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.

Rebidding

Playing matchpoints. Both you and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠T986
♥KQ7
♦5
♣AKT92

You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♣. The Opponents are silent during the auction. Your Partner responds 1NT. What is your call?

Show Answer

2♣

You don't want to rebid 2♠ on this hand. That is a REVERSE and shows a BIG (17+ HCP), unbalanced hand.

You are unbalanced so you need to take Partner out of 1NT. This is true. But you do not have a high point count. Partner could have bid 1♠ but did not. They do not have four ♠. Give up on the ♠ fit.

Besides you know you must have a ♣ fit. Partner does not have four of either major and they should not have five ♦ or they would have said 1♦. Therefore Partner must have at least three ♣. Partner is weak -- bidding 1NT shows 6 to 10 HCP -- so you want to stay low in the bidding.

Hence the 2♣ bid.

What to Open?

Playing matchpoints. Both you and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠A8
♥KT53
♦KQT98
♣AQ

You are Dealer. What is your call?

Show Answer

1♦

You don't want to open this hand 1NT. You have 18 HCP. You promised 15 to 17 HCP when you open 1NT. No more, no less.

Plus you are unbalanced. You promise a balanced hand when you open 1NT. Sometimes you can lie a little bit depending on whether or not your rebid would be a worse lie but here you don't want to lie about two things.

What to Rebid?

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

Here is your hand:
♠AQ7
♥T6
♦AT72
♣A863

You are Dealer and opens the bidding 1♦. (Normally with four cards in both minors one opens 1♦.) The Opponents are silent through the auction. Partner responds 1♥. What is your call?

Show Answer

1NT

You have a balanced hand. Partner will now know you have a balanced hand with less than 15 HCP. After all with a balanced hand and 15 HCP you would have opened the bidding 1NT.

The problem with bidding 2♣ is that Partner now thinks you are unbalanced with nine cards in the minor suits.

Responding AGAIN!

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

Here is your hand:
♠AJ62
♥J754
♦AK8
♣T6

Partner is Dealer and opens the bidding 1♣. The Opponents are silent through the auction. We decided last post to respond 1♥. Over 1♥ Partner responds 2♣. What is your call?

Show Answer

3NT

There is no point bidding 2♠. You do not have a ♠ fit. Over 1♥ your Partner could have bid 1♠ but chose not to. So you don't have a major suit fit. You are balanced so want to play in NT. Do you have the values for a game? Yes. Partner opened the bidding and you have 13 HCP. You should have enough for a game.

The problem with bidding 2NT is that Partner can "Pass". This doesn't guarantee the values for a game -- only around 11 or 12 points. After all if you had enough for a game you could bid it yourself.

Responding

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

Here is your hand:
♠AJ62
♥J754
♦AK8
♣T6

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

Show Answer

1♥

You should bid a four card major before bidding NT.

Bid four card suits up the line. So the one next in line in the bidding. With four four in the majors respond 1♥. This gives Partner an opportunity to either a) support your suit or b) bid 1♠ and voila! you have found your fit at the 1 level.

Rebids

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

Here is your hand:
♠A2
♥AT9
♦64
♣AKQT76

You are Dealer and decide to open the bidding 1♣. The Opponents are silent through the auction. Partner responds 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

3♣

This shows a GOOD six card suit with 16 to 18 HCP. Perfect!

If you rebid 2♣ only your Partner might "Pass" thinking you have only a minimum opening hand. You might not even have six ♣ to rebid 2♣. You might have only five.

Rebids by Opener

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠AT42
♥KQJ9
♦82
♣AKQ

You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♣. You do not quite have enough values to open 2NT. The Opponents are silent through the auction. Partner responds 1♠.

What is your call?

Show Answer

4♠

Tell Partner you have support for their major AND you have a BIG hand. This should show at least 19 points. After all, Responder might only have 6 HCP (or even a good 5 HCP) and you've just put them in game! But you need 25 points for game. If Responder only has 6 of them, you need to have the rest.

Partner should NOT think you are weak. You opened the bidding at the 1 level. Jumps by Opener should not be weak.

Responding

Playing matchpoints. Both sides are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠AK762
♥T8743
♦85
♣J

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

Show Answer

1♠

With two five card suits bid the higher ranking suit first. In this case it is also the better suit but that is not important.

Four card suits are bid up the line. With two five or six card suits bid the higher ranking suit first always.