(426) 2/1: Special 2M and 2NT Rebids

This Week in Bridge

(426)  Special 2-Major & 2NT Rebids in 2/1 GF Auctions

© AiB                                                           Robert S. Todd
Level:  10 of 10 (6 of 6)                            
robert@advinbridge.com

 

 

General

When we are in a regular partnership, we often develop sophisticated 2/1 GF auction agreements – like “2-Major Waiting” and “3-level rebids show extra values”.  This “2-Major Waiting” agreement allows Opener to rebid 2-Major more often than “natural” bidding (and preserves bidding space).  We can actually take these agreements further, creating a structure where our rebids give more shape and strength information to our partner.  To do this we will define “rebidding our Major” as showing exactly a 5-card suit with a minimum hand and use a rebid of 2NT to show a 6+card Major.  Let’s look at these agreements in detail and see how they help us better describe our hand.

 

  

2NT Rebid Showing a 6+card Major Suit

In a 2/1 GF auction we can introduce a conventional agreement that a rebid of 2NT by the opening bidder shows a 6th card in our Major suit.

 

Example 1

♠ AQ9542
♥ 9
♦ Q93
♣ A43

1♠           2♥
__?

A 2NT* rebid shows a 6+card ♠ suit.  It also usually denies 3-card ♥ support.   This 2NT* rebid is a conventional agreement we make with partner.

 

2NT* is our rebid with this hand but could also be used with a stronger hand.

 

Example 2

♠ KQ9542
♥ A
♦ K93
♣ AQ3

1♠           2♥
__?

Here we rebid 2NT* to show our 6th ♠ and later make a strong bid to show our extra values.

 

Note:  A jump to 3-Major still shows a very strong suit and thus rebidding 2NT denies a self-sufficient suit.

 

 

2-Major Rebid – Showing a 5-card Suit and a Minimum

We combine using 2NT* to show an extra card in our long suit with using 2-Major to deny having a 6-card suit and show a minimum valued hand.

 

Example 3

♠ AQ954
♥ A9
♦ Q93
♣ 843

1♠           2♥
__?

Here we rebid 2♠, which denies 3+card ♥ support and shows exactly 5-card ♠ with a minimum hand.  This can be a balanced hand or a hand with a 4+card minor.

 

Example 4

♠ AQ954
♥ A
♦ 932
♣ Q843

1♠           2♥
__?

Here we rebid 2♠ as well.  We do not have enough values to show our ♣ suit. 

 

Other Shapes and Strengths

We can use these new 2NT* and 2-Major rebid agreements to effectively describe many hands – shapes and strengths.

 

Example 5

♠ KQ954
♥ A
♦ KJ32
♣ K43

1♠           2♥
__?

Here we rebid 3♦, showing 4+card ♦ and at least 14 points – extra values.   This bidding usually denies having a 6-card ♠ suit as we would rebid 2NT with that hand.

 

Example 6

♠ K9
♥ AQ8732
♦ 2
♣ K432

1♥           2♦
__?

Here we rebid 2NT to show our 6+card ♥ suit.  This does not limit our hand in values, but it shows our extra ♥ and keep the auction at a relatively low level.

 

 

Conclusion

If you have a partnership that likes to add a lot of structure to your constructive bidding agreements, then these 2/1 GF methods are an expert modern approach.  They take a little practice getting used to, but once you do you are able to describe your hand well, in terms of strength and shape, in your 2/1 GF auctions.  Give it a try if you and your partner are up for it!