(363) Responder's Rebids After Opener's Strong 2-Suited Hand

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.