Responder Rebids

Playing matchpoints. Both you and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠AJ763
♥KT
♦KT94
♣Q7

Partner is the Dealer and opens the bidding 1♣. The Opponents are silent during the bidding. Your first response is easy. 1♠. Partner rebids 1NT.

Partner should be showing a balanced hand with less than 15 HCP (a balanced hand with 15 HCP will open the bidding 1NT -- not 1♣) and fewer than four ♠. Partner will raise your ♠ suit with four ♠. What is your bid now?

Show Answer

This is tough. You have enough for a game so you have to make sure you either A) bid game or B) make a bid Partner cannot "Pass"

You are unbalanced and you still could have a nice little ♠ fit. Partner does not have four but they could have three.

If you want to give up on the ♠ fit just bid 3NT. That gets you to game.

If you want to try to find a five three ♠ fit you need to JUMP in the bidding and bid a new suit. In this case 3♦. This shows you are unbalanced (you are taking Partner out of the NT they bid so you must be unbalanced) and strong enough to go to game since you jumped.

Partner will show you if they have three ♠ by bidding 3♠. You can now bid 4♠.

Note that in order to force Partner to bid you need to JUMP in the bidding. Partner is allowed to "Pass" 2♦.

For more information on how does Responder force over 1NT check out this post:
How Does Responder Force Over 1NT?