This Week in Bridge
(363) Responder’s Rebids After Opener’s Strong 2-Suited Hand
© AiB Robert S. Todd
Level: 6, 8 of 10 (3, 4 of 6) robert@advinbridge.com
General
There are two types of auctions where the Opener shows a strong unbalanced 2-suited hand (without a fit) – Jump Shift and Reverse auctions. Both of these auctions force to at least the 3-level; Opener’s jump shift is game forcing, while their reverse is forcing for 1-round. A jump shift by Opener eats up a lot of bidding space (often getting us to the 3-level immediately), so as Responder in those auctions we will be cramped to find a fit below 3NT. While a reverse usually keeps the auction a bid lower than a jump shift, it gives us more complexity in what subsequent bids are forcing and non-forcing. Let’s look at how we select our rebid as Responder after Opener shows a strong 2-suiter.
Responder’s Rebid After a Jump Shift
When Opener makes a strong jump shift to the 3-level, they have shown a good 18+ points and created a game forcing auction. Knowing that we are going to game is helpful, but the auction is now extremely high as we are almost up to 3NT, a point where we have to make a decision to go past or not. Our focus as Responder is on Major suits:
If we have a 6-card suit (or occasionally a good 5-card suit) of our own, we often rebid it.
If Opener started the auction with a Major suit and we have 3-card support, we have a fit and are not under much pressure – we know where to play.
If partner opens with a Major suit and we have 2-card support, we often take a “preference” back to their primary suit (their Major) at the 3-level. This shows what is usually 2-card support.
Example 1
1♠ 1NT
3♦ 3♠
__
This 3♠ bid usually shows 2-card ♠ support. If Opener has only a 5-card suit they will often offer 3NT and if they have a 6th ♠, they will go on to 4♠. The goal is to search for a fit.
3NT Only 5-card ♠, offer to play
4♠ 6+card ♠, we have a ♠ fit
4♦ At least 5-5 shape, no interest in playing 3NT.
Example 2
1♥ 1♠
3♣ __
Responder generally looks for a Major suit fit and falls back on trying to get to 3NT.
3♠ 6+card ♠ (occasionally a very good 5-card suit)
3♠ 2+card ♥
3NT ♦ stopper
3♦ Asks for a ♦ stopper or 3-card ♠ support.
4♥ Discuss this with your partner - some partnerships play this as a 3-card limit raise.
When Opener’s jump shift is at the 2-level, there is more room for the Responder to search for a Major suit fit. In these auctions, Opener’s primary suit will be a minor suit. Also, there is a 2NT bid available for Responder to use.
Example 3
1♣ 1♥
2♠ __
2NT Stopper in ♦, 6-9 pts (or a very strong hand that will make a slam try later)
3NT Stopper in ♦, about 10-12 pts (extra values in a game force)
3♦ Asks for a ♦ stopper
4♠ 4-card ♠, to play, Fast Arrival
3♠ 4-card ♠, slam interest
3♥ 6+card ♥
Responder’s Rebid after Opener’s Reverse
When Opener starts with a lower-ranking suit at the 1-level and then rebids a higher-ranking suit at the 2-level, this is a reverse – showing about 17+ points and forcing for 1-round. Most partnerships agree this is more than just forcing for 1-round; it is forcing to the 3-level in Opener’s first bid suit.
That means that Responder can rebid at the 2-level, as this is still forcing.
Here is an auction using standard agreements.
Example 4
1♣ 1♠
2♥ __
2♠ Decent 5+card suit (or 6+card suit), forcing 1-round, still could be 6+ points
2NT Natural, 6+ points, forcing for 1-round, ♦ stopper (see below for better approach)
3♣ ♣ fit, 3+card, 6-7 points, NF
3♦ Game Forcing, asking for a ♦ stopper
3♥ 4-card ♥, 6-7 point, NF
3♠ Good 6+card suit, GF, 8+ points
3NT To Play
4♥ 4-card ♥, 8+ points, To Play (not slam interest)
Here is an example of hand where we would rebid 2♠ with only a 5-card suit.
Example 5
♠ AJT76
♥ J5
♦ Q98
♣ 532
If partner has ♠Qx or ♠Kx, we are happy to play in ♠.
Lebensohl 2NT over Reverses – Another Approach for Responder
When Opener makes a reverse at the 2-level, it is extremely unlikely that 2NT is going to be the right place to play – in fact, the reverse is forcing to 3-minor. That means that we will not give much up if we use 2NT by Responder after a reverse as a conventional bid. We will use our same general Lebensohl (or Simplesohl) structure, where 2NT is used as a relay and shows a bad hand and a desire to stop the auction below game. This structure gives Responder multiple ways to bid each suit – to limp their way there, using the 2NT bid, or to bid directly at the 3-level.
Example 6
1♦ 1♠
2♥ __?
Using the 2NT Relay
Here we use 2NT to show a bad hand, usually 5 to 7- points – not enough to game force opposite a minimum reverse. This 2NT bid asks partner to bid 3♣, a relay. Responder can now show where they would like to play the hand:
With long ♣, Responder can pass 3♣.
With a couple of ♦ (2+cards) Responder can relay and then bid 3♦ to sign off in 3♦.
With a bad hand with a ♥ fit (4-card) Responder can relay and then bid 3♥. Opener will then know about the Major suit fit and could re-evaluate their hand and bid on to 4♥. Danger - if this goes down 1 – it will be Opener’s fault.
Responder’s Bid Above 2NT
Since 2NT is used to show all bad hands that want to play at the 3-level, then any bid above 2NT is natural and forcing.
Example 7
1♦ 1♠
2♥ __?
3♦ 3+♦, GF, 7+ points
3♥ 4+♥, GF, Slam Try
3♠ 6+♠, GF, 7+ points
3NT To Play
4♥ To Play
3♣ Artificial, GF, Usually no ♣ stopper
2♠ Unchanged from above, decent 5+card ♠ suit, 1-round forcing, 6+ points
Conclusion
As Responder, when the Opener makes a jump Shift or a reverse they show a strong 2-suited hand (which makes us happy), but they also eat up a lot of our bidding space and make it difficult. When partner makes a jump shift, we know we are going to game and just search for our fit – Major suit first, notrump likely next, minor only when a problem or interested in slam. When partner makes a reverse then we have more room to communicate but need to have good agreements about what bids are forcing and which are not. Using 2NT as a relay in these reverse auctions (Lebensohl over Reverses) is a good agreement. Make sure you and partner are on the same page about the meaning of Responder’s rebids. It is very frustrating when Opener has a strong distributional hand to have a bidding mixup.