Rebidding with Support

Here is your hand:
♠AK96
♥Q943
♦8
♣AK65

You are Dealer and decide to open the bidding ♣. The Opponents Pass throughout the bidding. Partner bids 1♥. What is your call?

Count your points. How many points do you have?

What is your bid?

Show Answer

Answer:
If you said you have 16 points in your hand you were counting High Card Points (HCP) only.

You have a fit for Partner. Partner should have four ♥ to respond and you have four ♥. You will be Dummy. You now get 3 points for your singleton ♦. You no longer just have 16 HCP -- you have 19 points.

With 19 points in support of Partner's major you need to bid 4♥.

If you bid 3♥ (only) Partner is allowed to say "PASS". But Partner should have 6 HCP to respond. Together you have at least 25 points which is enough to make game. Bid the game.

Here is Partner's hand:
♠QT8
♥KJT7
♦AK62
♣98

If you respond 4♥ Partner is going to get very excited with their 13 HCP and bid a slam. After all you are showing about 20 points for your bid.

You can take 12 tricks with both hands.

At the novice game on Tuesday NOT ONE PAIR reached the slam.

To test yourself on rebidding with support for Partner's major check out the following post:
Rebidding when you have a fit for Partner's Major and can count Distribution points

What Should NT Opener Do?

Here is your hand:
♠A983
♥542
♦A7
♣AQJ3

You are Dealer and decide to open the bidding 1NT playing "15 to 17". Your RHO says "Pass". Partner bids 2♣. Your RHO says "Pass". What is your call?

Partner is bidding Stayman. They are asking you if you have a four card major. You do! You respond 2♠. The Opponents Pass throughout the bidding. Over your 2♠ bid Partner says 4NT. What is your call?

What does Partner have for their bidding?

Show Answer

Answer:

What is 4NT? Is this Blackwood?

NO!

This should be QUANTITATIVE. Partner is asking if you have a MAXIMUM for your NT range (17) or a MINIMUM (15). With a MAXIMUM you would bid 6NT.

With a MINIMUM (like you have) you are going to "PASS".

Partner should have about 16 or 17 HCP. With only 15 HCP Partner would KNOW you don't have enough for a small slam. Your 17 (the most you could possibly have) plus their 15 is only 32 HCP. You need 33 HCP to make 6NT. But if Partner had 18 HCP they KNOW the partnership has enough for a small slam. Their 18 plus your 15 is 33 and enough for 6NT.

Partner also went through Stayman to inquire about a possible four-four major suit fit. You told them you have four ♠ and they were not interested in playing there. Partner does not have four ♠. But they DO have a four card major so it MUST be ♥. Partner has four ♥ and 16 or 17 HCP.

Here is Partner's hand:
♠KQ5
♥AK63
♦J982
♣K2

To test yourself on quantitative responses check out the following post:

Blackwood or Quantitative?