Bidding Question

Hi Heidi,

We were N/S and got this hand yesterday:

E/W vulnerable, W is dealer:

	North ♠A852 ♥9862 ♦KJ7 ♣Q3
West ♠T73 ♥743 ♦8 ♣AJT985		East ♠K9 ♥KQJ ♦Q96532 ♣72
	South ♠QJ64 ♥AT5 ♦AT4 ♣K64

Most other table East opened with 1♦, but at our table, East passed the first round then came in at the second round with 2♦:

N	E	S	W
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1♣	Pass
1♥	2♦	???

Question: What should South bid??

Heidi's Answer

Excellent question! South should PASS.

Don't let the Opponents force you into making bids you do not want to make.

Remember South has NO IDEA that North has a strong hand. North could have only 6 points.

South has no fit for North's major so can't support that.

Bidding 2NT shows a strong hand with 18 or 19 HCP.

Bidding 2♠ is a reverse showing a strong hand.

So South can happily PASS knowing that IF North has a strong hand (10+ HCP) they WILL bid again.

West will "Pass".

What will North do?

What they SHOULD do is DOUBLE.

This is NOT a Penalty Double. This is just a Value Showing Double. North is saying "Hey I have some high cards over here and I don't know what to do!"

South can't mess this up.

If they bid either 2♥ or 2♠ or 2NT North will "Pass" and they will take eight tricks.

If South Passes the Value Showing Double then East is playing in 2♦ Doubled.

N/S can take at least 6 tricks and if they defend well will take 7 tricks. That's down 1 or hopefully 2.

If you can get down 2 doubled this is much better than making 2♠.

However I think with the South hand South will probably bid 2NT. They might be worried that their ♦ aren't good enough or long enough to sit for a Double.

North will "Pass" 2NT since they are maximum for the values they have shown.

Hand 11 - 1NT vs 1 Major

This is chapter 11 in the story of my attempt to determine if it is better to open 1♠ or 1NT with 15 to 17 HCP and a five card ♠ suit.

The journey started with this post:
Later On

Here is the eleventh hand I generated:

	North ♠T2 ♥KJ864 ♦Q9 ♣A876
West ♠654 ♥5 ♦JT432 ♣JT43		East ♠QJ3 ♥Q972 ♦A65 ♣Q95
	South ♠AK987 ♥AT3 ♦K87 ♣K2

Dealer is South and no one is vulnerable.

Double Dummy:
5NT can make by N
5♠ can make by N/S
5♥ can make by N/S
4NT can make by S

Analysis

If South opens up 1NT I think North will transfer to ♥ and bid 3NT. South will bid 4♥ since they have a fit.

What happens if South opens 1♠?

This depends on the system N/S are playing -- 2/1 Game Forcing or Standard American.

If they are playing Standard American North will bid 2♥ to show 10+ HCP and five or more ♥.

South will bid game since they have a fit and extras.

Same result.

What about if N/S are playing 2/1 Game Forcing?

Now North will be forced to say 1NT which is a forcing bid in this system.

South will bid 2NT to show a good 17, 18, 19.

Can North show a five card ♥ suit right now?

Would 3♦ be a transfer?

Unclear. What is 3♥ in this auction?

Since I'm not 100% confident in what my partnership has agreed I decided that you wouldn't be either.

In any case, if your partnership can show the five card major the partnership will get to 4♥. If they can't the partnership will get to 3NT.

However in THIS auction NORTH gets to play 3NT. North does better in 3NT than either North or South would in 4♥.

If North bids the NT and East is on lead they might even lead a ♥ if North didn't show their ♥ suit!

So I'm going to say it is definately close but it is better for South to open 1♠. You will probably end up in the same spot but you might end up playing the NT from the better side.

To see the table where all the hands are listed click HERE!

Bidding Question

Hi Heidi,

We came across a few hands that we don't know how to bid today:

NS vulnerable, N is dealer:

	North ♠Q762 ♥KQJ ♦ ♣KQJ542
West ♠943 ♥AT32 ♦KQ96 ♣83		East ♠8 ♥986 ♦85432 ♣T976
	South ♠AKJT5 ♥754 ♦AJT7 ♣A

N	E	S	W
1♣	Pass	1♠	Pass
???

Question: What do you suggest North bid to have the partnership explore slam?

Heidi's Answer

North just needs to show their hand. They shouldn't be exploring slam. That's what South should be doing.

Here North has support for South's ♠ suit. They can show support and also show their point count. Since they are Dummy they get Dummy points. That's 5 points for their void. Together with 14 HCP that's enough for a game. They can bid 4♠.

This is NOT a Shut Down bid telling your Partner to STOP BIDDING. Shut Down bids only occur when Partner is limited. Here South is NOT limited in their point count. They could have 6 points, they could have 13 points, they could have 20 points! North does not know.

So North just shows South they have the equivalent of about 20 points. North should let South take it from there.

Here South with 17 HCP will certainly bid again! They will probably try Blackwood and find out they are missing an Ace so will stop in 6♠.

Is it perfect bidding?

No. You are not supposed to bid Blackwood with a useless doubleton. But unless you can cuebid you are pretty much stuck on that hand. Besides Partner must have something for their leap to game.

Even if North bids only 3♠ showing 17 or 18 points, South still has enough to investigate slam by bidding Blackwood.

Bidding Question

Hi Heidi,

We came across a few hands that we don't know how to bid today:

EW vulnerable, N is dealer:

	North ♠AT832 ♥754 ♦J653 ♣K
West ♠74 ♥KJ ♦QT742 ♣J753		East ♠QJ5 ♥AT832 ♦98 ♣864
	South ♠K96 ♥Q96 ♦AK ♣AQT94

N	E	S	W
Pass	Pass	1♣	Pass
1♠	Pass	2NT	Pass
???

Question 1: If NS plays Stayman and Jacob Transfer, do they apply to North's next bid? or North's next bid is natural?

Heidi's Answer 1

Stayman and Jacoby Transfer's ONLY apply when Partner has OPENED the bidding some number of NT. You can also use they if Partner OVERCALLED a natural strong NT.

But here South did not open 1NT or 2NT.

Neither Stayman nor Jacoby Tranfers will apply on this auction.



Question 2: How to bid this hand to find out if it is better for NS to play in a ♠ or NT contract?

Heidi's Answer 2

On this hand North will take South out of their NT bid and bid 3♦. This should show an unbalanced hand since they took South out of their NT bid.

(If you play something called checkback Stayman you can do that but most readers will not know what that is!)

Therefore North should have a five card ♠ suit. That is the only way they can be unbalanced.

South can now bid 3♠. They can't have four ♠ or they would have supported North earlier. So South must have three ♠.

North can now bid 4♠.

Major's tend to play better than NT so most people prefer to play in a major suit fit if they can.

Final Auction

	North ♠AT832 ♥754 ♦J653 ♣K
West ♠74 ♥KJ ♦QT742 ♣J753		East ♠QJ5 ♥AT832 ♦98 ♣864
	South ♠K96 ♥Q96 ♦AK ♣AQT94

N	E	S	W
Pass	Pass	1♣	Pass
1♠	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♦	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

Bidding Question

Hi Heidi,

We came across a few hands that we don't know how to bid today:

All non-vulnerable, S is dealer:

	North ♠76543 ♥AT86 ♦J ♣AK6
West ♠QJ8 ♥J7 ♦964 ♣QT952		East ♠KT2 ♥K943 ♦K832 ♣J4
	South ♠A9 ♥Q52 ♦AQT75 ♣873

N	E	S	W
		1♦	Pass
1♠	Pass	2♦	Pass
2♥	Pass	???

Question: With North bidding a new suit, does South has to bid and not Pass? If so, what should they bid? Is there a way for South to ask North to bid NT if they have a ♣ control?

Heidi's Answer

Yes a new suit by Responder is forcing so South does have to bid after North 2♥ bid.

For more information on this click here: How does Responder Force if 1NT has NOT been bid?

They do not have to ask for a ♣ stopper. When they show North they do not have support for any of North's suits, North will bid NT if they have a stopper.

So South is kinda stuck bidding 3♦ right now.

Then North can bid 3NT.

Just a Note

Rather than 2♦, a better rebid by South would be 1NT. I know you don't have the ♣ stopped but you are minimum and balanced. If North raises you to game they likely have something in the ♣ suit. In any case the Opponents are not bidding ♣ so you should be fine.

The bidding then would go:

N	E	S	W
		1♦	Pass
1♠	Pass	1NT	Pass
3♥*	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

This would be the auction if the partnership is playing good old fashioned nothing fancy Standard American. If the partnership was playing something fancy like New Minor Forcing the auction would be different.

* For information on that 3♥ bid click here: How Does Responder Force Over 1NT?

Bidding Question

Hi Heidi,

We came across a hand that we didn't know how to bid today:

EW Vulnerable, N is dealer:

	North ♠QT82 ♥4 ♦K976 ♣Q764
West ♠A7 ♥Q7 ♦A53 ♣AKT985		East ♠95 ♥KT85 ♦QJ42 ♣J32
	South ♠KJ643 ♥AJ9632 ♦T8 ♣

N	E	S	W
Pass	Pass	2♥	3♣
Pass	Pass	???

Question: Should South have bid 3♠?

Heidi's Answer

"6-5 Come ALIVE! Bid until you are Doubled, Game or Slam!" was one on my mom's favourite sayings. This hand certainly qualifies!

I would say the South hand is just TOO good to open a weak 2 with that distribution. They should either open at the 1 level (which is fine since they are in third seat) or potentially "Pass" and come in later. Since they are in 3rd seat I would open the bidding for sure. (If Partner wasn't a passed hand I still might open at the 1 level but I also might "Pass" and hope to show a distributional hand with majors later on. Depends on my mood. Certainly the colours are right for bidding.)

But in third seat open at the 1 level. You are allowed to (even encouraged to!) open weaker hands in third seat.

But what to open?

If you open 1♥ you risk not being able to show your ♠ suit. If Partner bids 1NT, bidding 2♠ is a reverse showing a strong distributional hand.

Another option is to open 1♠ and rebid 2♥ showing a 5-4 or 5-5 hand depending on the auction. But this will never get across to Partner you have longer ♥.

Unfortunately you have to make a choice. But fortunately I think either bid works here.

If South opens 1♥, West will probably bid 2♣. Now North can Double to show ♠ and ♦ (Negative Double). East will bid 3♣ but South can now bid either 3♠ (minimum) or 4♠ (if they realize the potential of their 6-5.) After a 3♠ bid by South the Opponents might compete with 4♣ -- West is very strong -- but that just might push N/S into their 4♠ game.

If South opens 1♠, West will probably bid 2♣. Now North will show some sort of ♠ raise. Either a limit raise (with a 3♣ bid) or a simple raise with a 2♠ bid. After a limit raise South should bid game on their distribution alone. After a simple raise of 2♠, East will bid 3♣ and South can make a game try with 3♥. West might bid 4♣ but even if they don't, North should bid 4♠ since they can help stop the ♥ losers with their singleton and extra trump.

If West bids to 5♣ North should certainly DOUBLE them. PENALTY.

South might have some stressful moments with the Double (after all they don't have many points and/or tricks with all their bidding) but should trust their partner and sit for it. Partner should only count on them for having a distributional hand with the majors which is exactly what they have.

If South leads a ♠ the Defence will certainly take this contract down three for 800 points. Even a lead of their singleton ♥ should take the contract down two for 500. Either one makes up for the NS game (420).

Suggested Auction

I think South should just open 1♠ in third set. You plan on telling Partner you have the majors and let them choose which one to play in. I'd hate to give up on the ♠ suit by opening 1♥.

North will probably just give a simple raise to 2♠.

South can now show their ♥ suit looking for a potential game. 6-5 Come Alive!

North should bid the game with their singleton ♥ and extra trump.

West will probably be in there since they do have quite a strong hand. Sometimes points do not equal tricks unfortunately! I assume they will try to defeat the Opponents rather than bidding 5♣. If they do decide to bid 5♣ North should DOUBLE and West will be sorry.

	North ♠QT82 ♥4 ♦K976 ♣Q764
West ♠A7 ♥Q7 ♦A53 ♣AKT985		East ♠95 ♥KT85 ♦QJ42 ♣J32
	South ♠KJ643 ♥AJ9632 ♦T8 ♣

N	E	S	W
Pass	Pass	1♠	2♣
2♠	3♣	3♥	4♣
4♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

Hand 10 -- 1NT vs 1 Major

This is chapter 10 in the story of my attempt to determine if it is better to open 1♠ or 1NT with 15 to 17 HCP and a five card ♠ suit.

The journey started with this post:
Later On

Here is the tenth hand I generated:

Dealer: East	North ♠Q ♥Q87 ♦K42 ♣QJT765
West ♠T832 ♥K53 ♦J653 ♣92		East ♠AKJ95 ♥642 ♦AT7 ♣A4
	South ♠764 ♥AJT9 ♦Q98 ♣K83

Dealer is East and everyone vulnerable.

Double Dummy:
3♠ can make by E/W
1NT can make by E/W

Analysis

If East opens up 1NT I think West will "Pass" and North might find a way to show their ♣ suit. No matter how they do this I think East will now bid 2♠. South can raise Partner's ♣ suit. West can raise Partner's ♠ suit. LAW level.

What happens if North opens 1♠?

West will "Pass". Will North balance in with 2♣?

If they do, West should compete (LAW level) so you will end up with the same result.

However if North does not come into either auction then East is better off opening 1♠ since ♠ takes 9 tricks and NT takes only 7. So this hand is better off opening 1♠.

How does ♠ do realistically?

Declarer should find 8 tricks pretty easily and it is easy to let the Opponent's in and make them play ♦ for you for the ninth trick.

1NT is a little tougher to get that ninth trick. Plus if the Opponents get into ♣... If South leads a ♥ I assume Declarer will just take their eight tricks. Not a lot of ways to make nine tricks in NT.

To see the table where all the hands are listed click HERE!