:3♦
Dummy:
♠QJT3
♥Q942
♦AKT8
♣8

Declarer:
♠K52
♥AKJ5
♦QJ952
♣4

First let's count losers again. I will count the losers in Declarer's hand since Declarer has that nice ♦ suit.

How many losers does Declarer have in each of the suits?



You heard what happened last post. Everyone took 12 tricks but me. I somehow have to figure out how to get rid of one of my losers. Hmmmmm.

Can't see any way of getting rid of that ♠ loser. I should always have to give the Opponents that trick.

That leaves the ♣ loser. Do I have to lose that one?

I do have a long ♦ suit. I have longer ♦ in my hand. That means that I can play off all the ♦ and on my fifth ♦ I no longer have any ♦ in Dummy. I can throw away a losing card from Dummy.

If I throw away a ♠ that doesn't help me one bit. I still have to lose a ♠.

BUT if I throw away a ♣ then I won't have any ♣ in Dummy. That means that I can trump the losing ♣ from my hand in Dummy. That would avoid a ♣ loser. Then I just have to lose that ♠.

Play this out at home if you are having troubles understanding. Deal out the cards and play along with me.

Dummy:
♠QJT3
♥Q942
♦AKT8
♣8

Declarer:
♠K52
♥AKJ5
♦QJ952
♣4

The lead was the 3♦. I won the lead in Dummy and took out three rounds of trump. This is what the two hands look like now:

Dummy:
♠QJT3
♥Q
♦KT8
♣8

Declarer:
♠K52
♥5
♦QJ95
♣4

I play HIGH card from the SHORT SIDE in ♦ ending in my hand. So I start with the K♦, then play the T♦ and then the 8♦ winning the trick in my hand with the J♦. This is what the two hands look like now:

Dummy:
♠QJT3
♥Q
♦
♣8

Declarer:
♠K52
♥5
♦Q
♣4

I am now in my hand. I can play the Q♦ and play the ♣ from Dummy. This is what the two hands look like now:

Dummy:
♠QJT3
♥Q
♦
♣

Declarer:
♠K52
♥5
♦
♣4

I don't need to trump the ♣ right away. Right now I want to play the K♠. HIGH card from the SHORT SIDE. The Opponents win their A♠ and try to play the A♣ but I trump the A♣ in Dummy and all the ♠ in Dummy are good. Making 12 tricks!

Note that if the Opponents had started with a ♣ I would have lost the trick. But they didn't start with a ♣ and when they didn't take that trick right away I was able to throw away my losing ♣ and take 12 tricks.