12. Responding To Major Openings¶
If using this chapter as a reference, be sure you’ve read Notation and Nomenclature and review Classifying Your Hand to classify your hand as weak, competitive, invitational, game-going, or slam interest.
If you have support for partner’s major, be sure to revalue your hand and do a losing trick count. Sometimes HCP aren’t the whole story. An 11 HCP hand, especially one with four trump, or a hand with an LTC of 7, may be appropriate for treating as game-going.
Just in general, the ranges for various bids are not hard-and-fast rules. As you become more nuanced in hand evaluation, or with more difficult hands, you may decide to bend the rules. A bad 12 HCP hand with a flat shape might be treated as an 11. A more shapely 10 might be a game force because of a double-fit. Rather than putting in a lot of weasel-words like “6-11 or a bad 12”, I’ll try to be terse and have that understood.
We focus on finding eight or more card major fits. There is also an effort to distinguish nine-card fits from eight-card fits, as nine-card fits are much easier to play.
Overview¶
When responder is not a passed hand and there is no interference, we play Two Over One: a non-jump two-level response in a new suit is forcing to game (see Two Over One Game Force), and a 1N response is forcing for one round (see The Forcing 1N Response). Most of this chapter is about that case.
A set of responses called the “standard” responses applies in two cases:
If responder is a passed hand, or
If there was competition (they doubled or overcalled).
These are also the rules for the older Standard American (SAYC) system. The rules for choosing a strain are pretty much what they were for minor openings. These cases are covered later in the chapter, in Responding As A Passed Hand and Responding After Interference.
Warning
Before choosing a response, you must revalue your hand in light of partner’s bid.
This table shows where to look, once you have classified your hand:
Points |
Hand |
Where to look |
|---|---|---|
Fewer than 6 |
Weak |
Pass, or make a preemptive raise. |
6-10- |
Competitive |
A simple raise, 1♠ over 1♥, or 1N. |
10-11 |
Invitational |
|
12+ |
Game-forcing |
A game-forcing raise, or a 2/1 bid or 1♠. |
Weak Hands
If you have fewer than 6 HCP you usually pass, although with some hands you can make a light simple raise to 2M.
Do not try to rescue partner if you have a stiff or void in his suit. If you do, he likely will just bid it again. Worst case, you’re only at the one level and your partner has five trump.
Competitive Hands
If you have six points, you must bid something. Even if you have a void in partner’s suit, you must bid something. Your partner could have an unbalanced hand with 21 points.
Warning
You must respond with 6 or more HCP, even if you have a void in partner’s suit.
There are just three possible bids with a competitive hand: 2M, 1♠, and 1N:
With three or more of your partner’s suit M, you make a simple raise to 2M. Support with support! Otherwise,
Over 1♥, bid 1♠ if you have four spades.
Bid 1N. This only says you do not have any other bid but do have 6 (or more) HCP.
With a competitive hand, you can’t bid a new suit at the two-level. That requires an opening hand, or 10+ HCP if you are a passed hand or there is interference.
A competitive hand gets just one bid, unless opener forces another out of you or gives you a choice of parking places. So if your partner bids his suit again, you pass.
“Really?”, I hear you ask. “He’s rebid 2♥ and I don’t have any hearts and you want me to pass?”. Yes. No rescuing allowed. As we will see, partner will have 6 (or more) hearts, so if you bid three of something expect him to not have many of those and bid 3♥. You may have just bid past the only contract we could make.
Hands With Support¶
With three or more cards in partner’s major, first revalue your hand in light of the fit, then choose your raise. Support with support!
The Simple Raise¶
With three or more of your partner’s suit M and a competitive hand (6-10- points), you make a simple raise to 2M. The minus sign on the 10 means a bad 10: with 10 HCP you have to use judgment about whether you have a simple raise or a limit raise.
Opener will usually pass; see After A Major Raise.
See also Constructive Raises, an advanced alternative.
The Limit Raise¶
With an invitational hand (10-11 points) and support, you make a limit raise, so called because the bid limits your strength to a narrow range.
With an invitational hand and three trump, we bid 1N(forcing) and then bid 3M on our next turn. (As a passed hand, you would use Reverse Drury instead.)
With an invitational hand and 4 (or more) trump, we bid 3M immediately.
The range of an invitational hand is in practice wider, say 9 to 12 depending on detailed hand evaluation; but there is no such thing as a bad 13 – a 13 is a game forcing hand.
See also Bergen Raises, an advanced way to show four-card raises.
Game-Forcing Raises¶
With a game-going hand and three trump, we basically make a 2/1 bid if we can. The rules are (besides the length and strength requirements):
Bid 1♠ with 5 (or more), or
With four spades, prefer 1♠ to bidding 2m unless your minor is longer than your spades.
If you do bid 1♠ it is forcing.
With 4 (or more) trump and a semi-balanced hand we bid 2N!. 2N is a conventional bid called Jacoby 2NT. It shows a game-forcing raise with 4 (or more) trump. See Jacoby 2NT for continuations.
If the hand is not balanced we also can consider a splinter bid, discussed below. If the hand is strong enough to have definite slam interest we can make a 2/1 bid or use Jacoby 2NT (such as with a 1=4=4=4 hand).
See also Advanced Major Auctions for another system of replies to Jacoby 2NT and for Serious 3NT, and Italian Control Bidding.
Jacoby 2NT¶
In response to a major opening, and in the absence of any interference, a bid of 2N is called Jacoby 2NT. It is alerted as a game-forcing raise with four or more trump.
2N can still be used as a limit raise or better if opponents interfere with a double. See Jordan 2NT.
Responding to Jacoby 2NT
Opener responds to J2NT by revaluing his hand in light of the fit. We call this new value “declarer points”. Now:
With a balanced or semi-balanced hand and no shortness, there are three bids available: 3M, 3N, or 4M. The 3N bid can be given a meaning since you’ve found a major fit.
1M – 2N! – 3M 16+ declarer points, no shortness, slam interest.
1M – 2N! – 3N 14-15 declarer points, no shortness.
1M – 2N! – 4M Jumping to game shows 12-13 declarer points, a minimum with no shortness and no slam interest. This is a signoff.
With an unbalanced hand,
1M – 2N! – 3♣/♦/W stiff or void in the bid suit. (W = the other major), or
1M – 2N! – 4♣/♦/W, showing a good second 5 (or more) card suit, strong hand.
You have a choice in the latter case since obviously you have a shortness. Choose the suit bid only with a good suit. However, if you have a void, show the void.
After the opener replies to J2N, a non-jump bid in a side suit is a control bid, which are discussed in more detail in the chapter on slam bidding.
When opener shows shortness, responder must examine his holding in that suit. A good holding is paradoxically bad, because those values will likely be wasted in the play. However, no wasted values is the legendary “30-point deck” situation – all your values are working and you have nearly all the honors in the other three suits. Explore for slam.
The Hand And Jacoby 2NT
In The Hand we met these two hands and evaluated them to around 16 and 15 points each:
West East
♠K862 ♠AQ
♥AKJ95 ♥T632
♦T5 ♦AKQ6
♣KJ ♣964
If West had been the Dealer, West would open either 1♥ or 1N, as we discussed. Suppose West opens 1♥. East has an opening hand and four hearts so would respond with Jacoby 2NT. West has no shortness to show nor a good five-card side suit, but with extra values bids 3♥:
1♥ 2N! (four-card gf raise)
3♥ (16+ declarer points, no shortness, slam interest)
East would bid 4♦ to show the diamond control and no club control. West’s 4N will reveal two keys without the trump Queen, so missing an Ace and the trump Queen, West will leave it at 5♥.
Splinters¶
Another choice is the splinter bid. A splinter bid is a double-jump in another suit, showing a hand with game-going values and a singleton or void in the bid suit.
4♣, 4♦ over 1M,
4♥ over 1♠, and
3♠ over 1♥.
Since these bids are made before opener’s second bid, they are alertable. Splinters can also be used by an opener after a major response, such as 1♦ – 1♥ – 4♣.
Splinters are best described as a raise to game with no interest in slam unless partner has the “magic hand”. If partner has no wasted values in the splinter suit, and has some extras, we might be in the magic “30 point deck” situation – we have almost all the points in the other three suits. With no magic hand, opener just bids the game. Otherwise control-bidding or key-card may ensue.
Splinter bids, particularly the 1♥ – 3♠ splinter, have been known to cause people to stare like a deer caught in the headlights. The thought process to use is: 1♠ would be a normal bid, 2♠ would be a jump-shift, so 3♠ is jumping twice, so it is a splinter. Likewise over 1M, 2♣ is the 10+ bid, 3♣ is a jump-shift, so 4♣ is a splinter.
Usually, one does not splinter if the singleton is an Ace.
The Preemptive Raise¶
If you happen to have five or more of your partner’s major and shortness, bid 4M. This is, contrary to appearances, a weak bid. We may have only half the deck but we have 10+ trump. If we don’t make our contract, at least we kept them from finding their fit. Such a bid is called a preemptive raise.
Warning
Do not bid 4M with a better hand. Jumping to game might cause us to miss a slam. The most common error I see intermediates make is bidding 4M immediately with an opening hand.
Choosing Among Raises¶
The most frequent responder error after a major opening is to raise to game because you have an opening hand with support. That’s understandable; you do need to reach game for sure. But the problem is you may be underestimating the opener’s hand and missing a slam.
Say partner has opened 1♥ in first seat, and you have ♠AJ5 ♥KQ8 ♦72 ♣AT983.
You have a dilemma. Your hand revalues to about 16 points – one for the doubleton and one for the extra club. You cannot bid:
1♠ – you’d be lying, because you do not have four spades
1N – forcing, but lies about your values.
2♥ or 3♥ – too small, not forcing so partner might pass
4♥ – too big, this is a shutout showing a weak hand and five trumps.
The just-right Goldilocks response is 2♣; your next bid will be hearts.
Note what happens if the bidding goes 1♥ – 4♥. Opener holding ♠K9 ♥AJT742 ♦AK9 ♣K2 is going to think that the partnership has at most 25 points and is not going to explore for a slam that actually has excellent chances.
With some hands, such as ♠AJ5 ♥KQ83 ♦972 ♣AT9, you might even be bidding a three-card suit. That’s ok; your bid is forcing and you’ll be able to clarify on your next bid. This is also an object lesson on why a new suit by an unpassed hand is forcing; sometimes responder must make something up to keep the bidding going. Don’t be tempted to pass 2♣ because you have bid with a minimal opener and have clubs.
It is, however, important not to bid 2♥ over 1♠ unless you have five of them.
Rare But Necessary
Rarely, you bid 2/1 with as short as 3 cards in a minor. (Remember, 1♠ – 2♥ promises five hearts). Suppose your partner opens 1♠, and your shape is 3=4=2=4 with 13 HCP. You have a dilemma:
2♠ shows 6-10- HCP, so you’re too strong for that.
3♠ shows 10-11 HCP, and again you’re too strong.
4♠ shows 5 trump and a weak hand – again, not appropriate.
2♥ is possible only if you have five hearts. You don’t.
1N is at most 11 HCP. You’re too strong.
2N! is Jacoby 2NT which is game-forcing and promises 4 trump.
You don’t have a singleton or void so no splinter bid applies.
Therefore, you will bid 2♣; this is forcing because it is a new suit by an unpassed hand. You’ll tell partner about the support on your next bid by bidding spades.
Now change your shape to 3=4=3=3. The same logic applies and you’d be bidding a three-card suit. That’s ok; it is forcing. You’re sure to get another bid.
Some partnerships agree that 1M – 3N is offering a choice of games (3N or 4M), showing a minimal opener whose shape is 5332 exactly. I do not recommend that for intermediates.
After A Major Raise¶
Opener’s second bid is called his “rebid”.
Bidding a control is covered later in Control Bidding, but in simplest terms think “bidding my Aces and voids up the line”.
If we have opened 1M, and hear a simple raise from partner, we pass unless we see the possibility for 4M to make. There is no bonus for bidding 3M, so going past 2M means we think we might have around 26 points between us. We can either bid 4M immediately, which ends the auction; or we can pass; or we can ask partner’s opinion by making a game try.
I recommend playing Help Suit Game Tries. Natural game tries are also fine – bid a second suit below trump and let partner tell you if they have a hand near the top of their bid or which can help with that second suit, by bidding game, or declining with 3M.
After a limit raise, opener generally passes, bids 4M, or starts exploring for slam by bidding a control.
After a preemptive raise to 4M, opener passes nearly always. Remember, 4M means five trump and a weak hand, not a strong hand.
In all cases opener can explore for slam with a control bid, splinter, Blackwood or Roman Keycard Blackwood.
Help Suit Game Tries¶
After a major trump suit is agreed upon at the two-level, any bid between that and three of the trump suit is a “Help-Suit Game Tries” (HSGT). This bid is not alertable.
Partner accepts the invitation to game by bidding game. Partner declines the invitation by bidding three of the major.
The standard is that the help-suit bidder shows 3 cards or more in the suit. If you and your partner agree, you could reduce this to 2 cards; in that case the bid is alertable (“could be just two cards”).
Partner should bid game if he has “help” in the suit bid and is not near minimum. “Help” is defined as any one of:
An Ace, King, stiff, or void
Five cards in the suit
A maximum
With no help, and a near maximum, partner may bid a suit below three of the major to show “help” in that suit, but no help in the suit mentioned.
With a minimum, partner just pretends he has no help.
It is very important that the responder just answers the question asked, and not try to second guess the opener’s holding. Opener with more than one suit of concern below trump may ask about the lowest, relying on partner to show help in another suit if the decision for game is not clear-cut.
Example: After 1♠ – 2♠, opener bids 3♦ asking for help in diamonds.
If responder has ♠KJ75 ♥93 ♦K832 ♣J74 he bids 4♠ since he has 8 points and the King of diamonds. If the ♦K and ♣7 are interchanged, he bids 3♠. However, if the ♦K is instead in hearts, he could bid 3♥ to indicate help in hearts but none in diamonds. Without the ♣J, at 7 points he would be near a minimum and should probably sign off at 3♠ even holding the ♦K. Change the hand to ♠KQ65 ♥93 ♦Q832 ♣Q74 and at 9 points responder should bid game.
If agreement at 2♠ is reached through some sequence such as 1♦ – 1♠ – 2♠, a responder’s bid of 3♣ would again be a help-suit game try.
So what meaning then should we give to 1M – 2M – 3M? The simple interpretation is that this invites partner to bid game if on the top of his 2M bid. However, one can also play it, and I do, as a sort of trump-suit game try – asking partner for help in the trump suit, perhaps holding a hand with the strength mostly outside the trump suit. Experts tend to play this as just obstructive.
Note
There are a plethora of other kinds of game tries. The new suit can mean a natural second suit, a short suit, a long suit, a short suit or a long suit, and then there’s Kokish Game Tries. HSGT are the most frequent.
The Forcing 1N Response¶
Because a two-level new suit by an unpassed responder promises an opening hand, an invitational hand without a fit has no two-level bid. Such hands bid 1N:
The range of the 1N response is 6 to 11. We make this bid forcing for one round.
Opener will announce “forcing”. Opener must make another bid. See After 1N Forcing for continuations.
Honestly, the 1N forcing part is the hard part. The 2/1 auctions are easy.
What 1N Shows¶
The 1N response to 1M is forcing unless there was interference or responder is a passed hand. Note that 1N does not promise a balanced hand, and in particular responder might not have any cards in M. If 1N is not forcing, passing becomes an additional option. When 1N is forcing its range is 6 to 11.
Important: 1M – 1N does not say you have a balanced hand. If we made such a requirement, and your partner opens 1♥, suppose we have this hand:
♠K92 ♥2 ♦Q8763 ♣Q952
We would be stuck. Let’s see why:
We absolutely cannot pass with those 7 HCP.
We can’t raise hearts.
We don’t have four spades.
We don’t have enough for a 2-level reply, which rules out 2♦ or 2♣.
The only bid left is 1N.
Our hand is not balanced, so if 1N had to be balanced, we would have no bid.
Warning
Don’t confuse a notrump RESPONSE such as 1♥ – 1N, with a notrump REBID such as 1♦ – 1♥ – 1N. When an opener bids notrump on his second bid it does promise a balanced hand.
Over 1♥, 1N denies four spades. With an invitational hand and three trump, you bid 1N and then 3M; see The Limit Raise.
After 1N Forcing¶
Opener’s rebid over a forcing 1N response is as follows.
2M shows 12-15, and a 6 (or more) card suit, not forcing.
3M rebid shows 15-17, and a 6 (or more) card suit, not forcing.
Any reverse is 17+, natural, forcing one round.
2N 18-19 HCP, balanced, not forcing opposite a real minimum. Does not deny a major that it skipped over.
A jump shift is 19+, usually natural, game forcing.
If none of the above applies, bid the longest side suit up the line, but always rebid hearts when holding 4 (or more) hearts and five spades.
The last rule can mean bidding a short minor suit. For example, after 1♠ – 1N(forcing),
♠KQJT7 ♥KJT ♦A83 ♣74
opener has to bid 2♦; and after 1♥ – 1N(forcing),
♠AQJT ♥KJT85 ♦Q4 ♣74
opener has to bid 2♣. Neither hand may rebid the major, which requires 6 (or more) cards. The second hand does not have enough points for reversing into spades. The 1N bid denied four spades anyway.
Since 2♣ or 2♦ can be two or three cards, responder wishing to sign off should make a preference back to the major with two card support, even with four card support in the minor.
Because you can bid a short suit, rebidding your original suit shows 6 (or more) cards. This is the same as after a 2/1 bid. Note that some opponents might be playing the older “Hardy” style where it can be only five cards after a 2/1 bid; see below.
How Short Is That Minor?
Responder must be very careful to remember that opener may be rebidding a 3-card diamond or club suit, or even a two-card club suit with a 4=5=2=2 shape. But how likely is this?
With 3-3 in the minors opener will bid clubs, so the bid of 2♣ is more likely short than 2♦. With a 5=4=x=x hand, opener will open spades and rebid hearts, but with 4=5=x=x, and not enough points to reverse into spades, opener must bid a short minor. Therefore the minor is more likely to be short after an opening 1♥ than after an opening 1♠.
1♥ – 1N – 2♣ is the most likely to be short;
1♥ – 1N – 2♦ and
1♠ – 1N – 2♣ are less likely to be short; and
1♠ – 1N – 2♦ is least likely to be short.
Responder can be comfortable passing the minor with five in the suit. Responder should prefer back to the major with a doubleton otherwise.
The entire probability of having to bid a short minor is lowered by always opening 1N with a five-card major.
Responder Continues¶
Note that responder’s 1N forcing bid limited his hand to a maximum of 11 points.
If opener has rebid his major, e.g. 1♠ – 1N(forcing) – 2♠, then responder’s bids are:
pass with 6-9 HCP
raise with 10-11 support points, and 2 or 3 trumps; this is not forcing
2N is 10-11 HCP, fewer than two trump, not forcing. This bid does not promise stops or a NT shape.
3 of a new suit, 10-11, very good 6 (or more) card suit, invitational.
If opener has rebid a minor,
pass with 6-9 HCP, usually 5 (or more) in the minor, fewer than 2 of the opener’s major
bid 2M with 6-10 HCP, exactly 2 of opener’s major, not forcing.
A new suit at the two level is 6-9 HCP, usually 5+ in bid suit, 2 of the major, not forcing.
2N is 10-11 HCP, fewer than 2 of the major, not forcing. Does not promise stops or NT shape.
Jump shift is 10-11, very good 6 (or more) card suit, not forcing.
Jump raise the major to 3M with 10-11 points, 3 trumps.
Raise the minor is 10-11 points, usually 5 (or more) in the suit.
Sometimes responder jumps to game with a hand that got better when opener rebid. For example, 1♠ – 1N(forcing) – 2♥ – 4♥.
After a jump shift by opener, e.g. 1♠ – 1N(forcing) – 3♣,
responder usually prefers back to opener’s major with 2 card support, or bids 3N with stoppers, even when holding good four card support in the minor. (We are in a game-forcing option, so we can conserve bidding space while showing the 2-card support.)
With 3 card support in the major and 10-11 support, responder jumps to game in the major.
The auction 1♠ – 1N! – (2♦ or 2♥) – 3♣ is to play, although with a specially suitable hand opener may make another call.
Other Responses Without Support¶
One Heart – One Spade¶
With a competitive or invitational hand, bid 1♠ over 1♥ if you have four spades.
After partner opens 1♥, suppose you have game-forcing values but don’t have four hearts and do have exactly four spades. Then if you don’t have a five-card minor you bid 1♠, forcing. If you bid 2m and later bid spades it promises you had a five-card minor.
If you do bid 1♠ over 1♥ holding five spades, you can if necessary use the checkback bids we’ll learn later with invitational or better values to find a 5-3 fit.
Opener’s Rebid After One Heart – One Spade
The 1♠ response is not limited and therefore opener must bid. Be aware that 1♠ does not deny 3 hearts; responder’s next bid of 3♥ or 4♥ shows 3-card support.
With four spades, we usually bid 2♠. This is not forcing. Bidding 2♠ has debatable requirements. I like it to show four spades or three spades and an outside singleton or void. Experts may bid 2♠ regardless with three spades.
With four spades and 15-17 points bid 3♠. With more bid 4♠ or a splinter.
Lacking spade support:
1N shows a minimum opener and a balanced hand.
2♥ shows a minimum opener (12-14) and 6 (or more) hearts.
2N shows 18-19 balanced.
2m shows a second suit and a hand not suitable to bid at the 3 level or to reverse.
3♥ is invitational and shows 6 (or more) hearts (15-17).
4♥ shows 19+ and 6 (or more) hearts.
See also Two-Way New Minor Forcing and XYZ, advanced methods for responder’s second bid.
Two Over One Game Force¶
If you are:
not a passed hand, and
there is no interference, and
your partner opened a suit other than clubs, then…
OK, wait, before I tell you, that was the hard part. When you start playing 2/1 you are going to be getting mixed up because you apply these rules in the wrong context. When you see what looks like a 2/1 bid you have to stop and ask “What has happened so far?”.
Ready? Here we go again.
If you are not a passed hand, and there is no interference, and your partner opened a suit other than clubs, then a non-jump two-level response in a new suit is forcing to game or four of a minor. These bids require an opening hand.
There are six such sequences, all game forcing:
1♥ – 2♣
1♥ – 2♦
1♠ – 2♣
1♠ – 2♦
1♠ – 2♥ (5 (or more))
1♦ – 2♣ (5 (or more))
The auction 1♦ – 2♣ was treated separately in the chapter on Responding To Minor Openings.
We promise 5 (or more) hearts or 4 (or more) (rarely, 3) in a minor.
These conditions are necessary but not sufficient to make these bids. See Game-Forcing Raises and One Heart – One Spade.
Jump bids like 1♦ – 2♠ are not 2/1 bids.
This system, Two Over One Game Force, slows the auction down on game-going hands. This makes for better slam bidding because neither partner needs to jump just to keep the auction alive. In fact, once the game force is established, the slower you go, the more powerful a hand you are showing. The saying is, “Slow Shows”.
After a 2N! game-forcing raise or 2/1 bids, we must make sure we bid game. Neither party can pass short of it. “Bidding game” is a slight misnomer; you can stop in four of a minor even though that is not a game. However, this phrase is common bridge terminology so we will use it.
No Reverses After 2/1
First and foremost, after a 2/1 bid, there are no reverses:
1♥ – 2♣
2♠
does not show extras, just that we have at least four spades. So, we don’t necessarily bid 1♠ over 1♥. With a game-forcing hand we make a 2/1 bid with our longest suit. We can show the spades later, without worrying about reversing.
After A 2/1 Response¶
Once we have made a 2/1 game-forcing bid, if the opponents interfere we either will bid game or double them for penalty. In such a situation if one partner passes the other is forced to double or bid on.
Important
There are two styles of Two Over One. You are forced to choose whether:
(A) and (B) cannot both be true. Consider a 5=2=2=4 opener with 12 HCP. Say he opens 1♠ and hears responder say 2♦. He has neither six spades nor enough points to bid 3♣.
I’m going to teach what at the moment is the trend, (A). When I first started to write this book twenty years ago, it was decidedly (B), as popularized by Hardy. There are also divisions about whether 1♦ – 2♣ is a game-force; Lawrence, for example, says no. But this book will say yes.
The opener’s rebids after the game-forcing bid are:
Supporting responder’s hearts shows at least three hearts (because responder promised five). Not raising hearts denies support.
Rebid four cards in the other major when 5-4 in the majors. Remember, reverses are off, so 1♥ – 2♣ – 2♠ shows five hearts and four spades, but not extra values.
Supporting responder’s minor shows at least four cards or perhaps three strong ones. 2N is a option, see below. A jump-shift to the four level is a splinter in support of responder, such as 1♠ – 2♥ – 4♣! (club shortness in support of hearts).
A new suit at the two level is natural, 4 cards, any strength.
A new suit at the 3 level shows either extra length in the new suit or extra strength in the opener’s hand.
A simple rebid of opener’s major shows 12-14 HCP and a six-card suit.
A jump rebid to 3M shows extra values and a 6-card solid suit. This sets trumps. Responder’s new suit bids are control bids. E.g., 1♠ – 2♦ – 3♠ – 4♦; 4♦ here is a control bid in diamonds, denying a control in clubs.
2N shows 12-14 or 18-19 balanced. Opener does not promise stoppers in unbid suits. With 18-19 make a quantitative raise if responder signs off in 3N. Responder assumes 12-14 initially.
Opener always shows a five-card second suit. Opener shows a four-card suit except when he holds a minimal hand and the second suit would have to be bid at the three level. Example:
1♥ 2♦
3♣
This shows at least five clubs or it shows around 15 HCP. Lacking either of those, say a hand like ♠54 ♥AK985 ♦Kx ♣KT82, opener should bid 2N.
Responder Raises
A principle of 2/1 is “slow shows”, also called the principle of fast arrival. The stronger your hand, the slower you go. Arriving at game quickly in a game forcing auction says you’ve shown your values already. For example:
1♠ – 2♣
2♠ – 4♠
Responder has raised opener to game directly. This shows minimal values for game. But slow shows:
1♠ – 2♣
2N – 3♠ or
1♠ – 2♣
2♠ – 3♠
Responder has raised spades slowly. He has extras and has at least mild slam interest. In both cases responder has just three spades, as he would have bid Jacoby 2N on his first bid otherwise. Opener should now bid controls.
Fast arrival should apply only in situations where opener is a minimum, having rebid 2N or catchall rebid of his suit. If opener could be stronger, we don’t want to use up space by jumping; so when we do jump, as in 1♠ – 2♣ – 2♥ – 4♠, it is to paint a picture of our hand has having two suits with our values concentrated in the suits and denying outside controls (A/K/singleton/void). Specifically:
If opener has bid 2 of a lower-ranking suit, responder has 3 raises available for opener’s first suit. Fast arrival does not apply because opener is unlimited. For example:
1♠ – 2♣ – 2♥ – 2♠ (no extras)
1♠ – 2♣ – 2♥ – 3♠ (slam interest)
1♠ – 2♣ – 2♥ – 4♠ (picture bid) Two-suited, values concentrated in the suits, no outside controls.
No Fit To Opener’s First Suit
When no fit is established, responder’s second bid is as follows:
Raise opener’s second suit
2N shows 12-14 or 18-19 balanced, stoppers in unbid suits. Opener assumes 12-14 initially.
A jump to 3N shows 15-17, stoppers, could be unbalanced.
Repeating responder’s suit is natural, 5/6+ cards.
A new suit is natural, 4+ cards.
A jump in a new suit shows a singleton or void in that suit and support for opener’s last bid major suit. Thus:
1♠ – 2♣ – 2♠ – 4♦!
1♠ – 2♣ – 2N – 4♦!
1♠ – 2♣ – 3♣ – 4♦!
All show a splinter in diamonds in support of spades.
Normally responder does not jump in a 2/1 auction when there is no fit. Auctions where both hands are around 16 HCP have difficulty bidding slams. The 3N bid is reserved for this case and should be used sparingly.
Invitational Hands Without Support¶
With an invitational hand and no fit, bid 1N (forcing), and show the invitation on your next turn, usually with 2N or with three of a very good six-card suit; see Responder Continues above.
With six cards in a minor, you can instead jump to 3♣ or 3♦ at once; see Jump Shifts.
Jump Shifts¶
We follow the agreements in All About Jump-Shifts:
1M – 3♣ and 1M – 3♦ show six cards in the minor and an invitational hand. They are not forcing.
Other jump shifts, such as 1♥ – 2♠ or 1♠ – 3♥, are weak, and are alerted.
1♥ – 3♠ is not a jump shift; it is a splinter.
See also Soloway Jump-Shifts, a strong alternative.
Responding As A Passed Hand¶
Here are the responses if we are a passed hand and there was no interference.
If responder is a passed hand, the opener may have opened light and allowances must be made.
What Changes¶
Weak Hands
Pass with less than 6 HCP, although with four trump, or three trump to a high honor (A, K, or Q), you can choose to raise to 2M if your hand has some shape. Remember that with five trump we consider 4M as a preemptive raise. Because Drury takes over the limit raise, 3M becomes a new bid: a preemptive raise with four trump.
The reason is that if the opponents have half the points, they are going to get into the auction. Make it hard for them.
Hands Without A Raise
If you don’t have a raise:
If your partner opened 1♥, bid 1♠ if you have 6 (or more) HCP and 4 (or more) spades.
1N remains as the bid to show 6-9 HCP with no support.
If your hand is invitational you can bid it at the two-level; but beware, 2♣ is Drury. You’d have to decide if your clubs are good enough for 3♣ if you only have five of them. If not, bid 1N.
Bid 2N with a balanced hand and 11 or 12 points. With 10 HCP and no fit, it is probably best to treat the hand as a bad 10 and downgrade to bid 1N.
Note
Only the 2♣! Drury bid is forcing because you are a passed hand. In fact, the whole point of Drury is to give the responder a forcing raise.
Reverse Drury¶
If your hand is invitational, and you have three or more of your partner’s major, bid 2♣! (limit raise, 3 or more trump). This is a conventional bid called Reverse Drury, discussed below. The name Reverse Drury is usually shortened to just “Drury”.
If we had an invitational hand but it got better because we have a fit for partner’s major, we still just bid Drury. The limit raise is artificial so we’ll get another bid. Don’t just jump to game. Give partner a chance to admit he opened light. We can bid game on our next bid if he didn’t.
For example, Pass – 1♠ – 2♣! (Drury) – 2♠ says “I opened light, stop!”.
Reverse Drury is one of the expected conventions for a 2/1 player. Reverse Drury requires partnership agreement.
When 1M is opened in third or fourth seat, it may be light. Reverse Drury lets responder show a limit raise without getting too high by bidding 2♣! as a limit raise rather than 3M. Reverse Drury does not apply over interference.
Note that the natural 2♣ bid is no longer available, so a responder might have to bid 3♣ over 1M to show 10 points with 6 (or more) clubs and no support for the major. (Combined with 1♦ – 3♣ meaning the same thing, 3♣ as a response is always invitational and not forcing with 6 (or more) clubs).
Opener now reveals his strength:
2M Opener’s hand was substandard. Responder passes. We’re not at 3M, where we would have been without this convention.
2♦! (Opener had an honest opener).
3M! (Opener has 14 points).
In the original convention, 2♦, 2M, and 3M are the only possible responses. However, we extend the convention somewhat to allow the opener to in effect make a game try. When opener bids a suit other than 2M, opener is making a help-suit game try, and has a full opener. Responder may now bid game or stop at 3M.
Note: the “Reverse” in “Reverse Drury” is historical; when the convention was first suggested, the 2♦ response and the 2M response were swapped.
Add Reverse Drury to your partnership as soon as you feel you both can recognize it. You’ll have to regret the times someone misses it. Also played by many is the two-way version, in which 2♣! is a three-card limit raise and 2♦! is a 4 (or more)-card limit raise. See Two-Way Reverse Drury.
Hands That Revalued To Game-Going
If your hand was invitational but you have support for partner’s major, you might now have a game-going hand even if you were a passed hand. Fortunately, our instructions for invitational hands are to either bid Drury with no interference or to control-bid their suit with interference. Both of those alternatives will result in our getting another bid, so we can raise to game or splinter.
Jump Shifts By A Passed Hand¶
As a passed hand, 3♣ shows an invitational hand with six clubs (see above), as does 3♦ with six diamonds. Other jump shifts are discussed in All About Jump-Shifts.
See also Fit-Showing Jumps, which can also be used by a passed hand.
What Stays The Same¶
The simple raise to 2M, the 1♠ response to 1♥ with four spades, the preemptive raise to 4M, and splinters mean the same as for an unpassed hand.
Responding After Interference¶
After an overcall or a takeout double, the forcing 1N and the 2/1 game-forcing bids are off.
After A Takeout Double¶
To support after a double, simple raises remain the same, but stronger raises use Jordan 2NT, discussed next. A new bid, the redouble, shows 10+ points and denies a four-card raise. This means other 2-level bids are confined to 9 or fewer points.
See When They Make A Takeout Double and Going For Blood Redouble for more about the redouble.
Examples:
1♥ ( X) 2N!(Jordan) Limit raise or better, 4+ hearts. Forcing for one round.
1♥ ( X) XX 10+ HCP, forcing to 2♥. You have not denied 3-card support and will bid hearts next.
1♥ ( X) 2♣ 5 (or more) clubs, < 10 points.
Anything other than these bids would probably confuse your partner, but the general rule is their meaning is unchanged by the double.
Jordan 2NT¶
If the opener’s LHO makes a takeout double of a major, 2N! shows a limit raise or better with four trump.
1M – (X) – 2N! (four-card limit raise or better)
This bid is called Jordan 2NT (who popularized it in America) or Truscott 2NT (who invented it in 1954) or Dormer 2NT (who popularized it in Europe).
This bid shows four trump as in Jacoby 2NT; with 3 card support, one makes a “going for blood” redouble.
One of the competitive principles we use is that jumps in competition are weak. A notable exception is replying to your partner’s takeout double. Until we get to all that, just note that a bid of 3M here is a preemptive four-card raise.
See also Transfers After 1M (X) and Fit-Showing Jumps.
After An Overcall¶
Over an overcall, new suit bids basically show what they would have without the overcall. The 2/1 bids are off: a new suit at the two level shows 10+ points and a five-card suit, and is not game forcing; and it won’t be hiding 3-card support. You may not be able to make the bid you wanted to make because it would now be at the two level and you don’t have 10 points, or it would require five cards in the suit when you only have four.
We’ll learn the details about negative doubles and other competitive bids later to deal with those situations. Briefly, negative doubles work like this:
The auction starts 1♥ – (2♣). We had a hand that would have bid 1♠ but we only have four spades so we can’t bid 2♠. We make a negative double to tell partner of our distress.
The auction starts 1♦ – (1♠). Before we were so rudely interrupted we were going to bid 1♥ with our five hearts and 8 HCP. But now, 2♥ would show 10+ points, so we can’t bid that. The negative double says, partner, I have 4 (or more) hearts but either I’m not strong enough or I don’t have five hearts. Don’t worry, I have a plan if you bid clubs.
To raise an opening 1M after an overcall,
Raise to 2M with 6-10- and 3 (or more) cards. Holding Axxx of trump and a ruffing value is also enough.
A jump raise (e.g. 1M – 2♣ – 3M) is preemptive with four trump.
A jump to 4M shows a weak hand and 5 (or more) trump.
Cue-bid the overcalled suit to make a limit raise or better.
A jump cue-bid is a splinter in support of opener’s suit.
Without support, notrump bids deny support and are natural; they show a stopper in the overcalled suit:
2N is invitational with a balanced hand, and shows a stopper in their suit.
3N bids game, again with stoppers.
In this case, 1♠ (2♣) 3♣ is the limit raise. This lets opener sign off at 3♠ if he does not want to accept the invitation.
Examples:
1♠ – 3♠ would have meant a limit raise, but 1♠ (2♣) 3♠ is preemptive, 4 (or more) spades.
1♥ (1♠) 2♠! limit raise+ in hearts
1♥ (2♦) 2♥ 6-10- HCP, at least three hearts
1♥ (2♦) 3♥ weak hand, 4+ hearts
1♥ (1♠) 3♥ weak hand, 4+ hearts
1♥ (1♠) 4♥ weak hand, 5+ hearts
1♥ (1♠) 2N Invitational, balanced hand. This bid can be passed.
1♥ (2♦) 4♦ is a splinter in support of hearts.
1♥ (2♠) presents a quandary because the 3♠ cue-bid would force opener to game. If you have a suitable hand you might be able to make a negative double and come back to 3♥ to compete. A plain 3♥ should be treated as a good competitive hand; opener must realize that responder might be forced to stretch a little.
Side note for more advanced players: There is a nasty case when the opponents make a preemptive bid. Imagine your partner opens 1♥ and your RHO bids 2♠. Ugh. If we only have an invitational hand, the cue bid of 3♠ would force us to 4♥. We’re left with a guess, or possibly a double hoping partner bids 3 of a minor which you can then correct to 3♥. But technically that is a negative double showing both minors, so it risks partner doing something else like 3N or 4m.
By partnership agreement, you can make 2N a limit raise in this case. I call this Jordan All The Time (strictly my own name for it, as I’ve never seen another).
Absent any agreement 3♥ here is just a good competitive hand – you’re saying you think we can make that even if partner is an opener. With a minimal competitive hand you just pass or consider a negative double.
A cue bid that is forcing to game is still appropriate sometimes:
1♥ (2♠) 4♥ is a weak hand with five hearts
1♥ (2♠) 3♠ is a game force showing an opening hand or better.
See also Fit-Showing Jumps.
After A 1N Overcall¶
The standard meaning of a double of a 1N overcall is penalty, and shows 10+ points; see Is That Penalty?.
Otherwise, your normal defense to a 1N opener that you play is in effect.
After A Two-Suited Overcall¶
When the opponents make a two-suited overcall, such as a Michaels cue bid or an Unusual 2N, see General Defense to Two-Suited Bids.
Passed Hand And Interference¶
Reverse Drury does not apply over interference. A passed hand with a limit raise or better uses the same bids as an unpassed hand: Jordan 2NT or the redouble after a double, and a cue bid after an overcall. You can make the Going For Blood redouble even if you are a passed hand because it only requires 10 HCP.
Generally a passed hand is only forced to bid when an opener makes an explicitly forcing bid such as a reverse or a strong jump-shift or a cue bid.
Summary of Responses To 1M¶
What’s My Limit Raise?¶
To avoid confusion in the heat of battle, realize this: in any situation there is one and only one bid that shows a limit raise (or better). First, stop and revalue your hand in light of the fit, and then choose your raise. The “Limit raise” rows of the tables below show what to do to make a limit raise.
When they double or overcall, the bids that show at least a limit raise are artificial; this ensures that you will get to bid again, in case you have a game-forcing hand. (Even if a passed hand, your hand may have gotten better). When you have a three-card raise you begin with the redouble and show the raise next.
So, ask yourself, “What’s my limit raise?”. If you get that right, everything else will be easy.
Summary Tables¶
The summary tables for these responses are in Responses To 1M in the Summary Charts chapter.