What to Rebid?

Here is your hand:

♠AQT842
♥Q
♦AQ
♣A976

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1♥. The opponents are silent during the bidding. You decide to bid 1♠. Your Partner rebids 1NT.

What is your call?

Show Answer

How about ANYTHING but 2♠ or 3♠. Those are both NON-FORCING bids!

This is a tough hand to bid. One could argue that you can bid 2♠ on your VERY FIRST BID to show six or more ♠ and 17 or more HCP. You can and IF you know how to bid after a strong jump shift then you can do that. But strong jump shift do not happen very often and most partnerships do not have a good agreement on how to bid after. For example, some feel that making strong jump shift shows a suit that is SO GOOD that it can play opposite a singleton or void. Your suit is not that good. You need a couple of trump from Partner.

Some players agree to immediately start cue-bidding. Some bid still trying to find a fit. Who knows?

Unless you and Partner have a firm agreement on what the strong jump shift means then do not make a strong jump shift on the hand.

So I like the 1♠ original bid.

When Partner responds 1NT you KNOW you have a ♠ fit. Partner should be balanced to rebid the NT and therefore should have at least a doubleton ♠. How do we know this?

If they have only a singleton ♠ then they would either have six ♥ (in which case they would rebid 2♥) or they have a four card minor (in which case they would rebid 2 of that minor). So since they only have five ♥ and at most a three card minor they must therefore have at least two ♠.

So back to the fit. You have a fit. Now you have to figure out what level you want to play at.

Bidding 2♠ shows a WEAK hand with six ♠. Partner should "Pass". You have 18 HCP and Partner opened the bidding! You MUST bid AT LEAST game.

Bidding 3♠ shows an INVITATIONAL hand with six ♠. Partner could "Pass" if they are minimum. You have 18 HCP and Partner opened the bidding! You MUST bid AT LEAST game.

Bidding 4♠ gives up on the slam but at least you bid a game. But Partner will never bid again over 4♠.

Bidding 6♠ is a little risky but you definitely are close and that's the easiest way of bidding the slam.

What should you do? That depends on your agreements. But (unless you bid game or slam) you need to make a FORCING bid.

Playing normal Standard American with nothing fancy the best call on this hand is 3♣. If you do that your Partner will bid 3♠ to let you know they have three of them. (They can't have four. They originally bid 1NT and with four of them they would have originally bid 2♠.) Knowing Partner has three trump might entice you to bid the slam.

Partner had a minimum hand. 12 HCP, no Aces, very balanced. Even with that hand you still took 12 tricks. But it was on a finesse.

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠AKT6
♥J942
♦843
♣98

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1♣. The opponents are silent during the bidding.

What is your call?

Show Answer

1♥. Four card suits UP THE LINE.

Yes your ♠ suit is nicer. But if Partner does not like your ♥ then they can always bid 1♠ if they have four of them. You will not miss your four-four ♠ fit.

Responding to 1 Diamond

Here is a hand most players found challenging.

Here is your hand:

♠J
♥974
♦Q93
♣AJ8763

Playing matchpoints you are vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1♦. The opponents are silent during the bidding.

What is your call?

Tip: Think about what you are telling Partner. EVERY call means something.

Show Answer

1NT. This says "Partner I have between 6 and 10 HCP. I do NOT have a four card major and I do NOT want to support your ♦ suit." Perfect! This says NOTHING about being BALANCED. You would not OPEN NT on this hand but you are allowed to RESPOND 1NT on this hand.

Other choices?

Pass. This says "Partner I do not have 6 HCP." But you DO. (Liar.)

2♣. This says "Partner I have at least 10 or more HCP with (probably) a ♣ suit. But I might be lying about that suit." You do have the suit. You were allowed to lie about that. You do NOT have the values. You shouldn't lie about that.

Lead Problem

Here is your suit:
♥AT52


The contract is 3NT. You were on opening lead and led another suit. You are in AGAIN. So far your side has taken just one trick. The ♥ suit has NOT been played yet so you decide to switch to a ♥. What card do you lead?

	Dummy ♥Q86
You! ♥AT52		Partner ♥?
	Declarer ♥?

Show Answer

You SHOULD play low from an honour. The 2♥.

Is it really that big a deal if you don't?

If you lead the A♥ (which most players did) and continue the suit you get three tricks.

Not bad.

If you play the 2♥ and Partner continues the suit you take FOUR tricks. Even better!

The ♥ holding was this:

	Dummy ♥Q86
You! ♥AT52		Partner ♥KJ3
	Declarer ♥974

See what happens when you lead the 2♥?

Declarer either plays LOW from Dummy OR tries to win the Q♥.

Your Partner will either win the J♥ (if Declarer played low from Dummy) or win their K♥ (if Declarer tried the Q♥). Once Partner wins the trick they will be on lead. They will continue with the ♥ (they probably will think YOU have the A♥ since Declarer didn't win the trick) by playing their HIGHEST ♥. (When leading from two cards always lead the highest card.) So now Partner will win their remaining honour. Then they will continue with a ♥ which you will win with the A♥ and you will be in YOUR hand to play the last ♥. This will be the winning trick because all the ♥ are gone.

If you start with the A♥ you can continue with the ♥ suit. Partner will win their K♥ and J♥. In the end YOUR last ♥ will be a winner BUT Partner will win the third ♥ and does not have a ♥ to return to you.

If you don't see this then take a pack of cards out and deal out the ♥ suit. Play it out to see what happens.

Bidding over 1NT

Here is your hand:

♠9843
♥J9
♦AJ83
♣KQ9

Playing matchpoints you are not vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1NT. The opponents are silent during the bidding.

If you and your Partner are playing Stayman then the question is:
What is your call? Do you bid Stayman in order to ask about such a lousy four card suit?

Show Answer

If you bid 2♣, Partner will respond 2♠ and you can then bid 4♠. You will have found your nine card fit.

If you simply bid 3NT then Partner can go down if the Opponents find a ♥ lead.

Partner's hand?

♠AQT62
♥A52
♦KQ9
♣J3



Some might argue that Partner should not open 1NT with a five card major but it is hard for Partner to show 16 HCP once they open 1♠. If they open 1♠ and Partner bids 1NT should they "Pass"? Partner could have 9 or 10 HCP and they will have missed a game. Should they rebid 2NT? That shows 18 or 19 HCP. They are not strong enough. It is easier to show the point count by opening up the bidding 1NT. You will never find a five-three major suit fit that way but you should find a five-four fit because Partner should bid Stayman.

Love that Spade Suit!

Here is your hand:

♠AKQT87
♥542
♦94
♣86

Playing matchpoints and no one is vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1♦. The opponents are silent during the bidding.

What is your call?

Show Answer

1♠. This says "Partner I have at least 6 HCP and at least four ♠." True.

Some players play STRONG jump shifts. Some players play WEAK jump shifts. Would that make a difference?

No. You are too weak for a strong jump shift and too strong for a weak jump shift. (Weak jump shifts are ALERTABLE by the way. Make sure you alert them!) So this hand would NEVER start with 2♠.

Responding to an Opening Bid

Here is your hand:

♠T9
♥T764
♦4
♣KQJT64

Playing matchpoints you are vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1♦. The opponents are silent during the bidding. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 1♥?

This shows a hand that has at least 6 HCP and at least four ♥. This describes your hand.

Other choices?

A few wanted to "Pass". This tells Partner you have fewer than 6 HCP. Which is not true. Partner will play in 1♦ and go down.

A few wanted to bid 2♣. I don't blame them. This is a LOVELY ♣ suit. (WAY better than that lousy ♥ suit for sure!) But bidding 2♣ in this auction tells Partner you have 10 or more HCP. Partner will get a little too excited when you later on discover your ♥ fit and bid too high.

Another Rebid Question

Here is your hand:

♠AK4
♥KT762
♦A2
♣AT6

Playing matchpoints you are vulnerable. You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♥. The opponents are silent during the bidding. Your Partner says 1♠.

What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 2NT?

This shows a balanced hand with 18 or 19 HCP. In other words a hand that was too strong to open 1NT (so more than 17 HCP) and not strong enough to open 2NT (so less than 20 HCP).

This also denies having a fit with Partner's major. Perfect!

If you raised Partner at any level remember that Partner might only have FOUR ♠ in their hand. They are responder.

If you bid 3♥ you show a GOOD six card suit. You only have a five card suit -- plus it is a pretty bad suit.

Another bid over 1NT

Here is your hand:

♠KQ765
♥9732
♦J65
♣7

Playing matchpoints you are not vulnerable. Your Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1NT. Your RHO says "Pass".

What is your call?

(You are playing both Stayman and Jacoby Transfers.)

Show Answer

2♥. Transfer to ♠.

Do not bid 2♣ (Stayman). That shows at least 8 HCP!

Another Rebid Question

Here is your hand:

♠AK3
♥K76
♦A54
♣8632

Playing matchpoints you are not vulnerable. You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♣. The opponents are silent during the bidding. Your Partner says 1♥.

What is your call?

Show Answer

How about 1NT?

This shows a balanced hand that was too weak to open 1NT (so less than 15 HCP) and denies having a fit with Partner's major plus also denies having four ♠. Perfect!

If you raised Partner to 2♥ remember that Partner might only have FOUR ♥ in their hand. They are responder.

Bids Over 1NT

Here is your hand:

♠73
♥Q7653
♦K2
♣AJT9

Playing matchpoints you are not vulnerable.

Partner opens the bidding 1NT. The opponents are silent during the bidding.

If you and your Partner are NOT playing Jacoby Transfers then the question is:
What is your call?

If you and your Partner have agreed to play Jacoby Transfers then the question is:
What will you bid after you bid 2♦ and Partner bids 2♥?

If your question is "what are Jacoby Transfers?" then you do NOT play them.



Show Answer

If you are NOT playing Jacoby Transfers then your bid is 3♥. That is a FORCING bid showing five ♥ and at least 10 HCP.

If you bid 2♥ Partner will "PASS" like they are supposed to. You will have missed a game.

If you ARE playing Jacoby Transfers then your bid is 3NT. This shows the values for a game (10 to 15 HCP). You have ALREADY told Partner you have five ♥ when you made your transfer bid. Do NOT bid those ♥ again. This would promise SIX.

Partner in both cases will then bid 4♥. You will have reached the proper game.

If you bid 3♥ you made a bid Partner is allowed to Pass PLUS you showed SIX ♥.

If you bid 2NT you made a bid Partner is allowed to Pass. You might have missed a game.

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠T86
♥53
♦KT832
♣QJ2

Playing matchpoints you are not vulnerable. Your Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1♥. The RHO says "Pass".

What is your call?

Show Answer

1NT. This shows 6 to 10 HCP without three ♥ and without four ♠.

Do not bid 2♦. That shows at least 10 HCP. Partner might get excited!

Responding

Here is your hand:

♠QT742
♥T63
♦T7
♣Q82

Playing matchpoints you are not vulnerable. Your Partner is Dealer and open the bidding 1♥. The RHO says "Pass".

What is your call?

Show Answer

If you "Pass" Partner gets to play in 1♥ and they take 8 tricks.

If you bid 2♥ Partner thinks you actually have the 6 points you are supposed to have to respond. They bid 4♥. They go down 2.

Another Lead Problem

Here is your hand:
♠3
♥J8632
♦KJ3
♣9753

The contract is 3♠. Partner opened the bidding 1♦ so you decide to lead a ♦. What card do you lead?

Show Answer

You SHOULD play low from an honour. The 3♦.

Is it really that big a deal if you don't?

If you lead the K♦ (which most players did) this sets up Declarer's Q♦.

The ♦ holding was this:

	Dummy ♦762
You! ♦KJ3		Partner ♦AT54
	Declarer ♦Q98

If you started with the K♦ and then lead a low ♦ to Partner's A♦ then Declarer's Q♦ will be a winner.

If you started with the 3♦ Partner will win their A♦ and then your KJ♦ is sitting over Declarer's Q9♦.

Lead Problem

Here is your hand:
♠KQ74
♥AT5
♦K842
♣43

The contract is 4♥.

RHO opened the bidding 2♥ and LHO bid 4♥. Partner did not bid anything.

What card do you lead?

Show Answer

Probably the best lead is the K♠. TOP of two touching honours. This lead will work out. The lead at the table was the 4♠. Fourth highest from their longest and strongest. This fourth best lead works when you only have one honour or non-touching honours. In NT you need a three card honour sequence to lead from. But a SUIT contract is different. You lead top of TWO touching honours.

Is it really that big a deal if you don't?

If you lead the 4♠ (which most players did) watch what happened.

The ♠ holding was this:

	Dummy ♠A98
You! ♠KQ74		Partner ♠T65
	Declarer ♠J32

If you started with the K♠ you will eventually get your Q♠.

If you started with the 4♠ Declarer played LOW and managed to win the trick with their J♠! They still had the A♠! They threw away their last ♠ on another suit and you scored NO ♠ tricks.

Now What?

Here is your hand:

♠T842
♥T54
♦72
♣AK64

Playing matchpoints and everyone is vulnerable. You are Dealer and say "Pass". Your LHO (Left Hand Opponent) opens the bidding 1♦. Partner overcalls 1♠. RHO says "Pass". You decide to bid 2♠. Partner now bids 3♠.

What is your call?

Show Answer

You originally told Partner you had 6 to 10 points. Partner knows you don't have much. But Partner is still interested in a game. They are asking if you have a minimum for your bid (6 or 7 points) or a maximum for your bid (8 to 10 points).

You have 7 HCP and 1 Dummy point for your doubleton ♦. You also have an extra trump. GO FOR IT! Bid 4♠!