Sometimes you do not find a fit as soon as partner opens, so you have to work a little. In response to the opening bid, bid a new suit to try to find a fit.
What do you need to bid a new suit in response to an opening bid?
You promise at least 4 cards in the suit and:
- at the one level, at least 5 HCP
- at the two level, at least 11 HCP
There is no upper limit and no requirement for suit quality. Do not worry, your partner must not pass and knows it.
Learn more: must not pass
These bids are called “forcing”: they require partner to bid, unlike “non-forcing” bids, which partner may pass.
Let us look at a few examples!
For example, imagine that you hold this hand opposite an opening bid of 1 :
| SouthS | WestW | NorthN | EastE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pass | 1 |
Yes, bid 1 even though the Hearts are poor
Partner opens 1. With this hand, which response do you choose?
How do you continue if responder bids a major at the one level?
Responding to 1, opener will give priority to raising with 4 Hearts:
- 2 with 13 to 16 total points
- 3 with 17 to 19 total points
- 4 with 20 to 22 total points
otherwise, opener continues to describe the hand, bidding in this order of priority:
- 1 with 4 Spades
- 1NT with a balanced 12 to 14 HCP (below the strength of a 1NT opening)
- 2NT with a balanced 18 or 19 HCP (above the strength of a 1NT opening)
You opened 1. Partner responds 1 and the opponents pass. You have only three Hearts but four Spades. Which rebid continues to look for a major-suit fit?
| SouthS | WestW | NorthN | EastE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pass | 1 | Pass |
Learn more: 13 to 16, 17 to 19, and 20 to 22 total points
- 13 to 16 total points is roughly 12 to 14 HCP
- 17 to 19 total points is roughly 15 to 17 HCP
- 20 to 22 total points is roughly 18 to 19 HCP
Another example, where this time you are responding to a 1 opening bid:
North’s hand
| SouthS | WestW | NorthN | EastE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pass | 2 |
You have the required strength (at least 11 HCP).
What about other cases?
What do you need to respond in notrump to an opening bid?
- 1NT: with no better bid, 5 to 10 HCP
- 2NT: 11 HCP
- 3NT: 12 to 15 HCP
Look what happens if I weaken the last hand I gave you a little:
North’s hand
| SouthS | WestW | NorthN | EastE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pass | 1NT |
When you have enough to respond (at least 5 HCP) but not enough to bid your long suit (at least 11 HCP are needed to bid 2), you respond 1NT. You can see why it is called the “dustbin 1NT”: you can hold almost anything!
The big mistake to avoid
Do not forget to respond whenever you have 5 HCP. Always. Since opener may have a very strong hand (say, 20 points), you must avoid missing a game.
Partner opens 1. You hold this hand. Which response do you choose in the system taught here?
Partner opened 1. You hold three small Hearts. What is the minimum number of Hearts you know your partnership has?
Now play as much as possible—that is how you will become an expert:
Deal 1 Deal 2Your progress
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