By Val Rhead
At an informal Social Bridge game recently, a friend had a 13 point hand with five Hearts, Ace, King, 7, 6, 5. She correctly opened with a One-Heart bid. Her partner replied One Spade.
“I never know what to do now,” my friend blurted out to me in a subsequent discussion. Of course it would have been easier if partner had answered with a bid of Two Hearts, or One No Trump which would have limited her partner’s hand and showed that she had a minimum hand of six to nine points. Then my friend would have known the assets of the partnership. She could then confidently pass if she knew that the partnership did not have a game.
Her partner’s One-Spade bid, however, showed a hand ranging in point value from six to thirty points or so. A new suit bid by an unpassed responder is unlimited and forcing for one round. My friend had to respond. With her minimum hand my friend could rebid Two Hearts, showing six Hearts, or raise partner to Two Spades with Spade support, or bid One No Trump denying support for Spades and denying anything extra. My friend’s One No Trump rebid does not show a No Trump powerhouse. It only shows a minimum hand and that she has the opponent’s suit stopped if they have bid.
My friend must do something unless her partner’s first responding bid is One No Trump or Two Hearts. However, if the opponents have bid and my friend has nothing positive to say, she could respond with a PASS. Her partner would still be able to bid again if she had a good hand. If the opponents haven’t bid, my friend has to rebid. So she should pick the best choice of three alternatives to show her minimum hand—rebid her own suit, rebid partner’s suit or rebid one No Trump.
It is the responsibility of Opener to plan her second bid in advance. My friend, with her second bid, must limit her hand to Minimum (12-14 points) Medium (15-17) or Maximum (18-21) so that partner knows how to proceed. Opener’s three Minimum rebids are One No Trump, Two Spades or Two Hearts. Her four Medium rebids are a new suit, or Two No Trump, or a jump to the three level in her suit Hearts or partner’s suit Spades. Finally her two Maximum rebids are a jump shift to a new suit (which cannot be passed), or directly bid game. Now partner may proceed, or pass if they are at the game level.
If my friend learned to limit her hand, the next time her partner responded to her opening bid with a new suit, she would know what to do.
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.
WINTER BRIDGE AND GAMES PARTY
CFUW BURSARY FUNDRAISER, ALL WELCOME
Lunch at 12 NOON Friday, Feb 16, 2018 $25 per person
Gravenhurst Senior’s Centre 480 First Street North
This fundraiser assists young women in Muskoka to attend Post Secondary Education.
Register your foursome and bring supplies needed for your table. To register, please provide four names to Mary 705-646-8881 [email protected]
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games at the Huntsville Club are Tuesday 1pm start for the Winter Season, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street in the Hearth Room. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For partners and information call Liz Graham (705) 789-7187
The following winners are for Tuesday, Jan 30 with 10 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 2. Beryl Clayson and Paul Clayson; 3. Joanne Garvey and Betty Rintoul; East-West 1. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 2/3. Liz Graham and Dorothy Russell; 2/3. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
The following winners are from Monday, Jan 29 with 14 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 2. Frank Vagnoni and Gerry Lawrence; 3. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 4. Barb Forth and Vern Foell; East-West 1. Lyn Walisser and David Bryce; 2. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 3. Betty Franklin and Gerry Flaherty; 4. Anna Wilson and Gil Little
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