ModernBridge

Strong Bids,
RESPONSES and REBIDS

Summary

1

Bob McConnell, 2016 Strong Bids Summary

STRONG HANDS BIDDING

Strong 2 Opening

Two Clubs is the only bid used to open hands of 21+ points, regardless of any real suit. Typically, opener starts with Two Clubs and bids a real suit or NT on the second round.

2 NT Openings.20 or 21HCP balanced hands are opened 2 NoTrump.Balanced hands with 22+HCP are opened 2and 2NT is bid next. [2♣ - P - x – P 2NT …]

Opening with 21 or more HCP means opener is within a few points of game in hand, and so
2is almostgame forcing. Responder must keep the bidding open until game is reached, supporting opener’s suit whenever possible. (One exception exists. See below.)

Responses to Two Clubs Opening

- 2. Artificialbut not alertable.Responder’s initialresponseof 2showsone or more Aces or Kings - - not HCP, but primary honorswith any number of HCP. Game Forcing, too.

[2 – P – 2 ...] A game force exists after a 2response,without exception. The reason for this treatment is that Aces and Kings help opener visualize slam, whereas Queens and Jacks - simple HCP - do not. To a 2opener, is 4 points in Queens and or Jacks of equal value to an Ace? An Ace can make a slam: 2 Queens may not.

See below for continuations after a 2response: it is game forcing.

- 2.Artificialalertable,denying any Ace or King.This is the exception noted above- - responder can pass anyrebid by opener. [2 – P – 2* ...]. No game force now exists, but respondermight have a fewHCP in Queens and Jacks andcould bid again to get to game, but she doesn’t promise to do so.

Opener’s Rebids over a 2*response.Opener willrebid her real suit or jump to game if it appears likelyfacing a dummy with no Ace or King. Afteropener rebids, responder may pass, regardless. This means opener’s rebid must be where she wants to play the hand. Responder willraise opener’s suit to game if at all possible, with 2 or 3+ trumps and a few HCP or some useful distribution. But she may pass, too.
[2 – P – 2* – P 2 – P – 4 …] this weak responder has 2 or 3 Spade cards and afew useful HCP in Queens and Jacksor a
shortage with 3+ trumps to ruff losers.

[2 – P – 2* – P 2 – P – P…] this weak responder has 0 or 1 Spade cards and no or few useful HCP in Queens and Jacks or a
flat hand with no ruffing values in Spades.

Responder’s Rebid after an initial 2♥no Ace or King response: Responder shouldn’t pass opener’s rebid if at all possible. If she can’t raise opener, responder can bid another suit as a stopper,showing points in Queens and Jacks,headingfor a Notrump contract.However, responder mustnever bid NoTrump, regardless.

[2 – P – 2* – P 2 – P – 3 …] A Diamond stopper (♦ QJ95)and a few HCP.

Other Responses. There are no other responses -- 2 shows an Ace or a King+; or
2, deniesone: it’s notabout HCP. It’s a partnership agreement: a very good,uncomplicated one.

Opener continuations after a 2 Response.After a 2 response – a 100% game force, right? - opener bids her suit or 2 NoTrump (not 3NT) and responder then supports opener’s suit or bids another suitas a stopper or bids Transfer responses to 2NT. Responder never bids NoTrump because she “hasn’t any other bid” or for any other reason. Opener should become the declarer 96% of the time or more: It’s called “right-siding-the-contract”. Do you want your 23 HCP laying on the table?

- 2NT. [2– P – 2 – P 2NT …]An openinghand with NoTrump distributionandmore than 21 HCP. Stayman and Jacoby Transfer sequences may follow, or a raise to 3NTby a flat responder, or higher (4NT RKCB) given a strong responder.

- 3NT. Not Recommended: Why deny responder the ability to use Stayman and Jacoby Transfers? There’s a game force in effect regardless, so responder can’t pass below game. There’s not a closeout. If you insist on rebidding 3NT, then let transfers be in effect at the 4-level; the 2♦ responder could have 6 good Spades, right?

- Suit Rebids. To show a major suit after a 2response, opener has a choice of bidding at the 2-level, the 3-level or the 4-level. Because of theexistence of a game-forcing auction, she mustuse these 3 bids to show theses 3 different suits:

- - 2 or 2. An average 5-card suit. Important: an average 5+-card suit: not a
powerhouse. 2♣openers don’t have to have powerhouse suits.

Responder should raise to 4 with a weakish hand and 3+ card support, suggesting a final contract. With a better hand and 3+ card support, responder could raise to 3 or 3 - not jump to game: Important: it leaves the 4-level open for control-showing cue bids. Without 3+ card support, responder should bid another suit (not NT),showing a stopper and heading toward 3NT.

E.g.: [2 – P – 2 – P 2 – P – 3 …]No Heart support or Spade stopper by responder, but a Club stopper and some game going HCP, including an Ace or King, remember? Stoppers up-the-line, as usual: so this responder does not have a Spade stopper: An important distinction. Pay attention.

- - 3 or 3. This is the strongestpossible suit rebid, showing a solid 6+ card suit.

Responder raises to game with 2+ card support or bids another suit to show a stopper if lacking 2 card support, or, in some cases, bids RKCB if slam is a probability.[2 – P – 2* – P 3– P – 4NT(RKCB in Hearts) …]

- - 4 or 4. Shows a hand that opened with less than normal2high-card strength, but with a 9+ trick hand in Hearts or Spades.It’s the weakest rebid: it’s not strong because it’s a jump to game. This is a scam sequence: opener (probably non-vulnerable) could have opened 4♥ or 4♠, but chose to confuse opponents with a 2♣ opener: IT’S LEGAL; providing you have 8.5 tricks in your own hand as opener, and it’s written on your convention card as well. “22+ HCP or 8.5 QT’s” Do it !

Responder should pass, without exception.

- - 3 or 3. Occasionally, opener will not be able to bid NoTrump or a major suit and will rebid a minor suit. This is the start of a search for a NT contract – not a minor suit game or slam.

Responder should bid stoppers up-the-line. Responder shouldnever bid NoTrump, even if she has to bid the fourth suit to force opener to bid 3NT. [2 – P – 2 – P 3– P – 3 …]. Responder denies a Diamond stopper, but has a Heart stopper, but not a Heart suit necessarily, but a Heart stopper.

Continuations Toward Slam. Since opener usually has 21+ points, a responder with 10+ points or some exceptional feature - a side suit void, for example - should push toward a slam. When controls in all suits are in place, solid side-suits reduce the Small slam and Grand slam HCP requirement, because losers can be pitched on the side suit, or ruffed in case of a singleton or void in a side suit.

Slam Bidding

Bidding good slams is not a function of how well you use any form of Blackwood. Good bidding of slams or any other contract requires disciplined use of everystrong bid. Reverses, Jump Rebids and other strength-showing bids, by opener or responder or bothshouldsuggest a slam is possible before committing to slam by bidding Blackwood: don’t do it as your first step toward Slams in most cases: that’s amateur city. When partner can rely on your strong bids, she can accurately judge if a slam is possible. If you bid erratically with strong hands or make “closeout game bids on a “hunch”, you’ll miss slams because partner won’t trust you to have what you bid. (and she’ll be looking for a new partner soon, too.)

Regular 4NT Blackwood is Wholesale. Once the likelihood of a slam exists, either partner can initiateAce-asking 1430 Blackwood. Blackwood in any form is for preventing slam bids missing two Aces or the AK of anyside suit; it’s not for determining slam strength. BTW, you shouldn’tinitiate a slam inquiry with xx in any suit. Do you want to lose the 1st two tricks in that suit? Opponents have a nasty habit of listening closely to your auctions: Jerks!

Cue Bids - - thebetterway to goslamming. Once a strain (a suit or NT) has been agreed upon and the contract is or will be at least game, the bid of any other suit is Ace-showing and shows slam interest. [1 – P – 3 – P 4 – P – 4– P 5 . . .].

In this example, 4showsthe Ace and indicates slam interest by responder. If opener wasn’t interested, she would have just bid 4over 4♣. Instead, she showed the ♠A, below their solid 5 ♥ solid Heart game, and forcing to a 6♥ Slam at least.

Responder then bids her cheapest Ace (Spades) and the auction continues toward Slam or,as in this example, stops at 5, apparently missing the Ace and possibly the King too.

Ace-showing cue bids can often keep the bidding at or below the 5-level in case either partner backs away from slam, as in this example. 4NT is NOT a slam commitment.

Example Cue-bidding sequences:

N / E / S / W
2 / P / 2 / P / Typical first two bids by a 2♣ opener and responder.
2
4
 / P
P
P / 3
4
P / P
P
P / Opener bidsaverage Spades and responder supports them strongly.
Club and Diamond cue bids point the way to a 6, bid by the opener without using Blackwood. She’s not worried about Hearts obviously: the♥Ace or Heart void, maybe?
2 / P / 2 / P / Typical first two bids by opener and responder.
3 / P / 4NT / P / Opener shows a 6+ cardsolid Heart suit. Responder initiates RKBC – unusual but no one is in charge except whomever has critical information… not always the 2♣ opener.
5 / P / 7NT / All Pass / Opener shows 3controls(using 1430 RKCB) and responder, with 15+ points and 2 controls, bids a NT Grand Slam – not Hearts at a Pairs events. 7 ♥ loses to 7NT at Pairs, remember?

Roman Key Card Blackwood – 1430 Style

Showing Aces. Roman Key Card Blackwood considers that there are 5 “Aces” rather than 4.
The 5th “Ace” is the King of trumps in a suit contract.Example responses to 4NT RKCB:

5(1 or 4 Aces) – the “14” part of 1430 [… 4NT – P – 5♣ …]

5(3 or 0 Aces) – the “30” part of 1430 [… 4NT – P – 5 …]

5 (2 Aces without the Queen of trumps.)[… 4NT – P – 5♥ …]

5(2 Aces with the Queen of trumps.) – [… 4NT – P – 5♠ …]

Notice there’s no response to show 5 Aces - - this means the 4NTbidder must have at least one of the 5 “Aces” to initiate RKCB. (This is a partnership choice: some say 5NT shows all 5 “Aces and the Trump Queen”, or a void somewhere. That’s ambiguous and sois never allowed in “Bob’s Standard” – we don’t do “ambiguous”.)

Often the first response will show the 4NT bidder any missing controls and the final contract can be bid directly. [… 4NT – P – 5 – P 6NT– all pass]. Missing ?? for 6 NT.

However, there can besome ambiguity because with 1 or 4 Aces or with 0 or 3 Aces, the 4NT bidder may not know if responder shows 1 or 4. If so, she bids the trump suit at the 5 level, asking responder about her holding. Responder should bid 6 with 4Aces or pass with 1 Aces:[… 4 – P – 4NT – P 5 – P – 5 – P – 6]. This 5 bidder has 4 “Aces”, not 1. The same with “3 or zero” 3♦ responses.

If there is no suit agreed as trump, the 5th Ace is the suit of the last suit bid, whatever it was. [2NT – P – 3 – P 3 – P – 4NT …] The King is the 5th Ace, even though it’s not the agreed trump suit. (A huge advantage of 1430 vs Regular Blackwood.)

Asking for Kings. Bidding 5 NT to ask for Kings means the 5NT bidder is looking for at least a 6NT contract, with a Grand Slam a probability, and that the pair has all 5 “Aces”.
[. . . 4NT – P – 5 – P 5NT . . .].5NT asks for specific Kings and guarantees all 5 “Aces” and the trump King; so there’s just 3 cards in play: the non-trump Kings. . . but there’s a switcheroo.

Showing Kings. Responses to 5NT aredifferent thanresponses to 4NT, becauseresponsesshowspecificnon-trump Kings, up-the-line. 5NTasks fora bid of6 of the suit of the lowest King in responder’s hand. [… 5NT – P – 6 …]. This response shows the King but denies the King. The 5NT bidder then shows her lowest Kingby biding 7NT or signs off in 6♥ or 6♠ or 6NT. Either partner sets the contract when it becomes apparent that you are missing a King. (Note there are only 3 unknown Kings, because you must have the “5th Ace” King to bid 5NT 1430.)

[. . . 4 – P– 4NT – P 5 – P – 5NT – P 6 – P – 6 – P 7NT].

6 and 6 are King-showing bids, showing those specific Kings.

Knowing abouta specific Kingsrather than the number of Kings can often help to reach makeable grand slams. This is because partner’s K can fill in a side suit of AQJxx, for example, and can so point the way to a grand slam, almost regardless of total HCP, assuming all theAces or other first-round controls are held,

Because the lowest King in responder’s hand could be in a suit above the agreed trump suit, the 5NT bidder must be prepared to go to6NT:

[. . . 4 – P– 4NT – P 5 – P – 5NT –P 6 – P – 6NT…].

Bidding past 6 - our trump suit, with a King in the unknown suit – Spades. 6NT may now be the correct contract, but 7♥ might be as well – with no Spade loser.

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Strong Rebids and Responses

All strong bids must be disciplined and not made because we fall in love with our hand.

Also, wenever makeunrealistic assumptions about our partner’s hand. We don’t assume anything - - we bid according to what we hearand not what we want to hear.

Limited bids are as important to accurate bidding as strong bids. (Underlined calls are limited bids in this paper.) [1 – P – 1 – P 1NT …]. Be aware of limited bids throughout the auction, by both your partner and opponents. Once your partner makes a limited bid, she doesn’t have to bid again, and you become the Captain - - automatically, without exception.

That’s what this 1NT bid says. “Partner, you’ve heard it all: do whatever you want with my flat hand without 4 Hearts or 4 Spades, and less than 15 HCP. If I had more to tell you, I would have done so: you’re now the Captain because I’ve made a limited bid of 1NT.

Strong Rebids by Opener

Reverse. Bidding a higher-ranking suit on the second round is a Reverse, showing at least
17 HCP. [1 – P – 1 – P 2 . . .] a Reverse. Forcing one round.

Jump Rebid in a Minor. When opener jump rebids a minor suit, she shows18+ HCP and
6+ to the AKQ, i.e., a solid suit. [1 – P – 1 – P 3...] 3NT is the obvious continuation by responder, but 3♣ isn’t forcing. Responder could have 1 Club and 5 HCP and 4 bad Spades: do you want to force her to bid again?

Jump Rebid in a Major. When opener jump rebids a major suit, she promises at least 6 cards and a 17+ HCP hand. [1– P – 1 – P 3 . . .] Looking to play four of the major with just two small trumps in responder’s hand. Not promising a solid suit as in a minor suit Jump Rebid, and, again, not forcing.

Jump Rebid of 2NT. Shows 18 or 19 HCP and a flat hand with 3 or fewer card support for partner’s major suit response. The New Minor Force Convention is available for responder to ask the strong hand if she has 3 trumps. Of course, with 4, she would have jump raised to at least 3 of responder’s suit. [1 – P – 1 – P 3…] A Jump rebid of 2NT is not forcing.

[1 – P – 1 – P 2NT –P – 3* – P 3 – P – 6]. Finding a 3 – 5 fit in Spades.
This 3* is an alertable New Minor Force, asking opener if she has 3 Spades.

Jump Shift. Promises 18+ HCP, 5/5 or 5/4 or betterdistribution in the two suits.
[1 – P – 1 – P 3...] a Jump Shift, but still not forcing – a partnership choice.

Jump Raise. [1– P – 1 – P 3...] A Jump Raise, showing 18+ dummy points and inviting game with anyresponder handstronger than a minimum, but still not forcing.

Splinter. A double jump in a new suit is a Splinter by Opener, and agrees the last bid suit as trump. It’s a game-forcing call, showing 19+ dummy points,realizing responder may have only a minimum 6 pointhand. [1 – P – 1 – P 4* . . .] a Splinter, agreeing Spades are trumps. Very forcing and alerted.

Strong Initial Bids by Responder Without Competition
Two Over One. Playing 2 Over 1 Game Forcing, any new non-jump suit bid at the 2-level by a non-passed hand in response to a 1 or 1 opening is game forcing, showing12+ HCP and a decent 5+ card suit. Not playing Two Over One,it shows 10+ HCP. [1– P – 2. . .].

Single Raise of a Minor Suit Opening. (Inverted Minors). [1 – P –2*. . .]ALimit Raise+,showing 10 or more dummy points,5 Clubs and no 4+ card major.Forcing for one round, but not game forcing. [1– P – 2* …] Alerted. On over competition, too.

2NT after a Major Suit Opening: Jacoby 2NT. [1 – P – 2NT*. . .]Playing Two Over One, it shows an opening handwith 4 trumps and is game forcing. Alerted.

2NT after a Minor Suit Opening. [1– P –2NT . . .] Promises 10 to 12 HCP and denies any 4-card major suit. Not forcing.

Jump Raise to Three Hearts or Spades. [1 – P –3.. .]A Limit Raise, showing 4 trump and 10 to 12 dummy points in support of opener’s Heart or Spade opener. This is a “good” Limit Raise, because of the 4 trump cards. A “bad” Limit Raise is shown by bidding 1NT Forcing first, then a jump to 3 on the second round, and promises only 3 trump support:
[1– P –1NT – P 2/ – P–3. . .] only 3 Heart cards, not 4.

Jump to 3NT after Minor Suit Opening. [1– P –3NT . . .]Shows 13 to 15 HCP without any 4-card major suit. Not forcingand not conventional.

Double Jump Shift. [1 – P – 4* ...] A Splinter by Responder, showing at least game-forcing values, 4+ trump and a singleton or void in the bid suit. Alertable.

Strong Initial Responses With Competition

Cue Bid of Overcaller’s Suit. [1 – 1 – 2 ...] A cue bid Limit Raise (CBLR) of opponent’s suit,showing10 to 12 dummy points and 3+ trumps. Forcing, not alerted.

Jordan 2NT over Takeout Double. [1♠ –Dbl – 2NT* ...] A Jordan convention , showing a Limit Raise with 10 to 12 dummy points and 4 trumps. Forcing and alerted.

Redouble over Takeout Double. [1 –Dbl – Redbl*...] A Limit Raise of 10 to 12 dummy points and exactly 3 trumps. Forcing and alerted, because a Redouble does not usually mean a Limit Raise, or any kind of raise, for that matter. A (good) partnership choice.

New Suit at the 2-Level. [1 – 1 – 2 ...] Not a Game Force. A standard bid, showing 10+ HCP, a decent to good Club suit and forcing for one round only. It might deny major suit support, but since it is forcing, responder could later raise opener’s major.

Strong Rebids by Responder

Jump Rebid. [1 – P – 1 – P 1– P – 3 ... 6good Hearts.Game forcing.

Responder Reverse. [1 – P – 1 – P 1NT – P – 2. .] Game forcing. Shows 5 Hearts, opening count and at least 4 Spades.

Jump Shift. [1 – P – 1 – P 1NT – P – 3. .]Game forcing. Shows 5 Spades, opening count and at least 4 Hearts.

Jump Shift or Reverse? Notice the similarity of a Jump Shift by responder and a Reverse by responder. Experienced partnerships use one to distinguish 5 – 5 hands and the other to show 5 – 4 hands. Notice that the initial response of 1may lose a Heart suit fit, but not vice-versa, because opener may bid 1 over 1with 4 Spade cards, and will bid 2+if holding 4 Heart cards over a 1response.

Splinterby Responder. [1 – P – 1– P 1 – P – 4*. .] A Splinter in support of opener’s second suit; Spades in this example. Shows 4 Spade cards and game-forcing values with a singleton or void in the bid suit; diamonds in this example. Game forcing and slam-seeking.