What will you Rebid?

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

Here is your hand:
♠7
♥KQ7
♦AKQ42
♣KJ43

You are Dealer and open the bidding 1♦. The Opponents are silent during the auction. Partner bids 1♠. What is your call? (Better count your High Card Points twice before you decide!)

Show Answer

2♣.

I can hear you right now. "What?!? I've got EIGHTEEN High Card Points! I have to JUMP to 3♣ to show a big hand.

Let me ask you this -- if Partner has a lousy 6 points (and let's face it sometimes Partner will respond with fewer!) and no fit for you do you really want to be in a game?

No? Well bidding 3♣ does show a big hand -- big enough to go to game once Partner responds no matter how lousy Partner's hand is. It's a jump shift and jump shifts are game forcing.

If you bid 2♣ Partner might take another bid. THEN you can show a stronger hand. If Partner has to say "Pass" to 2♣ you probably aren't going to make a game.

P.S. If you jumped to 3♣ you got the partnership to game and Partner has the lousy 6 point hand. You go down.

If you bid a simple 2♣, Partner responds 2♦. You can now bid 3♦ just in case Partner has something useful but Partner doesn't and Passes. Which is a GOOD thing because you only make 3♦.