Last week we looked at how Opener bids when he has a balanced hand.  This week we looked at bidding with an unbalanced hand.

Firstly, when you opened the bidding you will have opened with your longest suit!  With two 5-card suits, you will  always open the higher ranking suit, regardless of suit quality or overall strength.

1.  If partner likes your suit, he will make a 'limit raise' - he will bid your suit, and the level that he bids will show you his point count - this is what we learned on 15th January.
It's now up to you to do the arithmetic - if you have enough points for games, bid the game!  If you know that you haven't, you can pass.  If you're still not sure, and you have an 'inbetween' bid available, bid that.

2.  If partner bids a new suit (showing at least four cards in that suit), and you also have four cards in the suit, then you should show support for your partner by bidding his suit too!  If you are weak (up to about 15 HCP), just raise the bidding by one level.  If you have a stronger hand, make a jump raise.  If you have 19 HCP, you have enough for game, and you should bid accordingly.

Of course, the most likely thing to happen is that partner bids a new suit (or No Trumps) that you don't like!  Now it's up to you to describe your hand further:

3.  If you only have one long suit (generally at least six cards), then you have to bid that suit again.  If you are weak (again, up to about 15 HCP), just bid 2 of the suit. With a stronger hand (16-18), make a jump bid, 3 of the suit.

4.  If you have another 4-card suit, it is helpful to give partner a choice of suit.  By bidding your second suit, you are telling partner that you hold at least 5 cards in your first suit, and at least 4 cards in your second.  Now he can make an informed decision, usually just making a choice between your two suits.
However, there are some restrictions...

When Opener bids a new suit at his second turn, and by doing so goes beyond the 'barrier' of 2 of his first suit, this is known as a 'Reverse'. Examples are:

1D - (1S) - 2H  (the 'barrier' is 2D)
1H - (2C) - 2S  (the 'barrier' is 2H)
1S - (2D) - 3C  (the 'barrier' is 2S)

It is dangerous to make a 'reverse' when you have a weak hand, as you are potentially forcing the bidding to too high a level.  You must have at least 16 HCP to do so.

Just like other sequences when you open one suit and then bid another, you are promising partner that you have at least 5 cards in your first suit, and at least 4 in your second suit.

If you are weak, and unable to bid your second suit below 'the barrier', then you have to settle on bidding your first suit again, as if you had a single-suited hand.

You have opened the bidding with 1 of a suit, and your partner replies by bidding a new suit.

If you have a weak hand, up to 15 HCP:

1. If you like partner's suit, bid that suit at the next level.
2. Bid a second 4-card suit, as long as it is not a Reverse.
3. Bid 2 of your first suit.

If you have a stronger hand, 16 - 18 HCP

1. If you like partner's suit, make a jump bid in that suit.
2. Bid a second suit, even if this is a reverse.
3. Bid 3 of your first suit.

If you have 19 HCP, you should be looking for game

1. If you like partner's suit, bid game in that suit.
2. If you have a second suit, consider a jump bid in this suit.
3. Bid 4 of your first suit (if it is a major suit).

If your suit is a minor suit, consider No Trumps as an alternative game.