Three Card Major Suit Limit Raises

Partner opens the bidding 1♥ and you have this hand. What will you bid?

♠AJ87
♥Q86
♦KJ82
♣98

Hmm this is a tough one. You have a fit for Partner's major and you would like to tell Partner you have a fit. Let's review our responses.

Over a 1 of a Major opening bid, bidding:	Shows
2 of the Major	6 to 10 points and at least three trump
3 of the Major	11 or 12 points and four trump
4 of the Major	6 to 10 points, a singleton or void and at least five trump

For more details on those responses check out the following posts:
Responses to 1 Spade (no distribution)
1 of a Major - 4 of a Major

So back to the hand in question:

♠AJ87
♥Q86
♦KJ82
♣98

Partner opens 1♥. What can you say? First count your points. You have 11 HCP and 1 more point for your doubleton. That's 12 points. You have a fit for Partner's major. But what do you bid? How can you tell Partner you have a major suit fit?

You can't say 2♥. You have too many points. You can't say 3♥. You don't have enough trump. You need four trump for that bid. You can't say 4♥. You have too many points. What can you possibly say?

Here you are stuck. You CAN'T tell Partner you have a fit right away. This is okay. Eventually you will bid 3♥. You just can't say that right away. Make another bid. This bid needs to be FORCING. You MUST make Partner bid again.

So on this hand you bid 1♠. This is a new suit by Responder and is 100% FORCING. You could have 6 points, you could have 13 points, you could have 20 points. Partner MUST bid again.

Say after your 1♠ bid Partner rebids 1NT. This should show a minimum balanced hand and no fit for your ♠.

(For more details on showing a balanced hand check out this post:
How to Show Balanced Hands)

Now you can rebid 3♥. Partner should know you have about 11 or 12 points but also now knows you have only three trump. After all with 11 or 12 points and four trump you would have bid 3♥ right away.

Now let's say over your 1♠ bid Partner rebids 2♣. Now what do you bid?

Again you would bid 3♥ suit. Partner should know you have about 11 or 12 points but also now knows you have only three trump. After all with 11 or 12 points and four trump you would have bid 3♥ right away.

Let's practice some three card major suit limit raises.

On all the following hands Partner will open the bidding 1♥. How many points do you have? What will you bid?

Hand 1
♠KJT4
♥AJ2
♦Q2
♣9864



What will you now bid if Partner responds:


________________________________________________________

Hand 2
♠QJ75
♥962
♦AK85
♣63



What will you now bid if Partner responds:


________________________________________________________

Hand 3
♠AKT75
♥J65
♦95
♣K62



What will you now bid if Partner responds:


________________________________________________________

Hand 4
♠KJ83
♥Q95
♦KQT3
♣98



What will you now bid if Partner responds:


________________________________________________________

Hand 5
♠AQ83
♥985
♦KQT3
♣98



What will you now bid if Partner responds: