M J Bridge

Responders rebid

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Partner responded two of a major


The standard continuations at an improver’s level were considered in an earlier section.

Opener’s rebid

Post-beginner and above

This page last updated 14th Jan 2020

Context  -  Partner opened 1NT - RHO passed - intermediate and beyond - you bid Stayman - four-card promissory.

Garbage Stayman


With a garbage Stayman hand you will pass now that you have located a playable fit.


The sequence 1NT - 2 - 2 - 2


Provided that you have agreed the 4-4 version of garbage Stayman then this sequence has no natural meaning.


Your choice of meaning must be consistent with your agreed underlying method, but typically it might be used (along with 1NT - 2 - 2 - 2) to show a strictly invitational hand with five spades and a four-card minor.


Usually it will be played alongside the sequence 1NT - 2 - 2 - 2 which will show an invitational hand with five hearts and a four-card minor.


In some underlying methods these sequences might be used to show an invitational hand with five cards in the specified major along with four cards in any other suit.


Rebids in no trumps


A rebid in no trumps will always be a natural limit raise, with the same value ranges as in direct limit raises.

The only differences are that partner knows that you hold at least one four-card major in your hand, and that you will be rather more likely to bid an eleven point hand in this way as you search for the major suit fit.


Note that it is not a good idea to play an immediate jump to 4NT as a key-card ask agreeing partner’s major - a thought which might surprise a number of prospective partner’s at the club.

Intermediate and above


Supporting partner’s major


The solution is to incorporate some other forcing bid agreeing partner’s suit, to cope with the first hand above.


Two possible solutions follow - choose whichever fits best with the rest of your system.


Stayman in Doubt


Stayman-in-Doubt is an old convention with only limited application in its original form, but it can be extended to make it far more interesting.


When you first use Stayman you might well choose to make a direct raise in no trumps when holding a 4-3-3-3 hand with a four-card major.  At first sight this is eminently sensible because of the lack of ruffing potential, so why not contract for one trick less?  There is, though, a potential problem.  Once a 4-4 major suit fit has been established on such a hand it is more than likely that partner will hold a doubleton opposite one of your three-card suits.  A no trump contract might well be in jeopardy.


The solution is to start with a normal Stayman bid and then use a conventional bid to show the fit in a completely flat hand.


At its simplest a bid of 3 by responder following a Stayman enquiry and a major suit response states that a 4-4 major suit fit has been established but in a hand with 4-3-3-3 shape.  Opener is then able to choose between a final contract of 3NT and four of the major.

K 3

A Q 4 3

A K 9 6

A 6 5

You can see a heart fit and you would like to investigate a slam in hearts.

Tempting is to bid 4NT asking for key-cards, but if that is your agreed method then how do you deal with…..

LHO

Pard

RHO

You


1NT

-

2

-

2

-

?





K 3

A Q 4 3

A K 9 6

A 6 5

No 4-4 major-suit fit, but definite thoughts of a slam on two balanced hands.

By far the best bid is a quantitative raise to 4NT, inviting partner to pass or bid 6NT.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You


1NT

-

2

-

2

-

?





A Q 8 6

K Q 3

T 6 2

K 8 5

Bid 3.

Show your spade agreement in a flat hand and leave the choice to partner.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You


1NT

-

2

-

2

-

?






This convention as outlined above is something of an optional extra and it can wait its turn for a place in your system.


The following extension of the convention is to be found in Eric Crowhurst’s writings.


Following partner’s Stayman response in a major suit, a bid of 3 shows a major-suit fit in a 4-3-3-3 hand

However, if you later deny this holding by bidding anything other than 3NT or game in the agreed major then this route can be used to agree the suit and show a slam interest.

A Q 8 6

K Q 8 3

A 2

K 8 5

Bid 3 (Stayman in doubt).

Partner will assume that you have a 4-3-3-3 game-going hand, but when you bid 4NT over 4 or 4 over 3NT he will recognize the slam-try with spades agreed.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You


1NT

-

2

-

2

-

?






The other major at the three-level


The slight problem with Stayman in Doubt is that you will frequently have to make a genuine slam-try beyond four of the major to show even a mild slam interest.


How much better if you could agree partner’s suit and show at least some slam interest below game-level.


An excellent answer is quite simply to bid the other major at the three-level.


Strongly recommended, provided that it fits in with the rest of your system.


The sequences 1NT - 2 - 2 major - 3/3


Simplest is to play this as game-forcing with four-cards in the other major and five cards in the bid minor.


Quite simply you started by searching for a major suit fit before getting on with the job of describing your hand as you search for the best game.


There are other possibilities for the 3 rebid such as minor-suit Stayman.

Note that the use of this sequence to make a weak take-out in clubs belongs firmly in the past, since the arrival of four-suit transfers.

Note also that this usage is not compatible with Stayman in doubt (above).


A rare alternative is to use this bid as a shape enquiry in search of a minor suit slam. (SARS)


Raising partner’s major


A raise of partner’s major to the three-level promises four-card support and invitational values.

A raise to the four-level promises four-card support, and is clearly game-going.


Four of a minor


Whatever you like.

Simplest is a splinter agreeing partner’s major, and presumably implying at least a modicum of slam interest.

K 3

A Q 4 3

A K 9 6

A 6 5

Bid 3.

Agree hearts and force to game with at least some slam interest.

If partner can do no better than return to hearts at the three- or four-level then you will either cue-bid or bid 4NT as you continue the search for a slam (or just bid 6).

LHO

Pard

RHO

You


1NT

-

2

-

2

-

?