By Peter Rhead
Possible second bids by one-of-a-suit after partner’s double raise of opener’s suit
You are the opener. In the past weeks we looked at situations where partner has responded with a single raise to your one-of-suit opening. What were your possible second bids? Now we look at your choices for second bid if partner responds with a double raise of your suit. For example One Spade – Three Spades. Remember, if opening suit is a minor (One Club or One Diamond), the partnership needs 28 points and a five-level bid for the minor suit game. Otherwise, 25 points for the partnership are good enough to try for a game of Four Spades, Four Hearts and or Three No-Trump.
The double raise changes the dynamics dramatically. You, the opener, have opened one-of-a-suit. Your opening bid shows an unlimited hand of 13-21 points. Partner has responded with a jump to three of your suit. His double raise bid has limited his hand to 10-12 points with at least three-card support for your opening major suit or at least four-card support if you open One Diamond or One Club. You now know that your partnership is near or at game level and may even be near a slam if you have a big hand. Armed with this information, what choices have you for your possible second bid? Your second bid depends on your point count and your hand distribution.
Choice One: With 13-14 points you know your partnership has the 25 point major suit game if partner is at or near his maximum, twelve points, (13+12=25). You cannot invite by jump-bidding three of your suit because partner has bid three already. If you have 14 points and feel lucky, you just bid the major suit game. If you are conservative, you PASS and play your suit at the three-level suit for the part score.
Choice Two: With 15-20 points you know your partnership has the points necessary for a probable major suit game (15+10=25). You bid the major game directly by bidding four of your agreed major suit.
You invite the minor suit game if you have 16-17 points by bidding four of your agreed minor suit. Partner will bid five if he has a good 11-12 points. If you have 18-20 points and agree on a minor suit, you can bid the minor suit game directly (18+10=28).
Choice Three: With 21 points, you now know you have game (21+10=31) but you might have slam if partner is at his maximum twelve points (21+12=33). You should now investigate slam by bidding five of your agreed major suit. Partner now knows you want a slam bid if he has a good 11-12 points. Otherwise, partner should PASS and you will play your suit at the five level for the game score. If you jump to five of a minor suit, partner should just PASS.
Next Week: Examples of one-of-a-suit opener’s second bid after partner’s double raise of opener’s suit.
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 various 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 vrhead23@gmail.com and I will try to include it in this column.
Looking for more bridge tips? You’ll find them here.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!
Join the discussion: