After 1 - 1 your rebid is? Let's have a look at some other options: - show answer, K9 A spade can't be led without assuring declarer of a trick with the king. A suit that ranks higher on the Bidding Ladder than another suit. Conversely, bidding slowly toward the contract shows interest in bidding more. Well Little Bear, they're actually asking about the strength required for certain bids. An overcall at a higher level than necessary showing a weak hand with a long suit. Every bid fits into one category or the other. Forcing declarer to repeatedly ruff so that declarer eventually runs out of trumps and loses control of the play. The card led to the first trick. For example: 1 -1 -1 or 1 -1 -2 . In standard methods, a high-low signal shows an even number of cards; a low-high signal shows an odd number. A way to get from one hand to the opposite hand. When we open one-of-a-suit, our possible point range is quite wide (12-21). Responder skipped over hearts to bid on the one level. This rebid is called a "jump-shift". A suit that has not yet been bid during the auction. An opening suit bid at the two level, other than 2, to show a long suit, typically six cards, with less than the values for an opening bid at the one level. Leading a low card from a suit in which you hold the ace. show answer, AJ952 After 1 - 1 your rebid is? A popular guideline when playing third to a trick is to play as high as necessary to win the trick for the partnership. INVITATIONAL BIDS-- Encouraging, but not forcing. It can be used by responder after an opponent overcalls to show a fit with opener's suit and by advancer after partner overcalls to show a fit with partner's suit. 1NT. The principle that bidding quickly to a contract shows no interest in going any higher. KJ9 Of course, the major downside (other than forgetting) is that the partnership can't play in a 2 contract after a 1 opening. 3NT over 1 /. with 9 combined trumps, compete to the 3 level9 tricks). AJ53 When taking sure tricks or promoting winners in suits that are unevenly divided between the hands, it's usually a good idea to start by playing the high cards from the hand with the fewer cards. For example, dummy has the K-Q and declarer is void. K2 A trick won by declarer in excess of the number required to make the contract. Q973 Pass otherwise. A deal on which both sides can make a game contract. KT52 An opening bid of 2 to show a minimum opening bid with four spades and five or more hearts. A method of hand valuation, which assigns points for high cards held and for distribution. If Responder wants to choose Opener's first suit, she has to bid on the three level. An artificial bid of 4NT after a trump suit has been agreed to ask for the number of aces held. 1. A defensive signal showing an odd or even number of cards in a suit. After 1 - 2 your rebid is? A defensive play which promotes a trump card into a winning trick. Predictably a sign-off bid often follows a limit bid . When each member of the partnership has poor support for the long suits shown by partner and there is no eight-card or longer combined trump suit. AKQJT I don't claim to be one of the top players, but I do understand how slowly beginners need to go when they are trying to learn how to play bridge. An ace or void is a 'first-round' control; a king or a singleton is a 'second-round' control. KJT62 1!s is 14-16 balanced or 11-15 unbalanced. Since the one spade bidder may hold no HCPs and two spades would confirm no interest the three spade bid must be invitational (about 6-8) and can be passed. A game-invitational action that shows a singleton or void in a side suit. An overcall at the minimum available level. Use of the Stayman convention after a rebid of 1NT or 2NT by opener to check if the partnership has an eight-card major suit fit. So why would Opener bid a suit where there can be no fit? The idea is to make declarer use two honors to capture one of yours. (our 16-17 + Partner's 8 = 24-25) Now what does that mean, exactly?". Preemptive bids are implemented by . When your side is non-vulnerable and the opponents are vulnerable. After a major suit fit has been found KQ52 Q5 By opener (16-18 pts. High cards that are favorably placed. A guideline to lead the suit led by partner on gaining the lead. A holder, usually of metal or plastic, used to preserve the cards as originally dealt. Some sequences are different and may be confusing: *responder bids 2H with invitational values (16-18) or a stronger hand to be defined later in the auction. show answer, QJ7 A preemptive bid is an opening bid or overcalling bid in your long suit. m s t r-m nd ing) tr. "forcing"), and after a minor opening that could be fewer than three cards ("may be short"). No part of this website may be copied, displayed on another website, or distributed in any way without permission from the author. A variation of Garbage Stayman in which responder's bid of 2 after a 2 reply is weak and non-forcing with at least four cards in each major suit. But we still have to determine how high to bid based on the combined strength of the two hands. An artificial opening bid of 2 to show a strong hand of about 22 or more points if balanced or 9 or more tricks if unbalanced. show answer, You know there is no spade fit because Responder skipped over a 1 response when she bid 2. A defensive convention after an opponent's 1NT opening (Double=Penalty; 2=One-suiter; 2=Both majors; 2=Hearts and minor; 2=Spades and minor; 2NT=Both minors). With 10 high-card points plus 2 length points for the six-card suit, we have enough to make an invitational jump to 3 , an old suit at the three level. It would be better for North to become declarer so that East cannot lead a heart without giving North a trick with the K. QJT7 The partner who is in the best position to decide How High and Where the partnership belongs. 1999 - 2023Bridge with Larry Cohen-by. A contract that does not receive a game bonus if made. A consensus bidding system based on the preferences of North American experts. For example, ace=1, ace-king=2, king=1/2. A jump shift is typically used to show a strong hand, although the partnership can have other agreements. So: Since Mr. Hardy first published his 2/1 texts, other bridge professionals have advocated that jump shifts by responder be played as invitational, about 10-12 HCP and a good 5-card or 6-card suit. See also 'balancing position'. It is usually bid to imply shortness or weakness elsewhere. For example: AJ8642, as opposed to AJ10987. Jumps in opener's suit are invitational, showing 4+ card fit and a game invite hand. Responder can relay with 2 or start a Game Force with 2. Same as trumping. Play a trump to a trick when holding no cards in the suit led. A jump overcall to the two level typically shows a six-card suit; a jump to the three level typically shows a seven-card suit. Bidding box - a device containing all possible bridge bids which all duplicate bridge players must use to communicate their calls during the auction; the use of bidding boxes reduces the possibility of cheating, which can occur if players are allowed to make verbal calls and make their bids using certain intonations. With extra length, bid your suit an extra time. Q2 The event is the first day (of 2 days) of the District 6 Open North American Pairs to see who wins the trips to represent the district, so the field is pretty good. A variation of Drury where opener's rebid of the major at the two level shows a minimum hand. The forcing notrump is a bidding convention in the card game of bridge . A slang term for an extremely strong hand in the context of the auction. With other raises the non forcing aspect is less obvious. "15 to 17"), after a transfer bid to hearts or spades ("transfer"), after a forcing or semi-forcing 1NT response (e.g. Q9743 A8632 8 42 2. The number of cards held in each suit in a player's hand. When partner has led the fourth highest card in a suit, subtracting the card from eleven gives the number of higher cards in the remaining three hands. The level at which the contract should be played. A trick which might be lost to the opponents. Invitational Bids The following is my partnership structure for finding major-suit fits without Smolen. It can also be used to ask partner to bid a suit. However, East is going to make some decision, so he has to make some assumptions (e.g. A double made by a player in the pass out position. A raise of partner's suit to the minimum available level. An acronym for Double Even Pass Odd, a method for showing aces after interference over Blackwood. 2 A3 So playing standard methods we have: - Hand 7 Hand 8 With Hand 7 partner has opened 2 . Q In notrump, the highest-ranking card played in the suit led wins the tricks. "I will be with you, whatever". An unnecessarily high card played with deceptive intent by declarer or a defender. AK53 It's a bidding convention and agreement used in a game of contract bridge and is based on an opening bid of 1 club, which is an artificial forcing bid promising a strong hand. It is most akin to what is called Yellow Card. Discarding a card that must be lost on a losing trick in another suit. The number of cards held in a suit. A bonus score awarded in rubber bridge for holding four or more honors in the trump suit, or all four aces in a notrump contract. With an invitational raise, you cannot temporize with two of a new suit; you must give a direct limit raise (four . Deliberately overbidding to a contract that is not expected to make in the hope that the penalty will be less than the value of the opponents' potential contract. This is not a popular agreement among most experienced players. The relay is typically the lowest available bid, leaving as much room for the description as possible. For example: KQ109, J108. Whether a bid is forcing, invitational or signoff. . AJ6 When Partner raises our 1 or 1 opening, we know we will play in that suit. International Match Points. (14+19 = 33, th e points required for Small Slam in No Trumps) If opener has 12 or 13 points he passes. AK2 For example, using the same conventions when advancing a 1NT overcall that you use when responding to a 1NT opening bid. A raise of partner's suit or notrump bid that asks partner to continue to game or slam with maximum strength. Otherwise, pass. The number of cards held in each suit by a particular player; the number of cards held in a particular suit by the partnership. Jacoby transfers can also be used after notrump overcalls or higher-level notrump opening bids. An artificial forcing bid in a suit bid by the opponents. show answer, AJ73 K87 Another term for vulnerability. This hand is from Judgment at bridge by Lawrence. Three clubs is limited and therefore the raise is only invitational. We will learn a new stopgap bid covers certain hands with invitational values, the forcing Notrump. A deal on which both sides can make a partscore contract. A scoring format in team play in which each deal is scored as 1 point for a win, 1/2 point for a tie, and 0 for a loss. We've already looked at jumping in NT with a balanced hand of 18-19 points. A combined holding of eight or more cards will usually be a suitable trump fit. Two or more cards in sequence in the same suit, such as J10 or 109. show answer, AKQT82 A3 Using AJ763 The two players seated opposite each other at the table. The Gambling 3NT opening or overcall is a good descriptive bid. Bridge bidding can be an intricate dialogue between partners, trying to find ways to show Minimum, Maximum and Invitational values, yet Keep It Simple, Sweetheart: KISS. After 1 - 1 your rebid is? Remember you are always trying to push your opponents to the highest level contract. A card held by one of the players that will win a trick when it is played. Select a reason and click "Flag Post" to flag this for review. The lowest level at which the auction can start. When your hand is so strong that any response from Partner, even on only 6 points, tells you there is enough total strength in the partnership to make a game (based on 24+ points), you make a bid to tell Partner the good news. The conventional use of responder's double of an opponent's overcall as a takeout double rather than a penalty double. show answer. All rights reserved. Starting with the player on lead, each player contributes a card in clockwise rotation. The suit, or notrump, specified in a bid. A play to prevent a particular opponent from gaining the lead. We add Partner's points to our own and we get a two-point range for the total points in the partnership. A bid of the opponents' suit asking partner to bid notrump with a stopper in that suit. With 4 and 4, respond 2 to Stayman. For example, an ace is one quick trick; an ace and king in the same suit are two quick tricks. The partnership hand with fewer cards in a specific suit. The only point ranges a balanced hand might have after opening one-of-a-suit are 12-14 points or 18-19 points. A3 Whichever side lets the opponents play in their game contract will suffer a large loss, letting the opponents get a game bonus when they could have received a game bonus. 7 A bridge deal with all four hands face up. A contract to take twelve or thirteen tricks. To draw a random card from a face-down pack of cards; to divide the deck into approximately two equal halves and place the bottom half on the top. A favorable division of the missing cards. The call of 3 spades also contains 5 spades and 5 hearts, but this time responder insists that game be bid. A strong holding of two or three high cards, typically in a short suit. The player in a position to make the final call when the opponents are winning the auction. In general, when playing second to the trick, play low. "Gentlemen, when the barrage lifts." 9th battalion, King's own Yorkshire light infantry, 2000 years earlier: "morituri te salutant". KQ4 An artificial 2 response to an opening bid of 1 or 1 in third or fourth position asking whether opener has a light opening bid. For example: 4-3-3-3 represents four cards in any suit and three cards in each of the others. Invitational bids generally occur after limit bids and invites partner to bid again if they are at the top of their point range. Combined partnership holding in a suit. In response to a 1NT opening, a bid of 2 asks opener to bid 2 and 2 asks opener to bid 2. Perhaps the most important concept for rebids is this: We call these two types of bids non-forcing bids (NF) and forcing bids (F). The conventional use of a responder's bid of a previously unbid minor suit as artificial and forcing after opener's 1NT rebid. After 1 - 1 your rebid is? The distribution of the cards to the four players. A reverse shows an invitational hand or better, and is forcing for one round. Responder's 2 relay is used to either place the contract in 2, or to be followed by an invitational bid. Format in which two or more partnerships play the same deals. Potential winners in one hand that cannot be reached from the other hand. A format of the game in which one team sits a pair North-South at one table and East-West at a second table to play against another team that sits its pairs in the opposing directions. Conventional plays made by the defenders to give each other information. KQJ63 KJ32 A scheme of major suit responses where a jump raise to the three level is preemptive, 3 shows a limit raise, and 3 shows a constructive four-card raise. A card which can be led to a winner (entry) in the opposite hand. A bid made after the opponents have opened the bidding. Also called Dormer or Jordan. show answer, QJ AK97 The cards held by one player. A suit in which the first side to lead the suit sacrifices a trick. One of the top four cards in a suit: ace, king, queen, or jack. A jump raise of opener's suit typically shows invitational values (10-12 points). Other bridge professionals have retained the jump shift by responder as a game force. This is a perfectly good auction, but there is a risk. An artificial response of 2 to an opening bid of 1NT, asking if opener has a four-card major suit. KQJ63 An early form of the game that introduced bidding to determine the denomination of the contract. An artificial bid of 4NT after a trump suit has been agreed to ask for the number of aces held. A conventional double jump in a new suit to show support for partner's suit and a singleton or void in the bid suit. A defensive carding signal to let partner know whether you want a particular suit led. A suit in which high cards in partner's hand would be useful. The suits are ranked in order during the bidding: spades are highest, then hearts, diamonds and clubs. The responder can bid 2 to force opener to bid 2. Typically, the cuebid of an opponent's minor-suit opening shows both major suits and the cuebid of an opponent's major suit opening shows the other major suit and an unspecified minor suit. The use of a double in a competitive auction as a game try when no other call is available. After this, responder can pass to play there, or make an invitational bid (such as 2, which would promise at least 5 hearts). A double made with the expectation of defeating the opponents' contract. A play that forces an opponent to discard an essential card. Q865 Promises at least one 4-card major and an invitational hand. Points scored for making a part score, game, or slam or for defeating the opponents' contract. Partner raises you to 4 . The suit can be ruffed (trumped) in one hand while a loser can be discarded (sluffed) from the other hand. The major exception is "cover an honor with an honor" (which also has exceptions). After 1 - 1 your rebid is? It is used when a direct double would be for takeout, not for penalty. They ask each other questions like, 'Do you play reverses?' show answer, AJ932 The order in which bids can be made, starting with 1 and ending with 7NT. A method of displaying the bidding and play on a screen for viewing by an audience. 3 Your 2 rebid shows 12-15 points. The valuation assigned to long suits in a hand: five-card suit, 1 point; six-card suit, 2 points; seven-card suit, 3 points; eight-card suit, 4 points. Also called Dormer or Truscott. It results in a guideline for competitive auctions: The partnership should generally compete to a level corresponding to the number of combined trumps held by the partnership (e.g. A trick that may eventually have to be lost but that the opponents can't immediately take upon gaining the lead. show answer, QT54 A bid that is less than that warranted by the strength of the hand. 3) Extra Tricks Needed. A slang term for singletonone card in a suit. People who insist on specific numbers of point in explanations will also call for redress when the actual count of the hand (without adjustments for judgement) does not match the numbers given. A bid after partner has made a penalty double, expecting you to pass. Should he tell them what he assumes too? Support - GI+ if 3H is preemptive 1st chance to bid after partner opens 1. Usually used in competitive auctions. Summary for after Partner raises to 2 or 2 (4-point range) Before looking at these hands you may want to review how to count points. A combined holding in a suit between the partnership hands. The conventional use of a jump to 2NT by responder after opener's suit has been doubled for takeout to show a limit raise or better in opener's suit. KJ2 When developing tricks through promotion or length, declarer needs to keep an entry to the hand that will have the established winners. For example, when Partner raises 1 to 3, she will have 10-11 points with spade support. A suit strong enough to name as trumps without support from partner; a suit with no losers. KQ7632 . Example 1: Opener bids 1C/1D and partner responses 1H (or 1S) promising 4+ cards: With 4 card support for partner's major: Bidding 2H shows a minimum hand (12-15 points); Bidding 3H shows an invitational hand (16 - 18); Responder should bid game with 8-9 + points and should pass with only 6-7 points. Used as a guideline for whether to open in fourth position. It's used when the partnership has enough strength for slam but wants to assure that two aces aren't missing. AQJ7 ): 1NT . I don't think you'll have any trouble after you see a few examples. A single raise of opener's major suit showing the upper end of the minimum range, about 8-10 points. A guideline on how much a partnership can afford to overbid on the assumption the contract will be doubled but the opponents can make at least a game. When an honor is led by declarer or from dummy and you have a higher honor, a popular defensive guideline is to cover (play) your honor. The fourth player to have the chance to make a call. As an opening bid or an overcall, it is usually made with a long suit and a weak hand by skipping one or more levels of the auction. The sum of the high-card points plus the number of spades in a hand. An agreement to lead the middle card from three low cards, planning to follow by playing the highest card (Up) to show that the lead was not from a doubleton. A popular guideline when playing second to a trick after a low card has been led is to also play a low card, keeping high cards to capture the opponents' high cards. Playing the trump suit until the opponents have none left. As with any convention, the partnership must decide if this is on in competition (I recommend NO) or by a Passed Hand (I recommend NO). After failing to find a major suit fit, notrump is our next priority.