User:Brian/Bridge/Rebids after opening one of a major

This page is incomplete.

Without interference

Responses by partner showing support

Single raise

A single raise means that partner responded 2 of your major, showing 3+ card support and 6 to 10 points. Be sure to re-evaluate your hand now that a fit has been found.

I have 15- total points → Pass.

I have 16 to 18 total points and a weak side suit in which I'm concerned we might lose 3 tricks → Bid the weak suit. This is called a help suit game try.

I have 16 to 18 total points and a balanced hand → Bid 2NT.

I have 16 to 18 total points → Bid 3 of your major.

I have 19+ total points and no slam interest → Sign off in game.

I have 19+ total points including a small singleton or void in a side suit → Make a jump in the side suit (a splinter), showing slam interest. For example, after 1♥ - 2♥, the rebids of 3♠, 4♣, and 4♦ are splinters. After 1♠ - 2♠, the rebids of 4♣, 4♦, and 4♥ are splinters.

I have 19+ total points and I'm interested in slam → Start with a help-suit game try, possibly artificial, which is one-round forcing. After hearing partner's response, you can decide whether to pass, initiate control bidding, or bid 4NT, Blackwood.

Jump raise

A jump raise means that partner responded 3 of your major, showing 4+ card support and 10 to 12 points. A 10–12 point raise is also called a limit raise, therefore in this case the jump raise happens to be a limit raise. Be sure to re-evaluate your hand now that a fit has been found.

I have 13 to 14 total points → Pass.

I have 15+ total points and no slam interest → Sign off in game.

I have slam interest (typically 19+ total points) → Initiate control bidding, or bid 4NT, Blackwood.

Double jump raise

A double jump raise (to 4 of the major) is preemptive and shows 5+ card support with very little strength. Therefore, you are expected to pass. This is an instance of the "slow shows, fast denies" principle—if partner actually had a game-forcing hand, they would have made a different response in order to leave room for investigating the possibility of slam.

Double jump shift (splinter)

A double jump shift is a splinter raise. Alert the bid, then see Responding to a splinter.

Jacoby 2NT

A response of 2NT is a game-forcing raise showing 4+ card support for your major, slam interest, and no splinter. Alert partner's bid.

I have a good 5-card side suit → Bid the side suit at the 4 level. (Exception: if the trump suit is hearts, don't bid 4♠, since that's above the 4♥ game.)

• If partner responds 4 of your major, it is a sign-off. If you still have slam interest, make a control bid or bid 4NT, Blackwood.
• If partner makes any other non-jump bid, it is a control bid or Blackwood.

I have a singleton or void in a side suit → Bid the short suit at the 3 level. For subsequent bidding, see the previous paragraph.

None of the above are true, and my strength is:

• Minimum (12 to 15 total points) → Rebid 4 of your major.
• Intermediate (16 to 18 total points) → Rebid 3NT (artificial and forcing)
• Maximum (19+ total points) → Rebid 3 of your major, forcing. (This is an instance of "slow shows, fast denies".)

If partner bids anything other than 4M in response, it should be interpreted as a control bid or Blackwood.

Semi-forcing 1NT response

When partner responds 1NT to your one-level major opening, announce "semi-forcing"; this lets the opponents know that the 1NT bid by partner is possibly artificial, not necessarily showing a balanced hand, and is one-round forcing unless your hand is a minimum.

A 1NT response generally shows 6 to 12 HCP (i.e., less than game-forcing strength). Rebids should show both strength and distribution.

I have a one-suited hand with 16- total points → Rebid your major.

I have a one-suited hand with 17+ total points → Jump-rebid your major.

I have a lower 4-card suit with 18- total points → Bid your other suit.

I have a lower 4-card suit with 19+ total points → Jump-shift into your other suit (i.e., bid it at the 3 level).

I have a higher 4-card suit with 17+ total points → Bid your other suit. (This is called a reverse.)

I have a higher 4-card suit with 16- total points → Don't bid the other suit, i.e., spades; your partner's 1NT response has already denied 4 spades, and you are not strong enough for a reverse. Instead, keep reading...

I have a balanced hand with 17-18 HCP → Respond 2NT, which is an invitation to 3NT.

I have a balanced hand with 19+ HCP → Respond 3NT.

I have a balanced hand with minimum opening strength (12 to 14 HCP) → Pass. Your partner has 12- HCP, so you most likely don't have a game... so stopping in 1NT isn't the worst thing you can do.

Otherwise (intermediate strength with no lower 4-card suit) → Bid a lower 3-card suit. (Yes, bidding a 3-card suit sucks—it's the yucky part of the 2/1 system. Hopefully the auction works out in the end.)

New suit by responder

Partner responded 1♠ → See Opener's rebids following 1/1.

Partner responded 2 of a lower suit and did not previously pass → See Opener's rebids following 2/1.

Partner responded 2 of a lower suit and is a passed hand → See Opener's rebids after non-game-forcing 2/1.

Partner jump-shifted → TODO: Strong or weak jump shifts?

Other responses

A 3NT response by partner shows 3-card support and a balanced hand (4-3-3-3 distribution).

Partner responded 3NT and I have slam interest → Make a control bid.

Partner responded 3NT and I have a balanced hand lacking ruffing values → Pass. When both hands are balanced, you will probably get the same number of tricks in notrump as in a suit, therefore 3NT is more likely to make than 4 of a suit. This is especially true when you have only third-round control in a side suit—opponents may have 2- of the suit and be able to get in a ruff in a suit contract. Even if both 3NT and 4M make, notrump is worth 10 extra points for the same number of tricks.

Partner responded 3NT and I have an unbalanced hand → Sign off in 4 of your major.

Partner responded 4NT → This is Blackwood.

Partner made a triple jump shift → TODO: Learn Exclusion Keycard Blackwood