By Peter Rhead
More examples of your second bid after partner’s 1NT response
Last week we set you up as the opener, bidding one-of-a-suit, and partner responds One No-Trump. This week we continue with more examples. Responding 1NT, partner is showing a balanced limited hand of value 6-9 points with little or no support for your suit.
With your one-of-a-suit opening, you show an unlimited hand of 13-21 points. You need 25 points for a major suit game. How do you precede with the following five example hands? In each hand, what would be your opening bid and then your second bid after partner responds 1NT?
Case 1:
Spades AQxxx
Hearts AKx
Diamonds x
Clubs QJxx
Case 1: Your first bid is One Spade with your 17 points including one length point. Partner bids 1NT. Your Club suit is not strong enough to show a two-suited hand at the two level. So now you bid 2NT! Yes, I know you have a singleton but partner is showing 6-9 points so he must have something somewhere when he is not supporting Spades. This may seem counter intuitive but you have the possibility of a game if partner has 8-9 points. So you invite with 2NT limiting your hand to 15-17 points. Partner may PASS or bid 3NT if he likes the looks of his 8-9 points (17+8=25).
Case 2:
Spades xxx
Hearts AQxx
Diamonds AKxx
Clubs xx
Case 2: You open One Diamond with your 13 points. Your bid shows an unlimited hand of 13-21 points. Partner responds 1NT. You now know you do not have the 25 points in your partnership for game (13+9max=22). Therefore you PASS and partner plays 1NT for a part score.
Case 3:
Spades Axxx
Hearts AKxxx
Diamonds AQ
Clubs xx
Case 3: You open One Heart. Partner bids 1NT limiting his hand (6-9 points). With your 17 points, you now know your partnership has enough points for a game if 1NT partner has 8-9 points. You invite the game by bidding 2NT. Partner now knows you are interested in game if he has 8-9 points (17+8=25). If partner does not have the needed points he will PASS and you will play 2NT for the part score.
Case 4:
Spades x
Hearts Qxx
Diamonds AQJxxx
Clubs AKx
Case 4: You have 18 points including two length points in Diamonds. You open One Diamond. Partner’s bid of 1NT limits his hand to 6-9 points. You now realize that even if partner has his maximum, 9 points, your partnership does not have enough points for the 28 point minor suit game (18+9=27). Therefore you just PASS. Your partnership probably will score better in 1NT than in Two Diamonds!
Case 5:
Spades AKxxx
Hearts AKQx
Diamonds xx
Clubs Qx
Case 5: You open this 19 point hand One Spade (one length point included). Partner responds 1NT limiting his hand count to 6-9 points with little or no support for Spades. You know now that you have a game (19+6=25). You jump shift to Three Hearts (18-21 points) to show your partnership has a game and that you have a two-suited hand. Responding 1NT Partner now cannot pass. He must bid 3NT or Four Spades or Four Hearts for the game score.
Next Week: Possible second bids by opener after partner’s 2NT response.
Remember, as we all fight COVID-19 with social isolation, if you want your Bridge fix, online competition is available for all skill levels. From the ACBL Bridge website, you can hook up either to play live people or to play robots. Either way, you test or consolidate your Bridge skills. At ACBL.org just click on “Play Bridge” and follow the prompts for various choices.
If you wish to promote an activity in your Bridge group or ask a Bridge question, send the information to [email protected] and I will try to include it in this column.
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