Beginners Lessons Responding to Partners Suit Opening (Lessons by Allan & Claire Whiteford)

1 Club/Diamond

1 Heart/Spade

Summary

Exercises

Summary

If you have 6+ pts you must reply to your partner unless the opposition enter the bidding. The bidding order of preference is:

1. Support your partners Major Suit
2. Support your partners Minor Suit
3. With No Suit Support bid your longest suit at the lowest level
• Reply at the 2-level promises 10+ pts.
• 1NT default bid, promises 6-9 pts
4. With 10-12 pts and a balanced hand bid 2NT

Support Partners Major Suit

If partner opens 1H or 1S and you have at least a 4-card suit in support and 6+ points then you must reply and support partners suit at the appropriate level.

If you have:

• 6-9 pts - raise partner with a single raise and bid 2H or 2S
• 10-11 pts - raise partner with a jump bid and bid 3H or 3S
• 12-19 pts - raise partner with a jump bid directly to Game

Your have given a limiting bid and your partner now knows the strength of your hand and can make a judgment on whether to continue bidding.

In the first situation where you have made a single raise, if partner bids 3H or 3S they are investigating if Game is possible:

• With 6-7 pts Pass
• With 8-9 pts Raise to game and bid 4H or 4S

Support Partners Minor Suit

If partner opens 1C or 1D and you have at least a 4-card suit in support and 6+ points then you must reply and support partners suit at the appropriate level.

If you have:

• 6-9 pts - raise partner with a single raise and bid 2C or 2D
• 10-12 pts - raise partner with a jump bid and bid 3C or 3D
• 13-19 pts - find a holding bid by first bidding another suit even if it is a 3-card suit, to see partners rebid. This is because you may find you do not have enough strength to bid a minor game whereas bidding and making game in 3NT is a better option.

No Suit Support

Bid your longest suit at the lowest level possible. If you have options follow the same rules as you would for opening i.e. bid a major suit before a minor, etc.

This is an unlimited bid showing 6+ pts.
To reply at the 2-level in Hearts you must have at least a 5-card suit.
If you have 6-9 points and cannot bid your long suit at the 1-level then bid 1NT. This default bid does not promise a balanced hand.

With a balanced hand and:

• 10-12 pts bid 2NT
• 13-15 pts bid 3NT

You need to be careful bidding 3NT directly as your partner may not have a hand suitable for NTs and you have raised the bidding to a level where it will be difficult to find a suit fit. It may be better to bid a 4-card suit at the 2-level and see what partner does. Also if you have a 4-card major it is generally better to mention that before heading into the NT contract.