South holds 6 high card points, and so should reply to partner’s 1
of a suit opening. Six is the minimum
required. South has 4 clubs, and so
could just bid a limit raise of 2 . However, partner may have 4 hearts, so it is
better to show the hearts by bidding 1 . Yes, it’s a poor suit, but majors do score so
much better than minors, and in trumps it’s having the majority that counts. It does ask partner to bid again. What will South do then? (See if you and your partner are agreed on
these).
|
North Re-bid
|
Our Action
|
|
2§ (Five
clubs, minimum opening hand)
|
Pass
|
|
2© (Four Hearts, minimum opening hand)
|
Pass
|
|
1NT (Balanced Hand, 15 or 16 hcp, less than 4 hearts)
|
Pass
|
|
2NT (Balanced Hand, 17 or 18 hcp, less than 4 hearts)
|
Pass
|
|
3NT (Balanced Hand 19 hcp, less than 4 hearts)
|
Pass
|
|
3§ (6
clubs, 16/17 hcp)
|
Pass
|
|
3© (4+ hearts, invitational)
|
Pass
|
|
1ª (Hand is
5/4 clubs/spades, less than 16 hcp, asking for preference)
|
2§
|
|
2¨ (Hand is 16+ hcp 5/4 clubs/diamonds,
forcing for one round)
|
3§
|
|
2ª (Hand is
16+ hcp 5/4 clubs/spades, forcing for one round)
|
3§
|
|
3ª (At
least 5/4 clubs/spades, forcing for one round)
|
4§
|
In other words, pass if you can, bid clubs at the lowest level
available if you can’t. Partner should
then know you were minimum for your first bid. |