M J Bridge

Conventions

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Bidding

Hands

Theory

Conventions

M J Bridge

Home

Bidding

Hands

Theory

RHO bid in no trumps


If RHO bid 2NT promising (say) 10+ points then you must proceed with a little caution - or possibly not proceed at all.


However, if RHO offered just 1NT then he has not promised very much and you should be prepared to compete.


Further, if you have support for partner you should not be overly put off by RHO’s presumed holding in the suit - he has promised something of a stop in the suit but not necessarily significant length.

As when RHO passed you should be prepared in general to raise partner’s suit to the level of the fit on a weakish hand or show good support with a cue-bid of opener’s suit.


With less than three-card support in a weakish hand and with no great suit of your own you will in general pass.


With a good suit you should not hesitate to compete.

If RHO had passed you would have had only one artificial bid available - the cue-bid in opener’s suit - and this is universally used to show a good raise of partner’s suit (the unassuming cue-bid - perhaps 10+ points).

Your bid in a new suit would therefore have to show some values as well as good suit quality - perhaps a quality five-card suit and nine points as a rough minimum.


But now that RHO has produced 1NT you have a further bid available - the double.

Use this bid to show any non-fit hand of 10+ or so points.

This leaves you free to compete with no more than a quality suit - KQJxxx and nothing else would be perfectly satisfactory.  Partner will know not to expect great strength.

Overcaller’s first bid

Overcaller’s rebid

Context  -  advancer - opponents opened one of a suit - partner made a minimum suit overcall.

This page last revised 26th Apr 2020

Beginner and above