M J Bridge

Conventions

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Bidding

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Theory

Conventions

M J Bridge

Home

Bidding

Hands

Theory

Partner made a Landy overcall


In the version considered earlier:-


2 is played as conventional promising 5-4 or 4-5 in the majors;

other suit bids are natural;

double is strong;

and 2NT promises both minors.


For suit bids other than 2 I shall refer you to the page on natural suit overcalls, and similarly the 2NT overcall and double each have their own pages.


The present page can therefore confine itself to partner’s 2 bid.


Partner bid 2 (Landy)


Partner has promised both majors.

This page assumes that your agreement is in line with the most common version in which the bid promises 5-4 in the two suits.


With four cards in one major


bid that suit at an appropriate level.


jumps into a major are constructive with at least four card support:-


a jump to the three-level is invitational suggesting about eleven to fourteen points (but you can modify this range depending on both partnership preference and the shape of the hand), and a jump to the four-level is to play.

Intermediate and above

Overcaller’s first bid

Overcaller’s rebid

K 8 7 4

9 7 5

8 6 4

Q 5 3

Bid 2.

You have at least an eight-card fit, and you have no designs on higher things.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K 8 7 4

K 3

A 8 6 4 2

Q 5

Bid 3.

Partner may well have thirteen or fourteen points.

This bid is invitational promising an eight-card fit.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K 8 7 4

9

T 8

A K Q T 4 2

Bid 4.

Only twelve points, but there must be a good chance of ten tricks.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K 6 4

Q 7 4

J T 4 2

Q 8 3

Bid 2.

Partner will bid his five-card major, and you will be quite happy to leave him to play in the 5-3 fit.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K 4

A 4

T 8 7 3 2

J T 6 3

Bid 2.

You will leave partner to play in a 5-2 fit, but what else can you do?

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









Context - advancer - opponents opened 1NT.


With equal length in the majors


usually 4-4 or 3-3 but could be 2-2,


bid 2, requesting partner to bid his five-card major.


With not very much you will pass partner’s response and it is likely that the best contract will have been located.


Three cards in one major


With three cards in one major and void or singleton in the other, and a weak hand, you should be prepared to bid your major ensuring at least a 4-3 fit.


Lacking a three-card major you might once in a while be able to pass with six clubs.


3-2 in the majors


Here you have a choice of styles.


Possibly most common, with a weak hand, is just to bid your three-card major as above.


My preference is to take the 2 route thereby ensuring at least a 5-2 fit, but there is little in it.

4

A 8 4

K T 7 3 2

J T 6 3

Bid 2.

You will leave partner to play in a 4-3 fit, but can you see a better option?

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K 4

A 8 4

T 7 3 2

J T 6 3

Many pairs will bid 2 on this holding.

My preference is to bid 2 and then pass partner’s response in either major.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K 4

9 4

A K

K Q J 8 6 4 3

Bid 3NT.

Surely you can make your nine tricks before they scrape together five!

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









This page last modified 14th May 2019


Alternatively 2NT is frequently played as artificial and forcing for one round on a hand of twelve or more points with conventional continuations.

You will sometimes miss out on a part-score in 2NT, but the ability to place partner’s hand accurately when it is 5-5 is particularly useful at imps scoring when locating the best game might be all-important.

J 4

8 4

T 3 2

A J T 7 6 3

You might just bid 2 at pairs for what might be the best part-score on a 5-2 fit.


Otherwise, Pass.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









J 4

4

T 8 3 2

A J T 7 6 3

Do you really want to risk a 5-1 fit?


Pass.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?










Whether or not you wish to extend this option to a hand with a three-card major is for you to agree.


2NT


This is most easily played as natural and invitational, clearly denying four-card support for either of partner’s majors.

Facing an overcall of about ten to fifteen this would suggest a strength of about twelve to fourteen.

J 4

Q 4

K Q 3 2

A T 7 6 3

Bid 2NT - natural and invitational.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?









K J 4

Q 4

A K Q 3 2

T 6 3

2 might locate a five-card heart suit, but what if he has five spades as well?

Bid 2NT - artificial and forcing for one round.

The conventional responses should lead you to the best game.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?










3NT


Natural, usually with no better than 2-2 in the majors and on fifteen or so points, or a long minor.

J 4

Q 4

A K Q 3 2

K T 6 3

Bid 3NT - to play.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?










Three of a minor


Most easily played as natural and invitational, usually with at least a six-card suit and twelve or more points.

Q 4

Q 4

A K Q 8 3 2

T 6 3

Bid 3 - natural and invitational, unless you fancy  a gamble in 3NT.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

-

?










Variations


A creative use of the 2 bid brings in a number of alternative routes.


For example, you have a choice of an immediate response of 3 or an immediate response of 2 followed by a bid or 3.


One option is to play the immediate jump to the three-level as purely preemptive and non-invitational whilst taking the invitational route by way of 2.


An alternative, and possibly more common, option is to play both routes as invitational but to base the direct route more on shape and the slow route more on high-card points.  This could provide useful information should your opponents choose to poke their noses in again.


There is no reason why whichever distinction you choose should not apply to all four suits.


Similarly, if you have adopted an artificial and forcing meaning for an immediate response of 2NT you could still show the natural and invitational meaning by bidding 2 first and then rebidding 2NT.


RHO bid a suit


It is worth pointing out that more often than not this hand will belong to your opponents.  By all means bid up when you locate a good fit your way, but don’t feel that you have to compete further otherwise.


You have a choice over intervention.

Simplest is to keep raises of partner’s suit and some other bids as invitational as when RHO is polite enough not to join in.

There is, though, something to be said for giving up on the constructive sequences and using such bids competitively to the level of the fit, taking the vulnerabilities into account - assume that you have picked partner’s four-card suit.


K 8 7 6 4

9 3

T 8 4 2

Q 5

Bid 3 - provided that your agreement is to bid to the level of the fit once RHO joins in.

This bid does not promise anything by way of strength.

Note that it also directs partner’s lead in defence.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

2

?









8 6 4

Q 5

K 8 7 4

9 7 5 3

By all means bid 2 if you must.

My choice is pass - this hand belongs to your opponents - leave them to it.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1NT

2

2

?