M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Bidding
M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Bidding
The good-
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-
Post intermediate and above
Another (possibly more obvious) choice would be to distinguish between invitational values and forcing support with at least three-
Slightly more obscure -
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-
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-
♠
♥
♦
♣
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-
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
2♦ |
2♥ |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
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-
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
2♦ |
2♥ |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
T 9 5 3
6 5
Q J 3
9 7 4 3
Bid 3♦ showing a weak three-
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
2♦ |
2♥ |
? |
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Context -
♠
♥
♦
♣
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♠ |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
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♠ |
? |
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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♥ |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
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♠ -
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
1♠ |
2♥ |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
Q T 9 3
6 5
A K 5 3
K Q 4 3
Bid 3♠ -
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
You |
1♥ |
1♠ |
2♥ |
? |
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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-
However, you are almost certainly already able to make this distinction by way of a cue-
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-
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-
By defining an immediate bid at the two-
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 |