M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Bidding
M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Bidding
Jump in a new suit
Natural and strong
First of all, the traditional meaning -
Certainly this is a hand which it is difficult to show by other means using basic and improver methods -
Splinter
If you have taken the splinter bid on board as responder then there is something to be said for playing it in the same way as advancer.
Such a bid will be helpful to partner when there is a realistic hope of a game contract, but this will be the exception following the opponents’ opening bid.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K 9 7 2
A K T 6 3
5 3
T 3
You have four-
Bid 3♥, happy to play in 3♠ in the absence of further enemy action.
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♣ |
1♠ |
- |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
K 9 7 2
T 3
J T 8 6 3
A K
You have four-
My choice is an unassuming cue-
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
1♠ |
- |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q T
8 4
A K J T 5
Q 6 2
Only three-
Bid 3♦, or force to game with 4♦ provided that you play this as a fit-
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
1♠ |
- |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
T 8 7 4
8 4
K Q T 5 2
6 2
A much weaker hand, but you still bid 3♦, to show the nature of your hand whilst raising rapidly to the level of the fit.
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
1♠ |
- |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
T 9 8 7 4
8 4
K Q T 5 2
6
The same hand with an extra spade and therefore a ten-
Bid 4♦ provided that you have agreed to play this as a fit-
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
1♠ |
- |
? |
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Fit-
Usually better in this position will be to help partner determine how high to compete in the event of a continuing contested auction, and the most helpful use of this bid will be to help in the search for a double-
Note that the bid can be used both on weak competitive hands, and on hands on which you have hopes of a contract your way.
Such a bid shows support for partner together with a side-
With a weak holding you can use such a bid to raise rapidly to the appropriate level (as measured by the known fit) for a worthwhile sacrifice, and on a stronger holding it might provide the groundwork for a making contract.
In particular, if partner is able to identify a double-
In general you will hold four or more cards in partner’s suit to justify a jump to the level of the known fit.
With a stronger hand you might be happy to jump constructively on a three-
As for the side-
With regard to the quality required in the side-
Quality in partner’s suit is not so important -
How forcing?
The answer is ‘forcing for one round’.
This is hardly any more than a statement of the inevitable. If partner does not have a fit in the second suit then he will convert to the agreed suit, and if he does have a fit in the second suit then there is a double-
Because of the forcing nature of the bid advancer will very occasionally take this route with a really strong hand, intending to bid again, but much more commonly he will bid as high as he dare at his first opportunity.
I like to play the fit-
Too much defence
Just once in a while you might not compete as high as you might have done otherwise, simply because you quite fancy defending against the opponents’ contract.
The principle is, quite simply, ‘why sacrifice when they are going down anyway?’.
But usually, raising rapidly to the optimum level will prove to be the best strategy in good company.
Post-
Context -
Post intermediate and above
This page last revised 1st Jan 2019
Opener |
Overcaller |
Responder |
Advancer |
Opener's rebid |
Overcaller's rebid and beyond |
Responder's rebid and beyond |
The continuing auction |
Opener |
Overcaller |
Responder |
Advancer |
Opener's rebid |
Overcaller's rebid and beyond |
Responder's rebid and beyond |
The continuing auction |