RainBow Series – Lesson II

Responses to Opening Bids

      Opening bids come in 3 types:

In the case of 2♣ openings, Responder generally assumes a rather passive role, leaving the final decision up to Opener until such time as Opener passes the baton to Responder by signing off in 2NT or by rebidding an unsupported suit. 
      In all other cases, Responder assumes the role of captain until such time as Responder relinquishes it to Opener. 

      The over-riding concern focuses on whether or not the hands have enough strength to warrant game.
      If the answer is NO, the Captain will sign off as soon as possible.
      If YES, the Captain will likely retain that role until game is reached, and investigate the possibility of slam in the meantime.
      If the answer is MAYBE, the Captain will usually endeavour to make a clearly invitational move and then pass the final decision on to partner. 
      The first question, then is always: "Are MY values, added to the MOST that partner can have, enough to make game ?"

      The responses to the 15-17 point 1NT are about as scientific as SAYC gets.  Here are the responses for a balanced or semi-balanced responding hand:

5NT	– Quantitative, 20-21 points, Forcing 6NT, inviting 7NT.
4NT	– Quantitative, 16-17 points, inviting 6NT.
3NT	– To play.  11-15 points.  No interest in slam.
2NT	– Inviting 3NT.  9-10 points.
Pass	– 0-8 points, no 5+card major or 6+card minor.

Responses with an unbalanced hand are:

4	– Gerber.  A direct 4♣ is Responder's ONLY chance to use 4♣ as Gerber.  If you are using Gerber twice in the same year, you are either using it unwisely or playing too much bridge !   :)
3 or 3	– 6+card suit, 11+ points, GF.  "3-card support ?"
3 or 3	– 6+card suit, 9-10 points, invitational.
2	– Transfer to a long minor.  Opener rebids 2NT with better Diamonds, 3♣ with superior Clubs.  Responder can stop in 3-of-a-minor or rebid 3♥ or higher to look for a slam in an unspecified minor.
2	– 5+ Spades, any point range.  Once Opener rebids 2♠, Responder can pass (0-8 pts.), rebid 2NT or 3♠ (6 Spades) with 9-11, or force game with any other rebid.  1NT:2♥:2♠:4NT is Blackwood.
2	– 5+ Hearts, any point range, same as 2♥ (above).
2	– Stayman.  Either 9+ points OR 0-8 with a 3-suiter, short in Clubs ("Psychic Stayman", when Responder will pass Opener's response to 1NT:2♣). Any Minor suit rebid by Responder will be game-forcing.  A major suit rebid of 2♥ or 2♠ over 1NT:2♣:2♦ is NOT forcing.  1NT:2♣:2♥:2♠, though, IS forcing.     Any 4NT rebid by Stayman Responder is Blackwood.

      (1)   How do we use Gerber after responding 2♣, 2♦ or 2♥, then ?   And how would we use 4NT as quantitative after making a 2♣, 2♦ or 2♥ response ? 

      (2)   What can I do with a slammish major 1-suiter ? 

      The bidding is much more crowded, after Opener starts with 2NT.  For this reason, we should never stretch to open 2NT, and should Never open 2NT with a 5-card major. 
      With a flat hand Responder will bid:

Pass	– 0-5 points.
3NT	– 6-11 points.
4NT	– Quantitative, 12 points, inviting 6NT.
5NT	– Quantitative, 16 points, forcing 6NT, inviting 7NT.
6NT	– 13-15 points.
7NT	– 17+ points.

      With an unbalanced hand, Responder will bid

      In response to the 25-27 point 3NT opening bid,

      Flat responding hands will generally respond

      Unbalanced hands

      These general over-riding rules apply when replying to a 1♣, 1♦, 1♥ or 1♠ opening bid:

0-5 points	– Pass.
6-9 points	– Raise a major with 3+card support. – Respond in a 4+card suit, if you can. – With TWO or Three 4-card suits, bid the cheapest. – With two 5+ card suits, bid the Higher one first. – Raise a Minor with 5+ and no higher ranked suit. – Respond 1NT with none of the above.

      With 6-9 HCPs, respond

      The only exception to this is a hand with 8-9 points and a good 6-card suit; in this case, bid and rebid the suit (i.e., 1♠:2♦:any:3♦). 

      Holding 10-12 points:

      Holding 10+ points and fewer than 3 Spades, reply with a 2-over-1 response in your longest suit.  Remember, though, that a 2♥ response should show 5+ Hearts. 

      With 13-15 points and 3+ Spades, make a 2-over-1 response and then bid 3♠.  This is game-forcing, but will only excite partner, if she has a very good opening hand. 

      With 16+ points and 3+ Spades, make a Jacoby 2NT response.  Opener will rebid

Note that many modern SAYC players will use a Jacoby 2NT on 13+ points. 

      Hence, we have:

1NT	6-9 points, 0-3 Spades.
2	8-9 points, 6+ good Clubs, or 10+ pts., 3+ Clubs.
2	8-9 points, 6+ good Diamonds, or 10+ pts, 3+ Diamonds
2	8-9 points, 6+ good Hearts, or 10+ pts, 5+ Hearts.
2	6-9 points, 3-4 Spades.
2NT	16+ (or 13+, for MANY) points, 3+ Spades, Jacoby 2NT.
3	16+ pts., 4+ Clubs & 3+ Spades OR 6+ good Clubs.
3	16+ pts., 4+ Diamonds & 3+ Spades OR 6+ good Diamonds.
3	16+ pts., 5+ Hearts & 3+ Spades OR 6+ good Hearts.
3	10-12 points, 3-4 Spades.
3NT	15-17 points, flat hand, usually on TWO Spades.
4	0-9 points, 5+ Spades.
4
4	7+ card suit, 6-9 points, 0-2 Spades.
4

      The responses to 1♥ are similar to responses to 1♠.  The major differences stem from Responder's actions with 4+ Spades.  Generally, Responder will bid the Spades unless:

      (a) The hand is in the 6-8 point range with 3+card Heart support.  In this case, respond 2♥. 

If you respond 1♠ and partner rebids 2♥, what will you rebid ?   Better to reply 2♥ now.

      (b) The hand is in the 13+ point range and has a longer, 5+card minor with four Spades.  In this case, reply in the Minor and rebid the Spades later.

Respond 2♣, not 1♠, with the idea of rebid 2♠ over 2♦ or 2♥.  This will show 13+ points and force game. 

      Hence, we have:

1	4+ Spades, 6+ points
1NT	6-9 points, 0-3 Spades, 0-2 Hearts
2	8-9 points, 6+ good Clubs, or 10+ pts., 3+ Clubs
2	8-9 points, 6+ good Diamonds, or 10+ pts, 3+ Diamonds
2	6-9 points, 3-4 Hearts
2	16+ points, 5+ Spades & 3+ Hearts or 6+ good Spades
2NT	16+ (or 13+, for MANY) points, 3+ Hearts, Jacoby 2NT.
3	16+ pts., 4+ Clubs & 3+ Hearts OR 6+ good Clubs
3	16+ pts., 4+ Diamonds & 3+ Hearts OR 6+ good Diamonds
3	10-12 points, 3+ Hearts
3	6-7 points, 7 Spades, pre-emptive, 0-2 Hearts
3NT	15-17 points, flat hand, usually including TWO Hearts
4	0-9 points, 5+ Hearts
4
4	7+ card suit, 6-9 points, 0-2 Hearts.
4

      In responding to a 1♦ bid, we should always show a 4+ card major, except with the 13+ point hand that has 4 cards in a major and 5+ Clubs (see above hand "b").  Raises of Diamonds tend to show 5+ Diamonds (6-9 points for 2♦, 10-12 for 3♦), but may be done with only four Diamonds in a pinch (i.e., 2-2-4-5). 

      The main difference between responding to a major and a minor-suit opening is that, in SAYC, there is NO game-forcing way to raise the minor !   Settling Diamonds as trump in a game-forcing manner often requires some deft maneuovers.  One tactic is to reply 2♣ and then raise Diamonds.  Another tactic — and one that may raise some eyebrows — is to respond 2NT, showing 13-15 points and a flat hand.  Since 2NT *is* forcing, you will be guaranteed a chance to show your 5+card Diamond support later. 

A Q x

A K x

K J x x x x

x

      This is hardly a textbook 2NT response !   But, 2NT keeps the auction alive.  If partner rebids 3NT, you can rebid 4♦ to reveal your intentions.  Partner should understand this as a slam try. 

      Hence, we have:

1	4+ Hearts, 6+ points, denies 5+ Spades unless 5-6 in the majors and 13+ points.
1	4+ Spades, 6+ points, longer Spades than Hearts.
1NT	6-9 points, 0-3 Spades, 0-3 Hearts.
2	8-9 points, 6+ good Clubs, or 10+ pts., 3+ Clubs.
2	6-9 points, 4+ Diamonds, no 4+card major.
2	16+ pts., 5+ Hearts & 4+ Diamonds OR 6+ good Hearts.
2	16+ points, 5+ Spades & 4+ Diamonds or 6+ good Spades.
2NT	13-15 points, flat, or 13+ points with 5+ Diamonds.
3	16+ pts., 4+ Clubs & 4+ Diamonds OR 6+ good Clubs.
3♦	10-12+ pts., 4+ Diamonds, no 4+card major.
3	7+ Hearts, 6-7 points.
3	7+ Spades, 6-7 points.
3NT	16-18 points, flat hand, no major.
4	0-6 points, 6+ Diamonds.
4
4	7+ card suit, 8-9 points.
4

Question (a) What are the fewest Diamonds that Opener could have for the auction 1♦:2♣:2♦ ? 

      There are two significant differences between bidding after a 1♦ and a 1♣ opening bid. 
      For one, NoTrump responses to 1♣ always show 4+ card support for Clubs, since Responder has plenty of room to bid any suit before NT is reached.  Hence, NT Responder is always 1-suited in Clubs. 
      Secondly, it is more difficult to force game with Clubs only opposite a 1♣ opening bid.  After all, Responder does not have the option of a 2-over-1 response, followed by a Club raise, as we saw opposite a 1♦ opening bid (1♦:2♣:any:3♦).  Hence, with 5+ Clubs, 13+ points and no 2nd suit to bid, Responder must "abuse" the 2NT response — yes, even though 2NT should show 13-15 flat. 

A x

x x

A K x

K Q x x x x

      If anyone tells you that 2NT shows a flat 13-15 points opposite 1♣, ask them what they would respond with this hand. :)  1 ??

     
      Hence, we have:

1	4+ Diamonds, 6+ points, denies a 5+card major unless 5-6 with 13+ points.
1	4+ Hearts, 6+ points, denies 5+ Spades unless 5-6 in the majors and 13+ points.
1	4+ Spades, 6+ points, longer Spades than Hearts or Diamonds.
1NT	6-9 points, 0-3 Spades, 0-3 Hearts, 0-3 Diamonds.
2	6-9 points, 5+ good Clubs.
2	16+ points, 5+ Diamonds & 4+ Clubs or 6+ good Diamonds.
2	16+ pts., 5+ Hearts & 4+ Clubs OR 6+ good Hearts.
2	16+ points, 5+ Spades & 4+ Clubs or 6+ good Spades.
2NT	13-15 points, flat, or 13+ points with 5+ Clubs.
3	10-12 pts., 5+ Clubs, 1-suited.
3	7+ Diamonds, 6-7 points.
3	7+ Hearts, 6-7 points.
3	7+ Spades, 6-7 points.
3NT	16-18 points, flat hand, no major.
4	0-6 points, 6+ Clubs.
4 4	7+ card suit, 8-9 points. 4♠

      A single jump in an unbid suit (i.e., 1♥:2♠, 3♣ or 3♦) shows 16+ points and either a good 6+card suit (1-suited) OR a decent 5+card suit with support for Opener's suit.  These "jump shifts" are game-forcing, and are often part of a slam try. 

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Q U I Z

1. What do you respond to 1♣ with the following hands ?

(a)	J 10 x x x	A K Q x x x	K x	—
(b)	A x	K x x	Q J x	J 10 x x x
(c)	A K x x x	x	A x x	A Q J x
(d)	x x	x x	J x x	A Q 10 x x x
(e)	A K J x	Q x x x	Q x x x	x

2. What do you respond to 1♥ with the following hands?

(a)	J 10 x x x	A x x x	x x	x x
(b)	A x x x	K x x	Q x x	x x x
(c)	A K x x x	K x x	x x	A Q x
(d)	Q x x	x x	K x x x	A Q 10 x
(e)	K J x	Q x x x	Q x x x x	x
(f)	A x	K x x x	A J x	Q x x x
(g)	x	A J x	A x x x x	A K x x

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