Competitive rebids

This chapter covers opener’s rebids after 1♥♠ when the opponents bid, and responder’s calls over an overcall. Ranges are in points, except where marked HCP.

RHO bids over the response

Support doubles

Over 1♥ - 1♠, a double or redouble by opener shows exactly 3 spades at any strength. A raise still shows 4 spades.

1♥ - 1♠ (X)
P	11–12 HCP, 2=♠, BAL
XX!	Support, 3=♠
1NT	13–15 HCP, 2=♠, BAL
2♣♦	13–17, 4+#
2♥	14–18, 6+♥
2♠	13–17, 4=♠
2NT	18–20 HCP, BAL
3♣♦	18–20, 4+#
3♥	18–20, 6+♥
3♠	16–18, 4=♠

1♥ - 1♠ (2♣)
P	11–14 HCP, 0–2♠
X!	Support, 3=♠
2♦	14–18, 4+♦
2♥	14–18, 6+♥
2♠	13–17, 4=♠
2NT	14–17 HCP, ♣ stopper
3♣!	Cuebid, 19+
3♦	19–20, 4+♦
3♥	17–20, 6+♥
3♠	16–19, 4=♠
3NT	17–20 HCP, ♣ stopper

For example, ♠J53 ♥AJ532 ♦K94 ♣K10 redoubles over 1♥ - 1♠ (X), and ♠A43 ♥KJ987 ♦A9 ♣Q63 doubles over 1♥ - 1♠ (2♣). With ♠87 ♥AQ863 ♦K85 ♣K103, opener passes the double.

The 2011 writeup limits the support double to 14–21 points. Wbridge5 doubles or redoubles with 3 spades even at 11 HCP.

At the 3-level the support double needs extra values. A minimum opener with 3 spades passes.

1♥ - 1♠ (3♣)
P	Most minimum hands, including 3=♠
X!	Support, 17–21, 3=♠
3♦	16–20, 4+♦
3♥	15–20, 6+♥
3♠	13–18, 4=♠
3NT	17–20 HCP, 2=♠
4♥	17–22, 6+♥
4♠	16–21, 4=♠

Of the 96 hands with 3 spades, 56 passed with 11–15 HCP and 28 doubled with 14–19 HCP. For example, ♠K82 ♥AKJ63 ♦AK82 ♣6 doubles, but ♠J53 ♥AJ532 ♦K94 ♣K10 passes. Opener bid 4♣ on 2 boards, each with 4 spades and a club void. The probe gave opener 2–4 spades.

Simple raise

When RHO doubles the raise, opener passes with exactly 5 trumps and no interest in game.

1♠ - 2♠ (X)
P	13–16, 5=♠
XX	16+
3♠	14–18, 6+♠
4♠	17–20, 6+♠

For example, ♠QJ985 ♥A4 ♦K108 ♣KJ4 passes and ♠KQJ83 ♥A ♦Q972 ♣A104 redoubles. The 2011 writeup has XX as an invitation with 17–18 and 4♠ with 19–21, but Wbridge5 redoubles with any strong hand.

Over an overcall, opener competes to the 3-level or bids game.

1♥ - 2♥ (2♠)
P	13–14
3♥	14–17
3♠!	S/T, 20+
4♥	17+

Wbridge5 never doubled here. Opener bid 2NT on 4 boards. Five of the six 3♠ hands held the ♠A or ♠K.

Bergen raise

1♥ - 3♣! (X)
3♥	13–16
3NT	18–19 HCP, 5-3-3-2
4♣!	S/T, 19+
4♥	16+

Wbridge5 never passed or redoubled.

2/1 overcalled

Opener’s rebids stay natural. The pass is forcing because the 2/1 is forcing to game. Opener passes with a minimum and no stopper.

1♠ - 2♣ (2♥)
P	Forcing, 11–14 HCP, no ♥ stopper
2♠	6+♠
2NT	11–15 HCP, ♥ stopper
3♣	11–14 HCP, 4+♣
3♦	4+♦
3♥!	Cuebid, 16+
3♠	17+, 6+♠
3NT	15–18 HCP, ♥ stopper
4♦♥!	SPL, 0–1#, 4+♣

Opener doubled on 3 boards, each with a singleton heart, 4 diamonds, and 3 clubs.

LHO doubles

After 1♥ (X) 1♠ (2♣), Wbridge5 plays systems on and uses the same support double as in 1♥ - 1♠ (2♣). The two auctions got the same call on 233 of 251 boards. On the other 18 boards, opener bid more cautiously after the double, e.g. 2NT instead of 3NT, or 2♥ instead of 2♦ with 6 hearts.

Responder passes

If 1♥ (X) is passed back to opener, the contract is 1♥ doubled. Opener passes with long hearts and runs only to a 4-card spade suit or a 5-card minor.

1♥ (X) P (P)
P	Most hands, including 6+♥
XX	18–20 HCP, BAL
1♠	4=♠
2♣♦	14–19, 5=#

If the doubler’s partner bids 1♠, opener rebids naturally.

1♥ (X) P (1♠)
P	Most minimum hands, including 6=♥
X	Takeout, 16–20, 0–2♠, 3+ cards in each minor
1NT	15–20 HCP, BAL
2♣♦	15–19, 4+#
2♥	16–20, 6+♥
3♥	19–21, 6+♥

Truscott 2NT

Opener signs off at the 3-level or bids game. A new suit is a slam try.

1♠ (X) 2NT! (P)
3♣♦♥	S/T, 17+, 4+#
3♠	S/O, 12–15
4♠	14+

Opener bid 4♣ on 3 boards with 18–19 HCP and a club control.

Weak jump shift

Over 1♥ (X) 2♠, opener raises with only 2 spades.

1♥ (X) 2♠ (P)
P	Most hands
3♣♦	15–20, 4+#, 0–1♠
3♥	16–20, 6+♥
3♠	14–19, 2+♠
4♣♦!	SPL, 17+, 0–1#, 3+♠
4♠	16+, 2+♠

Opener reopens

After 1♥ - P (X), opener rebids the same way as in 1♥ (X) P (P), except that opener now rebids 6+ hearts. For example, ♠104 ♥KQJ10653 ♦A109 ♣A rebids 3♥ here but passes 1♥ (X) P (P).

1♥ - P (X)
P	Most hands
XX	18–20 HCP, BAL
1♠	4=♠
2♣♦	14–19, 5=#
2♥	17–20, 6+♥
3♥	18–21, 7+♥

1♥ - P (1♠)
P	Most minimum hands
X	Takeout, 16–20, 0–2♠, 3+ cards in each minor
1NT	18–20 HCP, BAL
2♣♦	15–19, 4+#
2♥	15–20, 6+♥
3♥	19–21, 6+♥

1♥ - P (2♣)
P	Most hands
2♦	14–20, 4+♦
2♥	16–20, 6+♥
2♠	17–19, 4=♠
3♥	19–21, 6+♥

The 2♠ row comes from 4 boards. Wbridge5 never doubled 2♣.

LHO overcalls

Responder’s calls

Responder’s double is negative. Over 1♠ or 2♥ it shows both minors and exactly 2 cards in opener’s major. Over 2♣ it shows spades. Responder never makes a penalty double of a suit overcall. With length in LHO’s suit, responder passes. Unless marked, these probes gave responder 0–3 cards in opener’s major.

1♥ (1♠)
P	6–14, no other suitable call, including long ♠
X!	NEG, 9–14, 2=♥, 4+ cards in each minor
1NT	7–10 HCP, 3+♠, 2=♥
2♣♦	10+, 5+#
2♥	5–12, 3=♥
2♠!	Cuebid, 13–16 HCP
2NT	10–14 HCP
3♥	INV, 11–13, 3=♥
3NT	13–15 HCP, 3+♠, 2=♥
4♥	12–14 HCP, 3=♥

All 12 doubles had 2 hearts and 4-4 or longer in the minors. Another 11 hands of that shape passed with 5–10 HCP. For example, ♠J104 ♥QJ ♦KQ65 ♣J982 doubles.

With 4+ hearts, responder raises by length and strength. The raise to game is preemptive, and the jumps in a new suit are splinters. These rows come from 300 boards with 4+♥ and 0–10 HCP, none vulnerable.

1♥ (1♠)	4+♥, up to 10 HCP
P	1–4 HCP, 4=♥
2♥	2–8 HCP, 4–5♥
3♥	6–10 HCP, mostly 4♥, 5♥ with 8+ HCP
3♠!	SPL, 6–10 HCP, 0–1♠
4♣♦!	SPL, 5–10 HCP, 0–1#
4♥	PRE, 5–10 HCP with 5♥, 3–10 HCP with 6+♥

At unfavorable vulnerability the 5-card raise to game needs more. With 5 hearts, 4♥ needed 7+ HCP, and 13 hands with 5–7 HCP raised to 2♥ or 3♥ instead, e.g. ♠T9 ♥K10943 ♦543 ♣A96 bids 4♥ at none vulnerable and 3♥ at unfavorable. Of the other raises, only one 6-card 3♥ changed, to 4♥.

1♠ (2♥)
P	6–13 HCP, including 4-4 minors with 6–11 HCP
X!	NEG, 10–14, 2=♠, 4+ cards in each minor
2♠	6–10 HCP, 3=♠
2NT	10–12 HCP
3♣♦	10+, 5+#
3♥!	Cuebid, 15–20
3♠	INV, 11–13, 3=♠
3NT	13–16 HCP, 2=♠
4♠	12–14 HCP, 3=♠

The double comes from 6 boards, for example ♠73 ♥52 ♦K942 ♣AKQ82. The 2011 writeup has the same double from 10 points.

1♥ (2♣)
P	6–13 HCP, usually 3+♣
X!	NEG, 7–18, 4+♠
2♦	11+, 5+♦
2♥	6–10 HCP, 3=♥
2♠	11+, 5+♠
2NT	9–12 HCP
3♣!	Cuebid, 13–16 HCP, 3=♥
3♥	INV, 11–12, 3=♥
3NT	12–15 HCP, 2=♥
4♥	11–14 HCP, 3=♥

The double usually shows exactly 4 spades. With 5 spades responder doubles only with 6–9 HCP, and bids 2♠ with more. For example, ♠KQ54 ♥K2 ♦KQ876 ♣107 doubles.

1♠ (3♥)
P	Most hands, including 4+♥
X!	Takeout, 13–14, 2=♠, 4+ cards in each minor
3♠	6–10 HCP, 3=♠
3NT	12–16 HCP, 2=♠
4♣♦	13+, 6+#
4♥!	Cuebid, 12–16 HCP, 3=♠
4♠	8–15 HCP, 3=♠

The 2011 writeup has this double for penalty. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows a takeout double on 4 boards, for example ♠K10 ♥84 ♦Q8653 ♣AQ104. The 71 hands with 4+ hearts passed, up to 16 HCP. Responder also bid 4NT on 12 boards: 5 with both minors and 7 with 3 spades and 12–15 HCP.

1♥ (1NT)
P	4–9 HCP
X	PEN, 8+ HCP, any shape
2♣♦	4–8 HCP, 6+#
2♥	4–10 HCP, 3+♥
2NT!	Unusual, both minors
3♥	7–9 HCP, 4+♥
4♥	5–8 HCP, 4+♥

Responder doubled 192 of the 227 hands with 8+ HCP. Most of the rest raised hearts.

Over Precise Michaels

The opponents’ 3♣ over 1♥ is a Precise Michaels bid for spades and diamonds, because the opponents play Wbridge5’s own defaults. Responder never doubled on 300 boards, even with 4 spades and 13 HCP. Responder’s calls over the other two-suiters, such as 1♥ (2♥), are in Two-suited overcalls.

1♥ (3♣!)
P	Most hands without 3♥
3♦!	Cuebid, 13–16 HCP
3♥	Usually 7–10 HCP, 3=♥
3NT	11–16 HCP, 0–2♥
4♣	10–15 HCP, 5+♣, 0–2♥
4♥	8–16 HCP, 3=♥

Opener’s rebids after a negative double

1♥ (1♠) X (P)
1NT	11–15 HCP, BAL
2♣♦	14–17, 4+#
2♥	14–18, 6+♥
3♣♦	17–20, 4+#
3♥	17–20, 6+♥
3NT	16–19 HCP, ♠ stopper
4♥	18–21, 6+♥

The 2011 writeup has 2NT with 18–19 HCP and 3NT with 20+. Wbridge5 never bid 2NT or cuebid 2♠, and it jumped to 3NT with 16–19 HCP.

1♠ (2♥) X (P)
P	Penalty, 4=♥
2♠	13–18, 5+♠
2NT	11–14 HCP, ♥ stopper
3♣♦	14–19, 3+#
3NT	16–19 HCP, ♥ stopper
4♠	17–21, 6+♠

For example, ♠QJ985 ♥A4 ♦K108 ♣KJ4 bids 2NT. The 2011 writeup has 2NT as game-forcing with 14–15, but Wbridge5 bids 2NT with a minimum.

1♥ (2♣) X (P)
P	Penalty, usually 4+♣
2♦	14–18, 4+♦
2♥	13–17, 5+♥
2♠	13–16, 3–4♠
2NT	11–14 HCP, ♣ stopper
3♥	17–21, 6+♥
3NT	17–20 HCP, ♣ stopper
4♣♦!	SPL, 0–1#, 4=♠
4♠	16–19, 4=♠

Opener jumped to 3♠ on only 2 boards, each with 4 spades and 16–17 points.

Reopening double

Responder may pass with length in LHO’s suit, but opener seldom reopens with a double. It takes extra values and support for both unbid suits. The probe gave opener 0–2 clubs.

1♥ (2♣) P (P)
P	Most hands, 12–17, including 3+♠ and 3+♦
X	Takeout, 16–20, 3+♠, 3+♦, 0–2♣
2♦	14–20, 4+♦
2♥	14–19, 6+♥
2♠	17–19, 4=♠
2NT	18–20 HCP, BAL
3♦	18+, 5+♦
3♥	17–21, 6+♥

Of the 71 hands with 5 hearts and 3+ cards in both spades and diamonds, 48 passed, mostly with 11–14 HCP, and 8 doubled. For example, ♠AQ108 ♥K10862 ♦KQ63 ♣- doubles, but ♠J53 ♥AJ532 ♦K94 ♣K10 passes. The 2♠, 2NT and 3♦ rows come from 3–4 boards each.

If LHO’s overcall is raised, opener doubles for takeout with shortness.

1♥ (1♠) P (2♠)
P	Most hands, 12–17
X	Takeout, 14–20, 0–1♠, 3+ cards in each minor
2NT	15–20 HCP, 5=♥
3♣♦	15–20, 5+#
3♥	14+, 6+♥

Opener doubled 16 of the 44 hands with 5 hearts and 0–1 spades, for example ♠- ♥KQ1076 ♦A1095 ♣A1087. Another 16 of them passed with 11–14 HCP.

Cuebid

Over responder’s cuebid, opener’s rebids are natural. 3♥ is the default.

1♥ (1♠) 2♠! (P)
2NT	11–16 HCP, ♠ stopper
3♣♦	4+#
3♥	Default, usually a minimum
3NT	15–20 HCP, ♠ stopper
4♥	16–20, 6+♥

Unusual 2NT

Over a 1NT overcall, responder’s 2NT shows both minors. Opener picks one.

1♥ (1NT) 2NT! (P)
P	4♠, 2-2 in the minors
3♣♦	3+#
3♥	15–20, 6+♥
3♠	16–20, 4=♠
3NT	14–18 HCP
4♥	17–21, 6+♥
4NT	17–20, short ♠
5♣♦	14–20, fit

The pass and 4NT rows come from 10 boards each. Every 4NT hand had 0–3 spades and length in both minors.

Maximal double

When the opponents bid up to just below 3 of the opened major, opener’s double invites game.

1♠ (2♥) 2♠ (3♥)
P	13–14
X	Maximal, INV, 18–20, usually 5=♠
3♠	14–17
4♠	16+, usually 6+♠ or shortness

For example, ♠KQJ83 ♥A ♦Q972 ♣A104 doubles. The 2011 writeup has the maximal double at 16–17 and 4♠ at 18+. Wbridge5 doubles with 18–20 and also bids 4♠ with shapely hands from 16 points.

The same double works over 1♥ (2♦) 2♥ (3♦).

1♥ (2♦) 2♥ (3♦)
P	12–17
X	Maximal, INV, 18–20
3♥	13–20, competitive
4♥	14+, usually 16–20

For example, ♠A ♥AKQ87 ♦632 ♣K986 doubles. Opener bid 4♦ on 2 boards, each with 6+ hearts and 0–1 diamond.

Not probed

Responder’s calls with 4+ cards in opener’s major over overcalls other than 1♥ (1♠), and with 11+ HCP.
Responder’s double of other 2-level overcalls (2♦, 1♥ (2♠)) and of a 2NT overcall.
Responder’s second call after a negative double, and opener’s rebids after the 3-level takeout double of 1♠ (3♥).
Support doubles over 2♦ or 2♥ after 1♥ - 1♠, and support redoubles at the 3-level.

Keyboard shortcuts

Wbridge5