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The Social Bridge Club Novices Bridge 4 New Responses to a 1 in a Suit Opening Bidding Priorities The Skip Over principle The Forcing for One Round principle Opener's replies Which suit to bid first Developing a long suit Practice Materials Novices Guide 4 - 5 - 10

To find the highest scoring contract on a Deal bidding priorities after Partner's Opening bid of 1 in a suit are :

1. Raise Partner's major suit (♥ or ♠) (with 3+card trump support)

2. Bid a new suit

3. Bid NT

4. Raise Partner's minor suit (♣ or ♦) as a last resort

The following Diagram shows the range of Responses in order of their priority.

Note that all bids of a new suit have no upper points limit.

Following these bidding priorities ensures that you only end up playing a 'cheap' minor suit contract when the more profitable options (in NT, ♥ or ♠) are not feasible.

The Opening bids of 1♥ and 1♠ promise at least 5 cards in the suit bid.
They explore the possibility of finding a 5 + 3 = 8 card trump fit.

After the Opening bid of 1 in a suit all following bids of a new suit by the Responer as well as the Opener, promise 4 cards in the suit bid.
This enables the Partnership to find a 4 + 4 = 8 card trump fit.

4-card suits are bid up the line.
Skipping a suit in the suits order denies having 4 cards in that suit.
For example :

1. 1♣ - 1♦ : shows 4 (or more) ♦s

2. 1♣ - 1♥ : shows 4 (or more) ♥s and denies having 4 ♦s

3. 1♦ - 1NT : denies having 4 cards in ♥ and ♠

After a Limit bid has been made by either player the forcing for one round condition ends. Either player now may pass at any time he considers it appropriate to do so.

After a new suit Response to a One in a Suit Opening the Opener has four options for his next bid.

1. Raise Partner's major suit - with 4-card trump support.
   • 1♣ - 1♥ - 2♥   =   13-15 pts :   a single raise
   • 1♣ - 1♥ - 3♥   =   16-18 pts :   a jump raise
   • 1♣ - 1♥ - 4♥   =   19-21 pts :   a raise to Game

2. Bid a new suit - with no trump support for Partner's major.
   • 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦   =   13-21 pts :   new suit up the line
   • 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♦   =   13-21 pts :   second 5-card suit

3. Bid No Trumps - with a balanced hand and no trump support for Partner's major suit.
   • 1♣ - 1♥ - 1NT   =   13-15 pts
   • 1♣ - 1♥ - 3NT   =   19-21 pts.

4. Rebid your own long suit - showing one card more in that suit than promised previously.
   • 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♥   =   13-15 pts :   a single rebid, now showing 6 hearts
   • 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♥   =   16-18 pts :   a jump rebid, showing 6 hearts
   • 1♥ - 1♠ - 4♥   =   19-21 pts :   a Game bid, with ♥ K Q J 10 x x or better

Usually you hold a hand with a couple of 4-card suits only. But hands with longer suits do occur.   The rules to bidding such hands correctly are :

1. With 4432 and 4441 hands :   bid your 4-card suits up the line.

2. With 54 . . , 64 . . , 65 . . :   bid your longestsuit first.

3. With 55 . . and 66 . . :   bid your higher ranking suit first.

Only when holding 6-10 points you may rebid your 5+card suit if you can not bid your second suit at the 1-level.   For example

with : ♠ K 10 9 6 4   ♥ 7   ♦ K Q 8 5   ♣ 6 3 2
you are to weak to bid your diamonds at the 2-level, and you must bid 2♠ showing 5 spades and 6-10 pts.

with : ♠ K 10 9 6 4   ♥ 7   ♦ K Q 8 5   ♣ A 3 2
you are strong enough to bid 2♦ showing 5 spades, 4+ diamonds and 11+ pts.

More often than not your sure winners in a No Trump contract do not add up to all the tricks you need to fulfil your contract. Usually you have to develop some additional tricks to get there.
In such cases remember two important things :

1. your longest suit (in the combined hands) usually provides the best option of developing extra tricks, even if several of the Honour cards are missing.

2. develop your extra tricks first, before you cash all your sure winners.
   The sure winners in your hand ensure that you keep control of the game when you lose some early tricks in the suit from which you develop extra tricks.

The following hand contains 6 sure winners, not enough for your contract of 3NT.
Where do the extra tricks come from ?

From the Clubs of course.
You hold all ten cards in the suit from the Jack downwards. Only three cards are missing, the Ace, King and Queen. According to the statistics these three cards will be divided 2-1 between your two Opponents 78% of the time.

Therefore after gaining the opening lead (play low in Dummy with a Spade or Heart lead, the Ace with a Diamond lead), play immediately the Jack of Clubs. If both Opponents follow suit, lead Clubs again after regaining the lead, and four extra Club tricks are established.

If only one player follows suit on the first Club lead, you need to reassess your strategy. Much depends on what suit the Opponents are leading next, however you still have an excellent chance of making your contract.

Facts sheet 4 - Quiz 4 - Quiz Answers - Memory Exercise 3 - Memory Exercise 4

Practice for hands with NT responses

• Print out of Deals 9-12 - Bidding & Play

• Solo Bidding : Lesson deals 9-12 - Practice deals 25-36

• Trick by trick : 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |

• Example hands : 13-16