Bidding Guide 2Z09 by Richard Pavlicek

Rebids by Responder

After a One-Heart or One-Spade Rebid

West 1 1

East 1  ?

With 4+ card trump support
6-10 points	raise to 2	N
11+ points	raise to 3	F
With 4+ cards in unbid suit (unbalanced)
6-10 points	bid 1 with 4+ spades	F
11+ points	bid suit at cheapest level	F
With 6+ cards in your original suit
6-10 points	bid 2 of your suit	N
11+ points	bid 3 of your suit	F
With a stopper in the unbid suit
6-10 HCP	bid 1 NT	N
11+ HCP	bid 2 NT	F
With 3 card trump support
6-10 points	pass or bid 2 of minor	N

This applies in either of opener’s 2 suits, but a minor-suit raise may be rejected to bid notrump or a 6+ card major.

Responder’s second-round jump bids cover a wide range, which reduces the accuracy of standard bidding. For advanced players, there are two good conventions — “fourth suit forcing” and “new minor forcing” — to correct this. Using FSF and NMF, I recommend that all second-round jump bids show 13+ points, so with 11-12 points responder must bid the fourth suit or a new minor as a waiting move.

Partner should pass or correct to 2 . This special case is an exception to the new-suit-forcing rule by responder.

If hearts, only 3 trumps are needed, and a raise to 2  shows 11-12 points since you should raise the first time with 6-10.

In the case of hearts you may raise with any 2 cards. Also, a raise to 4  is limited to 13-16 points (sign-off).

After a One-Notrump Rebid

West 1 1 NT

East 1  ?

With a balanced hand
6-10 points	pass
11-12 points	bid 2 NT	I
13-17 points	bid 3 NT	S
With 5+ spades and 4+ hearts
6-10 points	bid 2	N
11+ points	bid 3	F
With 4+ cards in an unbid suit
11+ points	bid 2 of unbid suit	F
With 6+ cards in your original suit
11+ points	bid 3 of your suit	F
With 4+ card trump support
6-12 points	raise to 2	N
13+ points	raise to 3	F
With 5+ cards in your original suit
6-10 points	bid 2 of your suit	N

After a Rebid in the Same Suit (1-over-1 response)

West 1 2

East 1  ?

With 4+ cards in unbid suit (unbalanced)
11+ points	bid unbid suit	F
With 6+ cards in your original suit
6-10 points	bid 2 of your suit	N
11+ points	bid 3 of your suit	F
With unbid suits stopped (no major fit)
10-12 HCP	bid 2 NT	I
13-16 HCP	bid 3 NT	N
With 3+ trumps or Q-x or better
11-12 points	raise to 3	I
13+ points	raise to 4	F
With any other hand
6-10 points	pass

After a New Minor Rebid (1-over-1 response)

West 1 2

East 1  ?

With 4+ cards in unbid suit (unbalanced)
11+ points	bid unbid suit	F
With 6+ cards in your original suit
6-10 points	bid 2 of your suit	N
11+ points	bid 3 of your suit	F
With unbid suit stopped (no major fit)
10-12 HCP	bid 2 NT	I
13-16 HCP	bid 3 NT	N
With 4+ in opener’s 2nd suit (no major fit)
10-12 points	raise to 3	I
13+ points	raise to 4	F
With 3+ cards in opener’s 1st suit
11+ points	raise to 3 (jump)	F
With any other hand
6-10 points	pass or preference	N

With equal or greater length in partner’s first suit give a preference at the 2 level. Otherwise pass his second suit.

After a One-Notrump Response

West 1 2

East 1 NT  ?

General guidelines
Any bid you make (including an unbid suit) is natural and nonforcing. Usually you will simply pass or give a preference to partner’s 1st suit.

After a Two-over-One Response

West 1 2

East 2  ?

General guidelines
Any nonjump bid below game (except an unbid suit) shows 11-12 points and is invitational. Any jump bid shows 13+ points and is forcing if below game. A bid in an unbid suit is forcing.