4 When a fit is not found - summary

Careful bidding should find a fit if it exists, but if no fit is found, and NT doesn’t look possible, what happens?  Well, one of the following:

a) Opener has rebid first suit (showing minimum hand), and responder has 6-9.  Pass out. You both have minimum values (Over and out.)

b) Opener has bid two suits with or without reversing, and responder has 6-9.  Responder must either bid 1NT if it is still in sight, or show preference – even if it goes to the 3-level. Any reversing is opener’s responsibility.

c) Opener has rebid first suit, and responder has bid two suits. Opener must show preference. Now if responder’s second suit was shown at the 2-level (most likely) she should hold 8+ points, and if she reversed, it’s 10+ so if opener does have to go to the 3-level, it’s OK, responder is Strength 2. 

d) N.B. If the partnership arrives at the 3-level (without a fit) then one of the partners must hold the equivalent of an extra ace, i.e. 4 points more than bottom of minimum range, which is of course 16 pts for the opener, 10 pts for the responder. All clear?  Without this extra 4 pts, if you get to the 3-level without a fit, you have messed up and deserve to go down.

Responder please note! With 10+ points, if you don’t show two suits, or bid 2NT, or do something extra, you have let the side down, and in all likelihood missed a game. This is very important!   Your mantra should be: “Double points, double bid.” 2NT counts as a double bid. (I have actually seen responders bidding 1NT with 10 points.)