M J Bridge

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Bidding

Hands

Theory

Conventions

M J Bridge

Home

Bidding

Hands

Theory

Overcaller’s first bid

The good-bad 2NT


This convention is most frequently encountered from opener on his rebid, but it also works well when played by advancer in the present context.

Exceptionally a partnership might also agree to play it as responder.


The bid is no more than an extended application of the Lebensohl convention.


At its simplest, with this machinery in place, an immediate bid of in a new suit will show a longish suit with some agreed minimum strength and forcing, whereas a bid of a suit following a good-bad 2NT will be competitive but not in any way encouraging.

Post intermediate and above


Another (possibly more obvious) choice would be to distinguish between invitational values and forcing support with at least three-card support.


Slightly more obscure - but if you are feeling creative you might choose to promise or deny some specific honour holding in partner’s suit;

or even to promise or deny some specific holding in the opponents’ suit.


Bidding the opponents’ suit


By all means use bids in the opponents’ suit following the good-bad 2NT in a similar manner to your methods when playing Lebensohl opposite partner’s 1NT.


It is however relatively unlikely that you will be searching for a no trump contract on this auction.

My preference is to reserve the convention when played by advancer for bids in new suits or for raises of partner’s suit and bids in a new suit.


Evaluation


I like the good-bad 2NT with its capability of introducing a new suit in a non-competitive manner, but it might seem a complication beyond the necessary for many of us.

T 9 5 3

6 5

A Q 3

K 9 7 3

Bid 2NT.

Partner will bid 3 and you will rebid 3.

Subject to partnership agreement this sequence might show three-card support (facing the two-level overcall) together with (say) 8 or 9 points (or perhaps 10 to 12).

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

2

2

?









T 9 5 3

6 5

A K 7 3

Q J 3

Bid 3.

Depending on the partnership agreement this might promise a good four-card raise with 10 or more (or 13+)points).

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

2

2

?









T 9 5 3

6 5

Q J 3

9 7 4 3

Bid 3 showing a weak three-card raise.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

2

2

?









Context  -  Acol bidding - advancer - opponents opened one of a suit - partner made a minimum suit overcall - RHO made a suit bid.

T 3

6 5

K Q J 8 7 3

A 7 3

Bid 3 showing a good suit in a hand containing some values.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

2

2

?









T

6 5

Q J T 8 7 5 3

8 7 3

Bid 2NT.

Partner will usually bid 3 and you will correct to 3 promising a bit of competition based on a long suit in a weak hand.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

2

2

?










Over 2NT partner will usually respond 3 after which you will show your hand.

T 9 3

6 5

Q J 5 3

9 7 4 3

Bid 2 (weak).

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

2

?









Q T 9 3

6 5

A K 5 3

9 7 4 3

Bid 2NT.

Partner will bid 3 and you will rebid 3 - invitational but not forcing.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

2

?









Q T 9 3

6 5

A K 5 3

K Q 4 3

Bid 3 - forcing.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

2

?










Of course, if you have other support bids available to show the example hands above then you can redefine these sequences in any way you choose.


Bidding partner’s suit


At its simplest an immediate raise of partner’s suit will show a good raise and a raise following a good-bad 2NT can be used to show a weak raise.

However, you are almost certainly already able to make this distinction by way of a cue-bid in an opponents’ suit.


If you are ambitious then you have the opportunity to use the various routs to distinguish between different types and level of support.


One possibility would be to distinguish between three- and four-card support with 10+ (or perhaps 8+) points .

Overcaller’s rebid

This page last revised 29th Oct 2020


Extending the principle


The usage above will be by far the most common application of this convention in the present context and with no further twiddly bits it will prove a valuable and relatively straightforward addition to your repertoire.

But, as with the Lebensohl convention, it can be extended in all sorts of ways, particularly when RHO’s bid suggests weakness.


Three routes


Sometimes you will have the choice of bidding your suit at the two-level, at the the three-level by way of 2NT, or directly at the three-level.


By defining an immediate bid at the two-level as weak the route via 2NT can be used to promise some values (invitational, not forcing) and an immediate bid of your suit at the three-level can then be played as natural and forcing.