Responding to an Overcall

Playing matchpoints. Neither side is vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠AQ6
♥T8542
♦76
♣863

You are Dealer and "Pass". Your Left Hand Opponent opens the bidding 1♦. Partner overcalls 1♠. Your Right Hand Opponent says "Pass". What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 2♠?

This shows a hand with three or more ♠ and about 6 to 10 points.

It is nice to let Partner know that you have support for them. Plus your trump holding is VERY nice. I know Partner only made an overcall but they still could have a nice hand.

Reverses Part III

This post is a continuation of previous posts. Please read them first and if you understand everything you can continue with this post.
Simple Reverses
Reverses Part II

So far we have just talked generally about reverses. They are BIG and unbalanced.

We know that unbalanced means you first bid a five card suit and reverse into a four card suit but just how big is BIG?

Depends on the auction.

When Opener reverses after Responder makes a 1 level response Opener should have 17 or more High Card Points. If Opener has fewer high card points then they have more distribution. Maybe they have a six card suit and a four card suit. Maybe they have a six card suit and a five card suit. Depending on the quality and length of their suit, they no longer need as many high card values.

But let's stick with the five card suit and the four card suit.

Here's your hand:
♠AK
♥AQT9
♦82
♣KQJT9

You have 19 HCP and open the bidding 1♣. Partner responds 1♠. You have a perfect way to tell Partner you have an unbalanced hand with a lot of points. Bid 2♥. A reverse. This tells Partner you have five ♣, four ♥ and at least 17 HCP.

Take a similar hand:
♠J6
♥AQT9
♦82
♣KQJT9

You have 13 HCP and open the bidding 1♣. Partner responds 1♠. You would like to tell Partner about your ♥ suit but don't forget that Partner COULD have responded 1♥. They choose not to. You can no longer tell Partner about them. But you also don't want to rebid 1NT because you are unbalanced.

Rebid 2♣.

This should show an unbalanced hand with at least five ♣. Which is what you have.

Let's look at some examples.

Hand 1
♠73
♥AKJ2
♦A9
♣KQT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 2
♠Q4
♥AQJ4
♦A5
♣AQT72

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 3
♠KJ
♥A987
♦92
♣AJT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 4
♠2
♥AQJ4
♦KJ2
♣AKJ98

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 5
♠6
♥AQJ7
♦AK7
♣KQJ65

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 6
♠AQ8
♥AKJ9
♦4
♣AQT72

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 7
♠5
♥KJ62
♦KQ2
♣AQT98

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 8
♠A4
♥KJ43
♦86
♣KQT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 9
♠82
♥AKQ5
♦K4
♣AJT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 10
♠AKT
♥AQ86
♦8
♣KQT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 11
♠9
♥6543
♦KQ6
♣AKQT7

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 12
♠7
♥QJ64
♦A92
♣AQT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 13
♠AQ2
♥AKT2
♦8
♣AJT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 14
♠8
♥KJ52
♦AK9
♣KQJ84

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?


Hand 15
♠Q
♥QJ87
♦KQ3
♣AQT94

This is the auction:

Opener (you)	Responder (Partner)
1♣	1♠
???

First count your High Card Points. What is your bid and what does that show?

Reverses Part II

This post is a continuation of the previous post. Please read that one first and if you understand it you can continue with this post. If you don't understand the previous post this one is even more complicated so don't bother with it.

Previous Post:
Simple Reverses

Last post talked about basic reverses. I was trying to make you understand why reversing showed a nice hand. They were more obvious because in each case Responder denied having a four card major. But reverses are not always so easy to spot.

Remember those basic rules about bidding? Let's change one slightly.

Rule #5: Players will bid four card suits up the line.

This means that if Opener opens 1 of a suit, Responder (with two four card suits) will bid the four card suit that is next in line in the bidding.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥

Responder is showing a four (or more) card ♥ suit. They do NOT deny having four ♠.

That is an easy one. Here's one a little more difficult to understand:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠

Responder is showing a four (or more) card ♠ suit. They do NOT deny having four ♥ however IF they do have four ♥ then they MUST have LONGER ♠ because with four ♥ and four ♠ they would have bid their ♥ first.

That is not so bad but try this one:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♥

Responder is essentially denying having four ♦. This one is tough to grasp because pretty much everyone will bid a four card major over a four card ♦ suit at the 1 level. There is NOTHING wrong with that. But if that is the case you are probably pretty happy playing in NT rather than the four four ♦ fit that you might have. You should be happy with that. We should prefer to play in NT rather than in ♦ if we are balanced. However for the purposes of understanding reverses keep in mind that if someone goes by a suit they are essentially DENYING having four cards in that suit. That will make it easier to understand reverses.

More reverses by Opener.

Here's a slightly more complicated reverse as compared to the ones in the last post.

Auction 1:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
2♥

Opener again has made a reverse bid. They are unbalanced and should have five ♣, four ♥ and a BIG hand.

The unbalanced part is easy to see. Opener should be unbalanced or they would have rebid some number of NT. So they must be unbalanced. If they are unbalanced they either have a six card suit or a five card suit and another four card suit. Opener is bidding two suits so they have two suits. So a five card suit and a four card suit. Opener will bid the longest suit first so the ♣ must be longer.

Could Opener be five five in the rounded suits?

No. With two five card suits you open the HIGHEST ranking suit first. With five ♥ and five ♣ Opener would have opened 1♥.

Could Opener have five ♥?

Sure, but then they have six ♣.

Could Opener have four ♥ and six ♣?

Yes, they could. They are at least five four but could be more unbalanced for sure.

So that explains the unbalanced part.

What about the BIG hand part? Why should Opener have better than a minimum hand?

Listen to the auction. Opener opened the bidding 1♣ and Responder said "1♠". But Responder didn't just say "1♠", what Responder said was this "I do NOT want to tell you about any ♦ suit I might have and I do NOT want to tell you about any ♥ suit I have. But I do have at least four ♠ and at least 6 HCP."

So Responder is essentially saying "I do NOT want to play in ♥."

And now Opener is essentially asking "Do you want to play in ♥?"

For Opener to ignore Responder's wishes to not play in ♥ they must have a BIG hand because now they are forcing Responder to return to their longest suit at the 3 level. That might be way too HIGH with two minimum hands.

Responder could have this hand:
♠Q964
♥842
♦K83
♣J65

By bidding 2♥, Opener is saying "Choose between my ♥ and my ♣ and my ♣ are longer since I bid them first."

Responder must return to the ♣ suit and must now bid 3♣ (THREE!) since Opener's last bid was 2♥.

The partnership is now at the THREE level and Responder only has 6 HCP. If Opener is only minimum this partnership could be in trouble. Plus the partnership did not have to get so high. Opener KNEW that Responder did not want to tell them about any ♥ suit they had. Why suggest that suit?

Opener MUST have a BIG hand.

Let's take a look at the hand everyone is worried about. Responder could have this hand:
♠Q9642
♥K842
♦3
♣J65

and Opener could have this hand:
♠A8
♥AQ65
♦Q85
♣Q832

Opener will open the bidding 1♣. Responder will bid 1♠ because their ♠ are longer than their ♥.

Now Opener will need to rebid 1NT. This does NOT deny having four ♥. This shows a balanced hand with fewer than 15 HCP, no support for Responder's major and no major they can bid at the 1 level. (This is true. If Opener were to bid their ♥ suit they would have to do so at the 2 level.)

But will the partnership miss out on the four four ♥ fit?

No. Responder is UNBALANCED. They will take Opener out of the 1NT bid and bid 2♥. Doing this will show four ♥ and therefore shows five ♠ because with four four in the majors Responder would have responded 1♥ before bidding 1♠.

Opener will either PASS 2♥ or bid 2♠ depending on their hand. In this example Opener will Pass 2♥.

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
1NT	2♥
Pass

Let's do some more practicing. That's always fun.

For the following auctions tell me just what EXACTLY Opener has. Big hand? Minimum hand? How many in each suit they mentioned. Plus IS their bid a REVERSE?

Hand 1

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
3♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 2

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 3

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 4

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
3♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 5

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 6

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 7

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♥
1♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 1♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 8

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♥
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 9

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 10

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
3♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 11

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♥
3♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 12

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♥
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 13

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♥
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 14

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 15

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 16

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 17

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 18

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
3♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 3♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 19

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 20

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 21

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1♠
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?

Simple Reverses

Simple Reverses?!?

Ha! There's no such thing!

Reverses are probably the toughest bid to grasp in simple Standard American.

Do you have to play Reverses? Maybe since they are so difficult you can decide NOT to play them?

Doesn't work that way. This bid is not like Stayman or Jacoby Transfers. With those bids you can say "Hey, I'm not ready to play that bid yet. Let's just keep it simple."

Nope. Can't do that. Reverses are more the equivalent to needing 10 or more HCP (High Card Points) to bid a new suit at the 2 level when Partner opens the bidding. You can decide you don't want to play that way BUT you soon come across hands that you are bidding at the 4 level before you discover you have no fit and, because you didn't follow the "10 HCP to bid a new suit at the 2 level" rule, you also do not have the high card values to fall back on.

Needing 10 or more points to bid a new suit at the 2 level keeps us safe and happy at a LOW level if we do not have the values.

It's the same for a reverse. Do NOT force Partner up to higher levels in the bidding when they might not have values and you might not have a fit. It just makes sense.

So just what is a reverse?

First you need a reminder of some basic facts about bidding. These will help you understand why reverses make sense.

Basic facts about bidding.

These are simple (relatively speaking), basic rules about bridge and if you do not know all of these then PLEASE just ignore this post. You are not ready for reverses yet! Come back to this post later. It will still be here. Waiting patiently.

Rule #1: Unbalanced hands contain either a six card suit or a five card suit and a four card suit.

You could have more than six cards in the suit for sure. You could also have a six card suit and a five card suit or a five card suit and another five card suit. But the minimum holding to be unbalanced is either a six card suit OR a five card suit and a four card suit.

Rule #2: Players will bid their five card suit before bidding their four card suit (if they can).

Sometimes you do not have the points required to bid your longest suit first. That is okay. We can ignore that.

Rule #3: Players with equal length of five or more in two suits will ALWAYS bid the HIGHER ranking suit first.

For the most part, no one cares that one suit is "better" than the other.

Rule #4: Responder with a four card major will bid that major at the 1 level before bidding 1NT.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT

Responder would have bid 1♥ if they had four ♥.

Responder would have bid 1♠ if they had four ♠.

Therefore Responder does NOT have a four card major.

Rule #5: Responder will bid four card major suits up the line.

This means that if Opener opens 1 of a minor, Responder (with two four card majors) will bid 1♥ before bidding 1♠.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♥

In the above auction Responder is showing a four (or more) card ♥ suit. They do NOT deny having four ♠.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠

In the above auction Responder is showing a four (or more) card ♠ suit. They do NOT deny having four ♥ however IF they do have four ♥ then they MUST have LONGER ♠ because with four ♥ and four ♠ they would have bid their ♥ first.

Rule #6: Balanced hands with no room to bid a major at the 1 level will rebid NT.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
1NT

Opener has a balanced hand with no fit for Responder's ♠ suit. Opener COULD have four ♥ but IF the partnership has a four-four ♥ fit then Responder MUST have at least five ♠. If Responder has five ♠ and four ♥ they are unbalanced and will take Opener out of the NT by bidding either 2♥ or 3♥. (Rule #8)

Rule #7: Unbalanced hands will not rebid NT.

Opener	Responder
1♥	1♠
2♦

Opener is UNBALANCED. They should have at least five ♥ and at least four ♦. They did not rebid 1NT because they are unbalanced.

Rule #8: Unbalanced hands will take Partner out of NT if they bid it.

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♥

Opener is UNBALANCED. They should have at least five ♠ and at least four ♥. They are taking Responder OUT of the NT because they are unbalanced.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1♠
1NT	2♥

Responder is UNBALANCED. They should have at least five ♠ and at least four ♥. They are taking Opener OUT of the NT because they are unbalanced.

That's quite a few rules! If all these rules make sense to you, you may be ready for reverses.

Let's look at some reverses.

Either Opener or Responder can make a reverse.

To start off simple we will look at a Reverse by Opener.

Auction 1:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♠

Opener has just made a reverse. They should have a BIG, UNBALANCED hand.

How do I know this?

For one thing they MUST be unbalanced. Responder has bid 1NT and Opener is taking them OUT of the NT to play in a suit. Opener must be unbalanced to do that.

So if Opener is unbalanced they must have either a six card suit OR a five card suit and a four card suit. Since Opener is bidding two suits they should have at least five cards in one suit and four cards in the other. They could have more cards in both suits of course.

Opener would always bid their LONGEST suit first so if Opener had five ♠ and four ♦ they would have opened the bidding 1♠.

Since Opener bid the ♦ first they must have five ♦ and four ♠.

This all makes sense. But WHY should Opener have a BIG hand? Why can't they just have a minimum opener?

First of all listen to what Responder is saying. They didn't just say "1NT". In fact what they said was "I do NOT have four ♥ and I do NOT have four ♠. I do have about 6 to 10 HCP." Responder does NOT have any kind of ♠ fit. They don't or they would have bid 1♠. So now Responder is basically being forced to return to Opener's first suit -- ♦. To make it even worse, at what level does Responder now have to bid? The 3 level. Opener is FORCING Responder to the 3 level when Responder could have only 6 HCP.

Responder could have this hand:
♠Q94
♥842
♦K83
♣J652

Responder must return to the ♦ suit and bid 3♦ since Opener's last bid was 2♠.

The partnership is now at the THREE level and Responder only has 6 HCP. If Opener is only minimum this partnership could be in trouble. Plus the partnership did not have to get so high. Opener KNEW that Responder did not have four ♠. Why suggest that suit KNOWING Responder does not have four?

Opener MUST have a big hand for this.

I know that some readers are thinking, "But why, Heidi, why? If you are unbalanced aren't you supposed to take Partner out of the NT and bid your other suit? Aren't we forced to do this?"

Yes, we are supposed to take Partner out of NT BUT we are NOT forced to bid a suit that Partner already said they didn't want to play in. We can always just rebid our five card suit.

So if I have this hand:
♠K832
♥K3
♦AQJ74
♣76

I do something different.

I open the bidding 1♦ and when Partner responds 1NT I think. "Hmmmmm. Partner does NOT have four ♠. We do NOT have a fit there. But I am unbalanced. I'd better rebid my ♦ suit. It might be safer to play there instead of in 1NT."

Partner will now "Pass" and we are at the 2 level verses the 3 level with minimum values.

If that is not clear to you please read it over and over again until it is. This is a basic reverse and they just get tougher.

Let's look at some examples:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1NT
2♠

Here is another reverse. Responder said "I do NOT have four ♠ and I have a weak hand." For Responder to go back to Opener's original suit they would have to bid at the THREE level -- 3♣.

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♥

Here is another reverse. Responder said "I do NOT have four ♥ and I have a weak hand." For Responder to go back to Opener's original suit they would have to bid at the THREE level -- 3♦.

Let's work this in with what we already know. When Opener bids a suit that is LOWER ranking than their original opening suit at the 2 level this shows MINIMUM values. Check out this post to remind you:
Opener rebids with a FIVE and FOUR card suit

When Opener rebids their original suit at the 2 level this also shows just a minimum hand with something extra in the suit. Check out these posts to remind you:
Rebidding your original suit - Hearts
Rebidding your original suit - Spades
Rebidding your original suit - Diamonds

However when Opener bids a suit at the 2 level (without jumping) that Responder has already said they don't have in the auction and therefore FORCING Responder to go back to Opener's original suit at the 3 level this is a REVERSE showing a BIG, UNBALANCED hand.

Let's practice. That's always fun.

For the following auctions tell me just what EXACTLY Opener has. Big hand? Minimum hand? How many in each suit they mentioned. Plus IS their bid a REVERSE?

Hand 1

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 2

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1NT
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 3

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1NT
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 4

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1NT
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 5

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 6

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1NT
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 7

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1NT
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 8

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 9

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♦

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♦ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 10

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♣	1NT
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 11

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♣

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♣ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 12

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 13

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	1NT
2♠

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♠ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 14

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	1NT
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?



Hand 15

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	1NT
2♥

Is Opener’s rebid of 2♥ a reverse? Just what does Opener have?

Responding to 2NT Part II

This post is a continuation from last post. Please check that one out first if you haven't already:
Responding to 2NT

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠QT75
♥AK76
♦KQ
♣AK2

Three Passes to you. You have a balanced hand with 21 High Card Points. You decide to open 2NT which you play as showing 20 or 21 HCP. The Opponents are silent during the auction. You have agreed to play both Stayman and Jacoby Transfers over any NT opening and Partner bids 3♣. You decide to bid 3♥ and now Partner bids 6♦.

Think about the auction. Here is is:

Opener	Responder
	Pass
2NT	3♣
3♥	6♦

What is your call?

Show Answer

Do you think 6♦ was to play?

It wasn't. Not really. If Partner wanted to play in 6♦ here's how the the auction would have gone.

Opener	Responder
	Pass
2NT	6♦

Partner bid Stayman for a reason. Partner has a four card major. They just didn't like your four card major. They don't have four ♥. If they have a four card major and it is not ♥ guess what it is?

Yep. ♠.

Do you have a fit with Partner's ♠? Yes you do. Bid 6♠.

Partner either wanted to play in 6♠ if the partnership had a four four ♠ fit OR in 6♦ without the ♠ fit.

Passing 6♦ means you go down two tricks. Not so good.

If you bid 6♠ you took the partnership to the best spot. Twelve tricks are there in ♠.

Responding to 2NT

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠QT75
♥AK76
♦KQ
♣AK2

Three Passes to you. You have a balanced hand with 21 High Card Points. You decide to open 2NT which you play as showing 20 or 21 HCP. The Opponents are silent during the auction. You have agreed to play both Stayman and Jacoby Transfers over any NT opening and Partner bids 3♣.

What is your call?

Show Answer

3♥

Just like Responder bids their four card suits up the line so do you when you are answering Stayman. This shows four ♥ but does NOT deny having four ♠.

What to Respond?

Playing matchpoints. Neither side is vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠
♥A874
♦9753
♣A8432

Partner opens the bidding with 1♠. The Opponents are silent during the auction. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 1NT?

This shows 6 to 10 HCP with fewer than three ♠.

This does not show a balanced hand.

If you "Pass" because you don't want to bid 1NT without a balanced hand you might have missed a game. Partner could have a VERY nice hand over there! You all allowed to "Pass" with fewer than six HCP but with at least 6 you should bid.

If you bid 2♣ you told Partner that you had at least 10 or more HCP. (New suit at the 2 level.) Partner will get very excited!

What to do NOW?

Playing Matchpoints. You are not vulnerable and the Opponents are vulnerable. Here is your hand:

♠QT92
♥AJ76
♦4
♣A932

You are Dealer and decide not to open the bidding. Your LHO (Left Hand Opponent) also says "Pass". Partner opens the bidding 3♠. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass". What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 4♠?

You've got a TERRIFIC hand for Partner!

Partner can probably trump a few ♦ in your hand and also you have a few Aces. Got a good shot for 10 tricks -- even if Partner is a little light for their bid. (Partner in third seat at favourable vulnerability might try and stretch things a little...)

Defence

DEFENCE! Defence is VERY difficult. Too many things to keep track of and you have NO IDEA what Partner has! But we all have to defend at times. So it is best to get used to it. (Or bid more.)

Here is your hand:
♠983
♥KQT8
♦A854
♣85

The contract is 3NT. Your LHO (Left Hand Opponent) opened the bidding 2NT and your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) bid 3NT. Partner leads the 2♦.

Dummy comes down with:

	Dummy ♠7654 ♥32 ♦T63 ♣AK42
Partner 2♦		You! ♠983 ♥KQT8 ♦A854 ♣85
	Declarer ???

Declarer plays small from Dummy. What card do YOU play?

You SHOULD play third hand HIGH. Play your A♦.

Now what card do you play next?

Show Answer

Return Partner's suit!

Is it really that big a deal if you don't? Your ♦ aren't that great...

True. But PARTNER's are!

Partner will take the next three tricks.

The Opponents will make 3NT but they can also make 4♠. (Did you notice that Dummy should have tried Stayman?)

Holding the Opponents to 3NT gets you 7.5 out of a possible 9 matchpoints.

Switching to any other suit (even your lovely ♥ suit) allows the Opponents to make an overtrick. You will now get 1.5 out of a possible 9.

What to Respond?

Playing Matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are not vulnerable. Here is your hand:

♠7654
♥32
♦T63
♣AK42

Partner opens the bidding 2NT. This shows 20 or 21 HCP with a balanced hand. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass". You have agreed to play both Stayman and Jacoby Transfers over a 2NT opening bid. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 3♣?

I know those ♠ are lousy. Maybe you'd prefer to play in NT?

3NT does make. So you are fine if you just respond 3NT.

However 4♠ also makes. Bidding Stayman allows you to find your four four ♠ fit.

Bidding 3NT gets you 1.5 matchpoints out of a possible 9. Bidding 4♠ gets you 4.5 matchpoints out of a possible 9. (Which is average.) Plus bidding 4♠ gives you the possibility for an overtrick for a 9 out of 9! You won't get an overtrick in 3NT.

What to Open?

Playing Matchpoints. The Opponents are vulnerable and you are not vulnerable. Here is your hand:

♠AJ4
♥654
♦8
♣KQT972

Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass". What is your call?

Show Answer

How about "Pass"?

You could try opening the bidding 3♣ but the problem is PARTNER might have the nice hand. You might mess up Partner.

If you opened 3♣ Partner will probably let you play it there. You can take 10 tricks in ♣.

If you "Pass" Partner will open the bidding. Now you can show your ♣ and also show you have 10 or more HCP.

Partner will end up bidding (and making!) 3NT because now Partner knows you are not just a weak hand with ♣.

What to Open?

Playing Matchpoints. The Opponents are vulnerable and you are not vulnerable. Here is your hand:

♠T
♥7
♦KJT987642
♣K7

You are Dealer. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 5♦?

This a hand with less than opening values with a good NINE card suit.

With a six card suit you open at the 2 level. With a 7 card suit you open at the 3 level. With an eight card suit you open at the 4 level.

The problem with bidding 3♦ is that it doesn't mess up the Opponents that much. They will get to their slam now.

Some people even got to play 5♦. These fortunate people went down 3 but the Opponents can make 7 of either major or even 7NT.

Rebidding your Major

Here is your hand:

♠94
♥AKQT98
♦K3
♣A65

Partner opens the bidding with a "Pass". The Opponents are silent during the auction. You decide to open the bidding 1♥. Partner now bids 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 3♥?

This shows 16 to 18 HCP with a GOOD six card ♥ suit.


The problem with rebidding 2♥ is that Partner will never think you have this nice of a hand. You can't or you would have bid 3♥.