Rebids by Opener

Here's a hand that came up today.

You hold this hand:
♠KJ74
♥AKQ43
♦7
♣Q63

You are Dealer. What will you do?

Most people opened 1♥ which is a good opening bid.

Now Partner responds 1♠. You have four card support for Partner's suit. What is your bid? What does that show?

There are a few potential responses to your Partner's 1♠ bid. Let's go over them.

You can bid 2♠. This shows a minimum hand with about 13-16 points. But that is points -- not just HCP but also Dummy points.
You can bid 3♠. This shows a medium hand with about 17-18 points. But that is also points -- not just HCP but also Dummy points.
You can bid 4♠. This shows a maximum hand with about 19-21 points. Again that is points -- not just HCP but also Dummy points.

What is your bid?

Let's count the points. There are 15 HCP and also 3 Dummy points for the singleton ♦. That brings us to 18 points.

The correct bid here would be 3♠.

What to Respond?

Here's a hand that came up the other day.

You hold this hand:
♠A8
♥J87
♦A9754
♣AT2

You are Dealer. What will you do?

Most people managed to open 1♦ which is a good opening bid.

Now Partner responds 2♣. You are NOT playing 2/1 Game Forcing. Just Standard American. What is your bid? What does that show?

There are a few potential responses to your Partner's 2♣ bid. Let's go over them.

You can bid 2NT. This shows a minimum hand and is one of two bids that Partner is allowed to Pass. You are fine with that. The one thing this tends to show is that you have values in the other suits -- in this case the majors. You don't really have much in the ♥ suit. However sometimes you are stuck. Let's see what other bids you have available to you.

You can rebid 2♦. This does NOT put a game force on the auction which is good since you do not have the values to do so. This would deny having a balanced hand with the other suits stopped for NT or shows an unbalanced hand. This is also a forcing bid so Partner MUST bid again. This isn't a bad bid but it's a pretty ratty suit to rebid even though bidding 2♦ here doesn't guarantee a good suit. Any other options?

3♣ is about the only other one. Raise Partner's suit. This is a non-forcing bid (which is fine) and shows only three card support. (Which is strange because Partner only guarantees four in this suit but we'll get back to that.) I like this response best. If NT is the right place to play then Partner will bid again and that ♦ suit isn't the greatest suit to rebid -- especially when you can support Partner's suit.

Let's get back to that question -- WHY am I allowed to support Partner with only three trump?

Answer: Most of the time Partner will have a longer suit. At least 5 or 6 of them.
OR
Partner bid ♣ never intending to play in them. They are only stalling to see what your hand is.

Why is that?
Well, what hand would Partner bid 2♣ on with only four of them?

First of all they also CAN'T have four ♥ or four ♠. With any four card major and four ♣ they would respond 1 of the major to your opening bid of 1♦.

Secondly, if they are balanced they would bid some number of NT depending on how many points they have.

It's almost impossible to construct a hand where Partner has only four ♣ in this auction. If they are unbalanced they have at least five ♣ and you have your eight card fit.

They also could be unbalanced but have ♦. In that case they will NOT Pass 3♣. Remember Partner is ALLOWED to Pass 3♣ but not FORCED to Pass 3♣. There's a BIG difference.

Let's say Partner has four ♣ and is balanced but couldn't bid 1NT, 2NT or 3NT because they had too many points. Remember each of those NT bids has a certain point count range associated with it. These ranges differ depending on the Partnership.

But say Partner has this hand:
♠KQ6
♥AK5
♦K32
♣KQ76

Once you open the bidding 1♦ what does Partner bid? They probably want to get to a small slam but they don't want to just bid that right away because that might rule out a grand slam. So they would respond 2♣. Once you raise to 3♣ they know you are minimum for your opener and can safely rule out the grand. But here they are going to end up in 6NT -- not 6♣. They know you might only have three of them so you might not have a fit plus they are balanced and NT earns more points.

So when Partner bids a new suit at the 2 level you are allowed to raise with only three card support. If you only raise 1 level Partner is allowed to Pass. Remember that Partner MUST have at least 10 HCP to bid a new suit at the 2 level so if you have more than a minimum opener do NOT make a bid Partner can Pass. Make forcing bids until you get to game.

What to Open?

Here's a hand that came up the other day.

You hold this hand:
♠K6
♥K
♦AKJ87
♣AKJ42

You are Dealer and get to open the bidding. What is your bid?

Most people counted their HCP (High Card Points) and opened the bidding 2♣. This says nothing about their ♣ suit and just says they have a BIG hand -- normally 22 or more points.

It is true that you have 22 or more points if you count that singleton K♥ for full value.

The thing about opening 2♣ is that unless you rebid 2NT to show a balanced hand with 22 to 24 points you are GOING TO GAME. That's right. Once you open 2♣ you have pretty much put a game force on the auction even if Partner has NOTHING with NO FIT for you. Which Partner can easily have.

So back to this hand:
♠K6
♥K
♦AKJ87
♣AKJ42

If Partner has absolutely NO points and NO fit for either of your minors do you want to be in game?

Say they have something like this:
♠75432
♥876543
♦2
♣3

Do you want to be in game if Partner has that hand?

No.

Once you open the bidding 2♣ is there any way to stop below game once you show your two suits?

No.

Then you shouldn't open the bidding 2♣. Once you open 2♣ and then bid a suit this guarantees you want to be in game even if Partner has nothing.

Why?

Well if you needed Partner to have a little something in order to make a game then you would just open the bidding 1 of your suit. That way if Partner has nothing they can Pass and you won't get too high.

With distributional hands with two suits it is easier to open the bidding 1 of your suit and then rebid your other suit. Remember if Partner has 5 or 6 points they will respond to your opening bid. Then you can make forcing bids in order to get to your game.

So on this hand:
♠K6
♥K
♦AKJ87
♣AKJ42

Let's say you open the bidding 1♦. What can happen?

If Partner has to say Pass to your opening bid you are not making a game so you are better off playing in 1♦ rather than getting too high.

If Partner responds to your opening bid of 1♦ with (say) 1♥ you can now make a JUMP SHIFT. You can bid 3♣. This shows five ♦, four ♣ and a hand that now wants to force to game. After all once Partner responds you know they have at least 5 or 6 points and together with your 22 points you do have enough for game.

I once held this hand:
♠-
♥-
♦AKQ8753
♣AKQ842

A very nice hand. I DID want to go to game (actually slam) even if Partner had NO points and NO fit. But did I open 2♣? No. I just opened the bidding 1♦. I figured someone would bid some major suit at some level. Then it was easy for me to show a big hand that wanted to be in slam by bidding a slam in 7♣. Let Partner choose. My ♦ should be longer since I opened them first.

The problem with opening 2♣ is those pesky opponents. What happens if I open 2♣ and then my LHO bids 4♠. My Partner Passes and my RHO bids 6♠. Now I have no idea what to do. I can't show both my suits now. I can't even double because I might not have one trick in my hand if we play in ♠! But if I open 1♦ and they bid up to 6♠ I can now bid 7♣. Let Partner choose what to do.

Your Bid Again!

Here's a hand that came up today.

You hold this hand:
♠A8
♥54
♦AT863
♣KJ94

You are Dealer and get to open the bidding. What is your bid?

1♦. Perfect.

Now your LHO overcalls 1♥. Partner bids 1♠. RHO bids 2♥. Back to you. What will you bid now?

Now originally after your 1♦ opening bid you would have responded 2♣ to most bids Partner could make. But you can no longer do that. Those pesky opponents are bidding! Now if you were to bid your ♣ suit you would have to respond 3♣. Is that your bid?

Bidding 3♣ right now shows five ♦ and four ♣ (which you have) BUT it also shows a BIG hand (which you don't have). This is just like the opponents didn't bid and you opened 1♦ and rebid 3♣. So that's out. What other bids can you think of?

How about 2NT? What about that bid?

This is wrong for many reasons. This shows a balanced hand, at least one stopper in the opponents suit (♥) and about 18 or 19 HCP. None of which you have.

Hmmmm. What bid is left?

That's right. Pass. Good bid. Remember 2♥ will get Passed around to Partner who still can bid. If you are missing a game or have a fit somewhere Partner will make another bid. Right now if you make ANY bid other than Pass (or raising Partner to 2♠) you are showing a big hand.

Your Bid

Here's a hand that came up the other day.

You hold this hand:
♠KQ752
♥QJ
♦A6
♣JT98

Your RHO is Dealer and they open with 1♠. What is your bid?

I know. Right now you are thinking "But I was going to open 1♠!"

But you didn't get to. RHO bid first.

What is your bid? Do you tell Partner about your ♠ suit?

NO! Most of the time when you have the enemies suit you just Pass and hope they get into trouble.

On this hand if you Pass, everyone else does also. Your RHO gets to play in 1♠. If you bid YOU get into trouble! You have no good place to play.

Responding to Partner

Here's a hand that came up the other day.

You hold this hand:
♠A9865
♥A54
♦3
♣AQT5

Partner is Dealer and Passes. Your RHO Passes. It is your turn to bid. What is your bid?

You open the bidding 1♠ and LHO Passes. Partner now responds 2♥. Is this a forcing bid? What is Partner showing? If your RHO Passes, what is your bid?

This is NOT a forcing bid. Partner is a Passed hand. Normally it would be a forcing bid because Partner could have an opening hand or better. But Partner started off with a Pass. Partner does not have an opening hand.

Partner is showing that they have at least 10 HCP and at least five ♥.

You have 14 HCP and 3 Dummy points. You have a fit for Partner's ♥. They should have at least a five card suit. Partner is also showing 10 HCP. Together with your 17 points you have enough for game. Your bid should be 4♥.