Respond

Playing matchpoints. You are not vulnerable but the Opponents are. You and your Partner are playing SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card) so nothing fancy.

Here is your hand:
♠Q853
♥643
♦Q3
♣A852

Partner opens the bidding 1♥. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass". What is your call?

Show Answer

2♥

This shows a minimum raise -- about six to a bad ten points with at least three ♥

If you bid 1♠ (which is also an option) then what do you do when Partner rebids 2♣?

If you bid 2♥ now it doesn't look like you have a fit -- otherwise you would have supported Partner right away.

Generally with a one bid hand raise your Partner's major instead of trying to find a better fit.

What to Respond?

Playing matchpoints. Both you and the Opponents are vulnerable. You and your Partner are playing SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card) so nothing fancy.

Here is your hand:
♠7
♥AK9873
♦763
♣K86

Partner opens the bidding 1♠. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass".

What is your call? What specifically does this call show?

Show Answer

2♥

This shows at least FIVE ♥ (NOT four) and at least a good ten HCP (High Card Points).

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.

Responding

Playing matchpoints. Both you and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠762
♥7
♦KQJ4
♣97652

Partner opens the bidding 1♥. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) says "Pass".

What is your call?

Show Answer

1NT

This does NOT show a balanced hand.

You are telling Partner you do NOT have three ♥, you do NOT have four ♠ and you have between 6 and 10 High Card Points (HCP). All of which is true.

Bidding 2♣ tells Partner you have 10 or more HCP. Passing tells Partner you don't even have 6 points.

What to Respond?

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

Here is your hand:
♠
♥T9532
♦KT5
♣QJ872

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

Show Answer

1NT

What?!? With a VOID in ♠?!?

Yes. Bidding 1NT in this auction does NOT say you have a balanced hand. It says you have 6 to 10 points and fewer than three ♠.

Which describes your hand perfectly.

If you "Pass" because you don't want to respond 1NT (and I really don't blame you -- it is an ugly 1NT response) you tell Partner you have fewer than 6 HCP. Which is NOT true. Plus Partner has a BIG hand and you will not reach your game.

If you bid a new suit at the 2 level that tells Partner you have at least 10 HCP (High Card Points) and Partner will get VERY excited with their hand! You'll probably get way too high! (At least you would if you were MY Partner!)

What to Bid?

Playing matchpoints. Neither you nor the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠J9765
♥7
♦Q763
♣972

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

Show Answer

4♠

This bid shows a weak hand with FIVE trump and shortness.

Perfect!

What to Respond?

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

Here is your hand:
♠J42
♥A3
♦J75
♣JT732

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

Show Answer

2♠

You have enough points you NEED to respond to Partner. "Passing" says you don't even have 6 HCP (High Card Points). Remember Partner might just have 20 HCP over there and is just waiting for you to respond so they can bid a game.

You also don't want to bid 1NT. That actually DENIES having three card support for Partner's major suit opening bid.

2♠ says that you have about 6 to a bad 10 points and three or more ♠. Perfect!

Responding

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠JT72
♥AQT8
♦K97
♣J8

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

Show Answer

3♠

4 card limit raise in ♠. This shows a hand that has about 11 or 12 points (counting Dummy points) and four ♠.

Bidding 2♠ shows a hand with about 6 to 10 points. Your hand is too strong for this bid.

Bidding 2♥ shows a FIVE card suit. This is the only auction where Responder shows a five card suit. (Specifically 1♠ by Opener and 2♥ by Responder.)

Responding

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠82
♥T53
♦T32
♣AK753

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

Show Answer

1NT

This shows a hand that has about 6 to 10 HCP and fewer than three ♠.

Bidding 2♣ shows a hand with at least 10 or more HCP. Your hand is too weak for this bid. Partner will get very excited if you show values!

Responding

Playing matchpoints. Neither side is vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠K43
♥AT86
♦Q4
♣T732

Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) starts with a "Pass". You "Pass". Your LHO (Left Hand Opponent) says "Pass". Partner opens the bidding 1♠. Your RHO Passes again. What is your call?

Show Answer

2♠

You have a weak hand, this is true. But you have to show Partner you have some values. Bidding 2♠ here shows about 6 to 10 points with at least three ♠.

If you "Pass" again you show less than 6 HCP.

Even worse, the auction could easily end since Partner will not get to bid again.

Partner had a VERY nice hand and will have bid (and make) a game if you bid 2♠.

If you "Pass" now you will never get to game.

Responding

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠T
♥KQJ5
♦986
♣AT652

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

Show Answer

This answer might be different for everyone depending on what system you play.

As long as you get Partner to game in ♥ I'm happy. For some people that might be starting with 2♣ and then bidding game later on, for others it might involve bidding Jacoby 2NT. Some might just leap there right away if that shows a stong hand.

The bid I don't like is 2♥. This shows a hand with 6 to 10 points and three ♥. You need to count your Dummy points here since you have a fit for Partner's suit. You have three points for your singleton. That makes 13 points altogether. Get the partnership to game in whatever way you can to tell Partner you have a strong hand.

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 Respond?

Here is your hand:

♠KQ54
♥A4
♦T872
♣AQ4

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

Show Answer

How about 3NT?

You don't want to tell Partner you have four ♠. You don't have a fit. Even if you have a fit there is a REALLY bad break in the trump suit! Your RHO has FIVE of them!

But you do have stoppers for NT and a balanced hand. So now it is all about point count.

1NT would show 6 to a bad 10 HCP.

2NT would show about 11 or 12 HCP.

3NT shows about 13 to 15 HCP. Which is what you have. You need to force Partner to game with your opening hand!

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠J95432
♥
♦AT3
♣A973

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♥. The Opponents are silent during the auction. What is your call now?

Show Answer

1♠

You are too weak to bid 2♠ to show a strong hand with a six card suit and too strong to bid 2♠ to show a weak hand with a six card ♠ suit.

So if you play Strong Jump Shifts you are too weak.

If you play Weak Jump Shifts you are too strong.

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠T854
♥87
♦AT75
♣AT6

Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1♥. Your RHO (Right Hand Opponent) Passes. What is your call now?

Show Answer

How about 1♠?

Bidding 1NT shows your point count but bidding 1NT also denies having a four card ♠ suit. Show your major!

Responder must 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.

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.

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.

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.