REALBRIDGE 

1NT (showing 15-16 points.)

After a change of suit response from partner (as opposed to a Limit Bid e.g. 1NT) Opener must respond.

When you first pick up your hand the two most important aspects are a) your points b) your shape - Balanced or Unbalanced.

The second of these will determine your bidding strategy.

If your hand is balanced (4333, 4432 or 5332) your aim is to bid notrumps on either your opening bid or your rebid, if partner makes a change of suit response. Your point count will decide whether it is the opening bid or the rebid.

12-14 points - open 1NT

15 - 16 points - rebid notrumps at the lowest available level. (Some partnerships use 15-17)

17-18 points - rebid notrumps with a jump bid

19 points - bid 3NT

2S

Last hand we said that if partner responds with a change of suit bid to your opening, you must bid again. You have little idea of partner's strength (6 - 18? some would do a jump bid with less than 18 )

Traditionally the position changes if partner has already passed. You know he has less than 12 points and if you have a minimum opening you might be tempted to pass, even with a fit. Despite the traditional view, I would be tempted to find a bid. There are two possibilities for Opener's hand:-

a) He has a balanced 15-19 point hand.(he cannot have a balanced 12-14 point hand otherwise he would have opened 1NT) Add partner's possible 11 to your 15 and game values are held.

b) Opener has an unbalanced hand that only opened perhaps because of the Rule of 20. Even then because of the unbalanced nature, if a fit has been found, points can be added for shortage in side suit(s) An initial 11 point hand can suddently become worth 13-16. (The Losing Trick Count is useful in this scenario but as yet we have not looked at that) Game values may be there.

If North had responded after the initial pass 1H then you show your second suit with 1S thereby telling partner your shape. 

Several principles have emerged from the hands already seen:-

1. All 12-14 point hands with a balanced shape (4333, 4432 or 5332) are opened 1NT irrespective of which suit has 5 cards. This solves the problem of a rebid.

2. All balanced hands are bid as balanced hands i.e. initial notrump bid or a rebid in notrumps at the appropriate level. (assumes a change of suit response from partner)

3. All unbalanced hands are bid as unbalanced hands. Two suiters e.g. 5422 your aim is to show both suits in the first two rounds of bidding. With single suited hands containing 6 cards the suit is repeated.. Repeating a 6 card suit makes life easier for partner who knows only 2 cards are required for a fit.

Until now we have had few problems in carrying out these principles e.g.

1. There has been little interference from the opponents.(see Hands ...........)

2. Partners bids have not caused you difficulties.(see Hands ..........)

3. Your hand has been reasonably easy to bid. (see Hands ........)

Things are about to change. How do we handle these problems?

There are two schools of thought:-

1. We stick to our principles and show the shape of our hand

2. We tell little white?! lies going against our principles.

There are advantages and disadvanges of each method as we shall see.

The hand shown is an example of partner's response giving us a problem

3NT

You know partner satisfies the Rule of 14 (see RE 18). He therefore has either 10 points or compensating values e.g. 9 points with a 5 card suit. Add your 15 to partner's 10 and you hit the magical 25 points the minimum requirements for game. (see HCP requirements) The fact that partner bid at the two level promises extra values making your rebid sound.

If partner had responded 1S then he is only promising 6+. In that case you would rebid notrumps at the lowest available level (showing 15-16 points) as per the previous hand (OR 01)

NB Experienced players might bid 2NT (not 3NT) which they would treat as forcing. The idea is to gain more information from partner. Rebidding 2NT would show 15-16 - rebidding notrumps at the lowest available level. North will realise game values are held so will find a second bid.

2S.

Answering partner's 2C Stayman enquiry.

This hand is featured in RE 05

4S

North's bid is forcing as it show game values and a 5 card spade suit.

If South had just two spades he would opt for a final contract of 3NT. However, with three cards in spades a fit is discovered and 4S usually is more successful than 3NT,

This hand is also included under RE 09.

3S

By using transfers as opposed to weak take out North has given South the opportunity to bid again.

South not only has a maximum for his opening 1NT (14 points) but he also likes partner's suit of spades.

In these circumstances with 4 card support and 14 points he jumps a level to ask partner is game possible? (Without both these features he would simply bid 2S)

This hand was also shown under RE 10

2D

North's 2C bid satisfies the Rule of 14 (see RE 18) so has 10+ points or compensating values e.g. 9 points with 5 card suit.

You only have 14 points. Arithmetic again 14 + 10 = 24 not quite game values (see HCP requirements)

You have an Unbalanced hand shape so you bid it like an unbalanced hand by showing your 5-4 distribution in the red suits. As yet the partnership have not discovered a fit.There could be a weakness in spades.

2NT (showing 15 - 16 points)

South knows after North's response (satisfying Rule of 14) game values are held but as yet no fit has been discovered

South's hand is balanced 5332 and he shows the nature of his hand by bidding notrumps on his rebid.

South needs an experienced partner because he must not pass. Partner has shown 15 minimum which + 10 = 25

See RE19..

3S

Several experts feel that Opener's rebid is the most crucial of the auction.

There are several options after a change of suit response from partner:-

a) rebid notrumps with a 15-19 point balanced hand

b) support partner's suit - prefer this to notrumps if a major suit fit found.

c) repeat your own suit

d) bid a second suit suggesting a 5-4 shape

We have already seen examples of a). This hand gives us b) in action.

South clearly likes partner's spades. All partner knows about South's hand is that it has 12-19. Time to clarify for partner.

A modest bid of 2S would suggest a minimum opening hand i.e. 12-15. To show the added strength the bid is 3S.

South knows North has 6+. It would therefore be wrong to jump to game because there might be only a 22 combined point count (16 + 6)

3D

With 4+ card support for partner's suit and holding an unbalanced hand, it is better to support partner, rather than any of the alternatives i.e. repeat own suit or show a second suit.

South's strength is in his shape not his points. He only opened because of the Rule of 20. In view of the minimum points support partner with a modest raise to 3D

4S.

South with a powerful 17 point (5422) shape hand hears his partner bid his 4 card second suit.

South know partner has 6+ points. South has a nominal 17 points hand but as a fit has been found he can add points for side suit shortages. He can therefore add a point each for the two doubletons. This gives a revised total of 19. This added to the minimum of 6 gives us our 25 points and game values.

This hand is ideal for the Losing Trick Count which will be looked at in the "More training" section. This hand will be looked at under that section.

2H

Repeating his 6 card suit. (the 3rd option - see OR 11)

One of the advantages of bidding a 5332 shape (even with a 5 card major) 1NT is that repeating a suit invariably means that 6 cards are held. This means partner only needs two cards for there to be a fit.

There are exceptions but it is a reasonable guide. An opening bid of a 5 card suit is rarely repeated. .