Impossible Bids: RIBs and BIBs


      Consider these two auctions:

      (1)  
1 1  – 6+ points, 4+ Spades.
2  – Ostensibly, 4+ Hearts. 
      (2)  
1 1NT  – 6-9 or a bad 10, no major.
2  – Ostensibly, 4+ Hearts. 

      In the first auction, the pair may have a 4-4 Heart fit.  Hence, the 2 bid is always natural here: 4+ Hearts. 

      After 1:1NT:2, though, the pair cannot have a 4-4 Heart fit.  While a 5-3 Heart fit is possible if Opener rebids 3 on the next round, 2 is often a "sustaining bid" with a strong Opener, aiming at 3NT or 5

      Either of these Openers might rebid 2:
(a)   x x   A K x   A K Q J x x   x x
(b)   x   A K x x x   A K J 10 x x   x

      Now let us ponder this auction:
      (3)  
1 1NT  – 6-9 or a bad 10, no major.
2 2  – Say, what ?

      What is 2 here ?
      It cannot show 4+ Hearts; Responder denied a 4+ card major with 1NT.  It is an "Impossible Bid" in the sense that it cannot be a search for a 4-4 fit in the bid suit.
      2 in this sequence shows a hand that Responder feels is too good for a mere 3 raise.  Responder holds 9-10 HCPs, very good Club support and, most likely, stronger Hearts than Spades (else 2 instead of 2). 

      We see similar sequences when Responder reverses into a major after Opener rebids 1NT:
      (4)  
1 1
1NT 2  – Game force, Heart strength.
      (5)  
1 1
1NT 2  – Game force, Spade but not Heart strength.

      In the above two sequences, Responder is merely reversing into a "better major" in order to force game. 
      Yes, Responder may have 5+ card length in the bid major in a massive 5-6 two suiter, but the pair will wait until Responder rebids the major to make that clear.  More often, the reverse is merely a way to force game before setting the final suit.
      (6)  
1 1
1NT 2  – Game force without 4+ Diamonds (else 3).
      (7)  
1 1
1NT 2  – Game force without 4+ Clubs (else 3).

      These two reverses also force game, but tend to deny length in the unbid suit.  If we did have length in that unbid minor suit we might jump in it (e.g., 1:1:1NT:3). 

      Here is a very common variation on this theme:
      (8)  
1 1NT  – Forcing in 2/1-GF, not so in SAYC.
2 2  – Heart raise or 5-5 in the minors.

      2 here makes most sense as a "two-way" bid:
Either a sign-off with 5-5 (or better) in the minors Or as the strongest possible raise to 3
      Opener rebids hir better minor or 2NT (with 2-2 in the minors, so that Responder can play in hir 6-card suit with 6-5 or better in the minors).  Any 3 rebid by Responder will be a Strong invite, stronger than 1:1NT:2:3

      In the case of a forcing or semi-forcing 1NT, 1:1NT !:2:2 demonstrates that Responder was always going to make a limit raise.  Hence, 3 Hearts and 10-12 points.  So 1:1NT !:2:3 would show 2 Hearts, 10-12 points, inviting 4 or 3NT. 

      In the case of a non-forcing 1NT, 1:1NT:2:2 is far more likely to be the minor 2-suiter, but can be a Heart raise with 9-10 points and 2 Hearts ... MAYBE 3 Hearts, if Responder is the type to reply 1NT with 3=3=4=3 or 3=3=3=4 distributions. 

      These second-round actions are called Reversing Impossible Bids or "RIBs".  Since some might not consider 1:1NT:2:2 to be a Reverse, 2 might be termed a "Really Impossible Bid" (still, a "RIB") instead. 

      Just as common are Belated Impossible Bids or "BIBs".  These are usually made by Opener in a suit, in which the pair can no longer have a 4-4 fit.  Here is a simple case:
Opener
J 10 x
A K J x x  
x
K Q x x
Responder
A Q
x x
K Q x x x x  
A x x
OpenerResponder
1 2
2 3
3 ---
Comments
10+ points, Diamonds. 
Forcing. 0-3 Spades (else 2here). 
Cannot be a search for a 4-4 Spade fit.

      Opener could have
      (a) rebid 3 with long Hearts,
      (b) 3 with a preference for Responder's Diamonds or
      (c) bid 3NT with no great love for Responder's suits.

      But, what if Opener liked CLUBs ?
      4 might get us past 3NT, only to find that Responder was only using the 3 bid to force things along — perhaps hoping Opener could belatedly show Diamond support. 
      If Opener really had 4 Spades and no fit for either minor, we would expect to hear 3NT over 3.  So 3 becomes "available" to show the one hand that we cannot show otherwise: support for Partner's last bid suit (i.e., Responder's Clubs in this example).

      These Belated Impossible Bids are most common, when Opener rebids 1NT over Responder's major suit response.  Hoping for 3-card support for hir major suit, Responder needs to make a forcing rebid below the 3NT level — often with the idea of "bailing out" in 3NT, if Opener lacks 3-card support for the major. 

      Bear in mind that jumping in an "old" suit (e.g., 1:1:1NT:3 or 3) will not be forcing here.  Hence, if it is a minor, Responder may be jumping in a suit in which Responder may not have length. 

      Consider this auction:
    (9)  
1 1  – 4+ Spades.
1NT 3  – 0-3 Hearts (else 3 here).
??
   
      As for Clubs, who knows ?
      Now:
3NT = 2 Spades, no interest in Clubs.
3 = 3-card Spade support.
3 = 2 Spades, interest in Clubs.
3 = 2 Spades, 5 Diamonds (2=3=5=3).

      In saying "No" to Partner's Spades, then, Opener also addresses the issue of the second suit that Responder has bid. 

      Many pairs extend these bids to include suits bypassed by Opener after a 2-over-1 response.  Traditionally, an auction such as 1:2:2 might Not deny 4+ Diamonds or 4+ Hearts if Opener holds a minimal 6-4 two suiter.  Some modern pairs play that such an auction does deny 4+ cards in any suit bypassed.  If so, these pairs can play any subsequent rebid of such as suit as "impossible"
    (10)  
1 2  – 10+ points, natural.
2 3  – Forcing, not always 4+ Clubs.
??

      Now we might see:
3NT = No support for either minor.
3 = 6+ Spades.
3 = Support for Clubs, minimum.
3 = Natural, support for Diamonds.

      Are Belated Impossible Bids always made by Opener ?
      Not quite.  It is possible to fashion a sequence where Responder makes a third-round impossible call:

    (11)  
Opener
x
A K x x
A K Q x x
K Q x
   
Responder
A x x
x x
x x x
A x x x x
OpenerResponder
1 1NT
2 2NT
3 3   = Impossible, with 4+ Clubs. 

      Consider also this auction, where both partners make an Impossible bid of sorts:
    (12)  
Opener
K x x
A x
A Q x x
J 10 9 x
    
Responder
A J
K Q x x x
J 10 x
A x x
OpenerResponder
1 1
1NT 2  = A reverse, denying 4+ Clubs (else 3). 
3  = Impossible, 3=2=4=4, 14 points. 

      In this latter case, 3 is "Impossible" in the sense that the pair cannot have a 4-4 Club fit.  Opener is merely showing a hand too strong to rebid 2NT here. 

      Impossible bids do not require any memory work.  We need only bear in mind:

      1.  They might not be a natural search for a fit in the bid suit. 

      2.  We need some way to support Partner's last bid suit without going past 3NT. 



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