Tough Rebid

Here is an interesting hand I was asked about today:

Here is your hand:

♠86
♥A865
♦743
♣AKQT

You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♣. Your LHO (Left Hand Opponent) bids 1♦. Your Partner bids 1♠. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass". What is your call now?

If it makes it easier think of all the potential bids you could possible make and eliminate the ones you can't bid.

Show Answer

Talk about ugly rebids!

The possibilities are:
"Pass"
Pass is not an option. Partner's 1♠ bid is forcing. Partner could have a huge hand over there.

1NT
1NT is a possibility but I do know that LHO has a five card suit (they did overcall) and I also know Partner might leap to 3NT with an opening hand thinking I will be able to stop the ♦ from running. I can't.

2♠
Partner might only have four ♠ over there. That's not a good option.

2♥
2♥ shows a MUCH bigger hand than the hand I have now. This is a REVERSE showing four ♥ and five ♣ and 17 or more HCP.

2♦
Bidding the Opponent's suit would show a much bigger hand than the one I have now.

2♣
This normally would show at least a five card suit but in a normal situation I wouldn't need a ♦ card to bid 1NT. Even if Partner thinks I have five in the suit the four I have are really, really good.

I think we have a winner! 2♣ is probably the call to make.

If you did manage to bid 2♣ Partner bids 2♥. This would be a forcing bid (new suit by Responder) so you can safely raise to 3♥. Partner will now bid a game.

My second choice for bids would be 1NT. If you bid it with enough confidence the Opponent's might not realize you do not have a stopper. If you did bid 1NT your Partner will take you out of the NT and you will again bid your ♥ game.

Tough Rebids

Here is your hand:

♠5
♥T43
♦AQ5
♣AKJ952

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable. The Opponents are silent during the auction.

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♠. You decide to bid 2♣. Partner rebids 2♠.

What is your call now?

Show Answer

I hope you didn't bid 3♣. That would be a NON-FORCING bid. Partner is allowed to say "Pass" and they will on this hand. You just missed a game.

Talk about tough rebids though! What SHOULD you bid?

You've got a choice of a few (not great) bids.

First of all 3NT is a choice. You might be worried about the ♥ situation though. Partner doesn't have to have any ♥ honours for their bid. But you can always hold your breath and try. At least you got to game.

4♠ is another choice. You hate to support Partner with only a singleton but you did get the partnership to game and now you don't have to worry about ♥ stoppers.

If you want to get Partner to choose between 3NT and 4♠ you could try 3♦. It is a FORCING bid. Now if Partner bids 3NT you can "Pass" and if Partner goes back to their ♠ suit (again!) you can raise then to 4♠.

I would probably bid 3♦ on the hand. Partner doesn't want to go by 3NT by raising the 3♦ suit any more than you do. But that's my style. As long as you didn't rebid 3 (only) ♣ and got the Partnership to game you will do fine on this board.

Choices

Here is your hand:

♠A98
♥A8
♦J64
♣AQ432

Playing matchpoints and no one is vulnerable.

RHO (Right Hand Opponent) is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♦. What is your call?

Show Answer

You DON'T have a good bid. Your choices are 1NT to show a good 15 to 18 HCP balanced hand OR Pass OR 2♣ to show a good five card suit with an opening hand.

None of these bids are great.

Pass is pretty conservative. You do have a nice 15 HCP with a five card suit.

Bidding 2♣ doesn't really get across your hand. You suit is too weak and your hand is too strong.

Do you dare risk bidding 1NT WITHOUT a stopper in the Opponent's suit? I say you should. It's only a minor. They don't promise a five card suit like a major suit opening would. Partner might not jump to 3NT and if they do then the Opponent's might not lead a ♦. If they do then Partner might have a little something in the suit so you have a stopper. If Partner doesn't then maybe the suit breaks four-four. I'd risk it.

If you do overcall 1NT you probably get to play it there and take 8 tricks for 120 points.

If you said "Pass" originally (wimp) then the Opponents get to 2♥ and take nine tricks.

If you overcalled 2♣ you probably get to play it there and you will take 9 tricks for 110 points.

Responder Rebids

Here is your hand:

♠3
♥KQT5
♦K75
♣KQ652

Playing matchpoints and your side is NOT vulnerable. The Opponents are silent during the auction.

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♠. You respond 2♣. Partner bids 2♠. What is your call now?

Plus (as a bonus) is Partner's 2♠ bid forcing? Do you HAVE to respond to it? (I know you are going to bid again -- but do you HAVE to?)

Show Answer

I hope you did NOT rebid 3♣! That bid is NOT forcing -- Partner is allowed to "Pass"!

Bidding 3♥ is probably your best bid. That leaves Partner room to support your ♥ and is a FORCING BID.

If you bid 3NT you did get to game but you still might have a good ♥ fit and that will never find it.

BONUS: 2♠ IS a forcing bid. You MUST bid again. When you bid a new suit at the 2 level you promise ONE more call unless Partner limits their hand by rebidding either 2NT OR raises your suit 1 level only. So in this auction if Partner had rebid 2NT or 3♣ you would be allowed to "Pass" but any other bid is at least one round forcing.

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠Q986
♥T
♦743
♣AK542

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable. The Opponents are silent during the auction.

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♠. What is your call now?

Show Answer

How about 3♠? This shows about 11 or 12 points with FOUR trump.

You have 9 HCP and 3 Dummy points.

Rebids by Opener

Here is your hand:

♠3
♥KQT5
♦K75
♣KQ652

Playing matchpoints and your side is NOT vulnerable. The Opponents are silent during the auction.

You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♣. Partner says 1♠. You choose to rebid 1NT. Partner says 2♠. What is your call now?

Show Answer

PASS!

You did NOT have a good rebid originally. After Partner responds 1♠ you had three options:
1NT to show a balanced hand with less than 15 HCP. (After all with a balanced 15 HCP hand you would open 1NT.) But you are not balanced. You have a singleton.

2♥. However this is something called a REVERSE and shows a MUCH stronger hand than what you have. Partner went by that ♥ suit remember? For you to suggest a suit Partner did not want to tell you about shows a strong hand. About 17 or more HCP. It also shows an unbalanced hand. You have the unbalanced hand -- just not the values.

2♣ shows a hand that does not want to play in NT for some reason (usually because you are unbalanced) and shows at least five ♣. (Sometimes to repeat a minor you need six but not on this auction.)

Anyhow you chose to bid 1NT. (I might have rebid 2♣ but I don't blame you for rebidding 1NT.) Partner bid 2♠ TO PLAY. You have to respect Partner's wishes.

If you bid 2NT on this hand guess what? If you are lucky Partner bids 3♠. You still get to play in ♠ but now you are a whole level higher.

If you are unlucky Partner "Passes" 2NT and you go down. You have no way to get to Partner's ♠ even if you do manage to set them up.

What Lie to Tell?

Here is your hand:

♠Q65
♥Q962
♦KQJ
♣JT5

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable.

You are Dealer and "Pass". LHO (Left Hand Opponent) says "Pass". Partner opens the bidding 1♠. RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass". What is your call?

Show Answer

You DON'T have a good bid. Again. You are too strong to bid 2♠. That should show 6 to a bad 10 points. You have a bad 11 points. Huge difference! Bidding 3♠ should show 11 or 12 points with FOUR trump.

Normally you could show a three card limit raise (11 or 12 points with three trump) by bidding a NEW suit and then jumping to 3♠ over whatever Partner bids.

But you are a PASSED hand! Partner is allowed to "Pass" ANYTHING you bid now.

So take a chance and bid 3♠. Lie about the number of trump you have.

If you said 2♠ Partner thinks you are weak (afterall that's what you are telling Partner) and says "Pass".

If you said 3♠ Partner goes to game and takes 10 tricks. (And they don't even notice you only have three trump...)

Responding to Partner

Here is your hand:

♠2
♥JT872
♦K7
♣Q6543

Playing matchpoints and no one is vulnerable. The Opponents are silent during the auction.

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♠. What is your call now?

Show Answer

How about 1NT? This shows about 6 to a bad 10 points without three ♠.

It is an ugly bid. I'll give you that. But you have NO CHOICE.

You have at least 6 HCP so you HAVE to bid. Partner might have about 20 points over there and just wanted to hear a response from you in order to bid game.

To bid a new suit at the 2 level requires at least 10 HCP. You don't have that many.

So your choices are 1NT or 2♠. You can't support Partner so that leaves 1NT as the only bid.

What to bid as Responder

Here is your hand:

♠QJ98
♥A5
♦763
♣J954

Playing matchpoints and your side is vulnerable.

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♥. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) responds 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 1NT?

This shows 6 to a bad 10 HCP, a stopper in ♠ and a balanced hand. All of which you have.


Normally a 1NT response would NOT show a balanced hand but when RHO bids now you have choices on whether or not to bid or Pass. You choose to bid so you should be balanced.
If you choose to "Pass" you let the Opponents walk all over you. Be more aggressive next time.

Rebids

Here is your hand:

♠32
♥AK9
♦Q976
♣KJ73

Playing matchpoints and you are vulnerable.

You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♦. Your LHO (Left Hand Opponent) says "Pass". Partner responds 1♠. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) overcalls 2♥. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about Pass?

I know you have a ♥ stopper and desperately want to bid NT. But in order to bid NT you would have to go to the 2 level. Are you willing to go to the 2 level right now? Partner might only have 6 HCP. That's all they need for a 1 level bid.

Bidding 2NT on this auction shows a much nicer hand than the one you have.

Pass. See what Partner does. If Partner has an opening hand themselves they WILL bid again. Then you can tell Partner about your ♥ stopper.

If Partner only has a minimum hand you probably want to let the opponent's play. Maybe you can defeat them.

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠KQ763
♥KQ754
♦2
♣A9

Playing matchpoints and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1♦. The Opponents Pass throughout. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 1♠?

With two five card suits bid the HIGHER RANKING suit first.

If you bid the ♥ first you never get a change to tell Partner you have five ♠.

If you bid 1♠ Partner will know you have five ♠ on your second bid.

Imagine. You bid 1♠. Partner bids 2♦. Now you can bid 2♥. Partner MUST bid again (new suit by responder is forcing) and now Partner will show you three card support. Perfect!

If you start with 1♥, Partner will still bid 2♦. Now you can try 2♠ but Partner will not think you have five of them. Now they bid 3♦. You can try 3♠ but Partner will always believe your ♥ suit is longer since you bid them first.

Responder Rebids

Here is your hand:

♠AKQT82
♥76
♦K76
♣A9

Playing matchpoints and no one is vulnerable.

Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1♣. The Opponents Pass throughout. You decide to respond 1♠. Partner rebids 2♣. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about anything BUT 2♠ or 3♠?

Both those bids are NON-FORCING.

If you bid either of these Partner will "Pass".

If you bid 4♠ at least you got to game.

If you bid 2♦ Partner will have to bid again. (They won't support your suit however but at least that gives you another chance to bid 4♠.)

Responder's Bid

Here is your hand:

♠6
♥
♦QT98542
♣A8643

Playing matchpoints and you are not vulnerable. The Opponents are silent during the auction.

Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1♥. What is your call?

Show Answer

You are stuck with bidding 1NT.

You cannot "Pass" because you have at least 6 HCP.

You cannot bid a new suit at the 2 level because you need 10 or more HCP.

You cannot raise ♥ because you do not have three of them.

You cannot bid 1♠ because you do not have four of them.

That leaves you with 1NT. This says "Partner I have 6 to a bad 10 HCP, fewer than three ♥ and fewer than four ♠." Which describes your hand perfectly!

Responding 1NT does not show a balanced hand.

Rebids by Responder

Here is your hand:

♠AKJT6
♥AJ84
♦6
♣A82

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable. The Opponents were silent during the bidding.

Partner was Dealer and opened the bidding 1♦. You decided to respond 1♠. Partner rebid 2♦. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 2♥?

This is a FORCING BID. Partner MUST bid again! (New suit by Responder.)

So you don't have to worry about jumping right now. That takes up quite a bit of room in the bidding.

Over Interference

Here is your hand:

♠J4
♥J7652
♦97432
♣7

Playing matchpoints and no one is vulnerable.

Partner was Dealer and opened the bidding 1NT. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) bid 2♣ (showing ♣ only). What is your call?

Show Answer

How about "Pass"?

When Partner opened the bidding 1NT you were definitely going to make a Jacoby Transfer bid of 2♦ and then "Pass" Partner's 2♥ response. (Or you would have bid 2♥ to play.)

But the Opponents entered into the bidding. You no longer have to rescue Partner from their NT bid. The Opponents did that.

Now you CAN bid (if you want) but I might not. You have a pretty bad suit and Partner might only have two of them. On the other hand you do have two five card suits and it's an aggressive game these days.

Hey, IF you do decide to bid do you know how to bid the ♥ suit? Would transfers be on? Have you and your Partner talked about that? Best check to make sure you are both in agreement!