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Beginners Lessons
(Lessons by Allan & Claire Whiteford) |
By the time we get to responder’s 2nd bid, there are a lot of possible auctions that may have preceded it, so there are a lot of possible choices.
- Pass – you can pass if opener has not made a forcing bid (e.g. jumped in a new suit or reversed) and you know that you do not have enough points for game. You should also be reasonably happy to play in the last suit bid (or No Trumps if that was bid last).
- Bid No Trumps – a bid of No Trumps should show some values in any unbid suit. 1NT shows 6-9 pts, 2NT shows 10-12 pts, 3NT shows 13+ pts.
- Raise one of partner’s suits – remember that opener’s bidding may now
have shown 5 cards in the 1st suit bid. You may be able to raise this
with 3 cards or you may have support for their 2nd suit. You should
always raise a 5 card major with support but you may prefer to look for
No Trumps rather than raise a minor.
If partner has rebid at the 1 level: (e.g. 1♦
- 1 ♥ - 1♠ - ?) raises are as if
partner had opened the bidding:
2-level = 6-9pts
3-level = 10-12 pts
4-level = 13+ pts.
If partner has bid at the 2-level after a 1-level response: (e.g. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - ?)
Raises in Hearts would be as if partner had opened 1♥.
3♦ would show about 10-11 pts.
If partner has bid at the 2-level after a 2-level response: (e.g. 1♠ - 2♦ - 2♥ - ?)
Remember you have already shown at least 10 points. A raise of either suit to the 3-level would show 10-11 pts. With a stronger hand you would bid game. - Bid a New Suit - A bid of a new suit by responder is forcing for one
round and follows the 5/4 rule. A reverse by responder is forcing to
game: (e.g. 1♦ - 1♥ -
2♦ - 2♠) this would show 5 hearts
and 4 spades and be game forcing. Also
A New Suit bid at the 3 level is Game Forcing. - Rebid your own suit – a simple rebid of your own suit shows up to about 9 pts and a 6 card suit. A jump rebid shows 10-11 pts. A jump to game would show a long, strong suit and 12+ pts.
Fourth Suit Forcing
If partner opens a suit, we respond in a different suit and partner bids a 3rd suit, there is very little point in bidding the 4th suit to suggest it as trumps (we already know partner has 9 cards in the 1st 2 suits – it’s unlikely they will have 4 cards in another suit). If we have the 4th suit we would normally bid No Trumps.
For this reason we have a special meaning for a bid of the 4th suit – it means: I have enough points for game but I do not know what to bid . Partner will now describe their hand further to help you decide what to do. E.g. they may bid No Trumps with some values in the 4th suit, they may show that they have 5 cards in their 2nd suit by bidding it again or they may show 3 card support for our suit (they would have supported earlier with 4 cards).
As a bid of the 4th suit is artificial (you are not promising the suit bid) you must alert your partner’s bid.