Responder must bid

Playing matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are not vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠JT72
♥QT54
♦85
♣A72

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

Show Answer

Pass.

Your Partner opened the bidding 1NT. You have two four card majors but you CANNOT bid Stayman to ask if Partner has a four card major. You do NOT have enough values. You need at least 8 HCP in order to bid Stayman if you intend to bid again. If you bid 2♣ and Partner responds 2♦ you will have to bid again -- Partner might only have a doubleton ♦ and so do you! If you bid 2NT Partner will think you are inviting game with 8 or 9 HCP. You might get a little too high in the bidding.

So just "Pass" and stay out of trouble.

What to Overcall?

Playing matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠9
♥AT7
♦AKQJT862
♣4

Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) opens the bidding 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

I'm good with a couple of bids.

2♦ shows an opening hand with a good five (probably six) card suit. This is an option.

I like 5♦ also. This puts MAXIMUM pressure on the Opponents and they have to decide whether or not to let you play (maybe Doubled?) or to bid further in ♠? With no room to explore, maybe they will guess wrong.

A bid I am NOT okay with is 3♦. This shows a WEAK hand with a seven (maybe even six on the auction!) card suit. Your hand is too strong.

If you bid 2♦ you might discover your seven-three ♥ fit. You can take 11 tricks in either red suit.

If you bid 5♦ you may or may not get Doubled (not many people were) but you can take 11 tricks so you will make your contract in any case.

If you bid 3♦ the Opponents have room to discover their ♣ fit and they can take 11 tricks in ♣. Ooops! Even if you bid 5♦ now they will just bid 6♣ and go happily down one.

Rebids by Responder

Playing matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are not vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠95
♥KJ95
♦AQ9
♣AQT2

Partner opens the bidding 1♦. The Opponents are silent during the auction. You respond 1♥. (That's pretty easy.) Now Partner rebids 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 3NT? It is most likely your best game.

You CANNOT bid 1NT. That shows about 6 to 10 HCP and is NON-FORCING. It's not even the least bit encouraging!

You CANNOT bid 2NT. That shows about 11 or 12 HCP and is NON-FORCING. It's a bit more encouraging but not enough. Partner is still allowed to "Pass".

3NT gets you to game. You have the unbid suit stopped quite well so should not be worried about that suit. The only suit you might be worried about is the ♠ suit but Partner bid that so the Opponents are not likely to lead that suit even if it is the right thing to do.

What to Overcall?

Playing matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are not vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠QJT753
♥AQ
♦QJT
♣J7

Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) opens the bidding 1♣. What is your call?

Show Answer

1♠

This shows at least 10 HCP (though some will do it on less) with at least a good five card suit.

If you bid 2♠ to show that you have a six card suit you are misleading Partner. You are showing six in your suit but you are also showing a WEAK hand. This is a pre-empt. You should have about 6 to 10 points with a six card suit. You have the six card suit but your hand is too strong!

Responding to a Pre-empt

Playing matchpoints. You are not vulnerable and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠J87
♥AKJ93
♦AQ6
♣KQ

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 3♣. This shows a good seven card suit with about 5 to 10 points.

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

Show Answer

3♥ is the bid I made with my Partner.

What did my Partner do? He said "Pass"!

Oooops! I obviously meant it as forcing -- I had 20 points! We didn't even have a fit (Partner only had two trump) and I still made 12 tricks. We could make 6♣ or even 6NT since Partner had the ♠ stopped.

The moral of this story is to make sure you discuss with Partner as to whether or not a new suit is forcing over a weak 2 or 3 pre-empt.

If you do NOT play a new suit as forcing the ACBL requires that you ALERT the new suit. (The bid that the pre-empter is allowed to "Pass".)

What to Respond?

Playing matchpoints. Neither you nor the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠52
♥QJT3
♦KJT4
♣AJ8

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

Show Answer

2♦.

Quite a few players bid 3NT to show a balanced hand with 13 to 15 HCP. Aside from the fact that you only have 12 HCP (I am willing to give you a hand that wants to force to game), you have a FOUR CARD MAJOR. If you bid 3NT (or even a natural 2NT) you will miss your four-four ♥ fit.

If you bid 2♦, Partner will bid 2♥. Now you can support their ♥ suit and end up in the right spot.

If you play in ♥ you take 12 tricks. (Hard to bid to 6♥ though.)

If you play in 3NT you take 10 tricks. Not nearly as good.

Open!

Playing matchpoints. Neither you nor the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠A65
♥AKQ4
♦AKT6
♣72

You are Dealer. What is your call?

Show Answer

2NT.

This shows a BALANCED hand with 20 or 21 High Card Points. Perfect!

The problem with opening 1♦ is that it is impossible later on to tell Partner you have a balanced hand with 20 points. You can't. If you did have that hand you would have opened the bidding 2NT!

Don't worry about the ♣ suit. A) Your Partner might have something in that suit and/or B) The Opponents might not lead them!

Opening

Playing matchpoints. You are vulnerable and the Opponents are not vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠QJT83
♥AQT92
♦
♣AK3

You are Dealer. What is your call?

Show Answer

1♠.

With two five card suits always bid the higher ranking suit first.