Presented by Mike Savage
When you have a hand too big to open 1NT but not quite big enough to open 2NT and you
are the opening bidder, you often have to open one of a minor, planning to rebid 2NT over a
1-level response by partner. There are two hands that you might not choose to rebid 2NT. The
first is the hand when you partner responds one of your four-card major. Now you simply bid
four of that major, showing a balanced hand (no singleton or void) with enough values for game
and four-card support.
The second hand is when your partner responds one heart and you have four spades. You
don’t want to give up on a 4-4 spade fit but usually you want the bigger hand to bid no-trump
first and a one or two spade bid might result in partner being the declarer in a no-trump contract.
Also if you bid two spades, what kind of hand do you have? Balanced or not? The following is
a good way to check for 8-card major suit fits after a 2NT rebid; there are other approaches also.
1. 1C or 1D 1H 2S: Either sequence shows at least four, usually five, of the minor
1C 1D 2H or 2S: and at least four of the major (either 4-5+ or a three-suiter).
1C or 1D 1H 2NT: Shows a big balanced hand that may contain three hearts,
four spades or both.
1C or 1D 1S 2NT: Shows a big balanced hand that may contain four hearts,
three spades or both.
2. After a 2NT rebid by opener over responders one-of-a major response (all bids are forcing):
Bidding three of opener’s minor shows at least 4-card support and either slam interest in the minor or a shapely hand with support and unfit for no-trump or a fit in the minor along with a five-card major. Bidding the unbid minor asks opener to show 4-cards in the other major and failing that, to show 3-card support for the bid major. If you show 4-cards in the other major and he now bids 3NT that means he has a 5-card major and you can bid four of the major with 3-card support. This method finds a 4-4 major fit even when you also have a 5-3 fit.
Examples: 1C P 1H P
2NT P 3D P
3S: Shows four spades, may have three hearts.
1D P 1H P
2NT P 3C P
3H P 3NT: Shows four spades and only four hearts.
1C P 1S P
2NT P 3D P
3S: Shows three spades, denies four hearts.
1D P 1S P
2NT P 3C P
3NT: Denies three spades or four hearts
After one of a minor – 1 of a major – 2NT (all bids over 2NT are forcing):
3 of opener’s minor = Shows at least a 4-card fit, is forcing and may have a five-card major.
3 of responder’s major = Shows all hands with 3-card support for responder’s major.
3 of a new suit = Cue-bid with minor suit slam interest and denies 3-card major support.
3NT = To play without slam interest, denies 3-card major support or stopper problems.
3 of bid major = Shows at least a six-card suit and slam interest.
3NT = Denies A, K or Q in the major.
4 of a lower suit = Shows A, K or Q in the major & is lowest cue bid.
4 of the major = Shows two or more of the top three honors in the major bid.
3 of the other minor (New Minor) followed by:
3D (when available) = Shows a good five or six-card minor and denies a major fit.
3 of responder’s major = Shows 6-cards in the bid major, 4 in the other.
3 of the other major = A 3-card diamond fit with some slam interest.
4D = Roman Key-card for diamonds.
3 of partner’s major followed by:
4 of the other minor = Natural with a long suit and has slam interest.
4 of a suit = Cue-bid with slam interest.
4NT = To play, with minimum and no fit.
4 of opener’s minor = Artificial; balanced slam try in responder’s major.
4 of bid major = To play.
4NT = Roman Key-card for the bid major.
4NT = Roman Key-card for the bid major.
4S (over 3H, showing three) = Shows 4-4 in majors & is slam invitational. 4NT = Balanced slam try with no suit fits.
3NT followed by: 4 of opener’s minor = Shows slam interest with 6-4 in the majors.
4 of the other minor = Natural with a long suit and has slam interest.
4 of the unbid major = Stiff with 3-card support for opener’s minor.
3H (after 1 of a minor - 1S – 2NT) = Shows at least 5-5 or longer in the majors.
3S (after 1 of a minor – 1H – 2NT) = Shows at least 6-5 or longer in the majors.
4C = Gerber
4H or 4S (four of responder’s major) = These bids are to play with no slam interest what so ever.