Constructive rebids
This chapter covers the uncontested auctions after 1♥♠ outside the semiforcing 1NT and forcing 2/1: 1♥ - 1♠, the raises, and the strong responses. The responses themselves are in the parent chapter.
The ranges come from probing Wbridge5 5.12 on about 250 boards per auction. Ranges are in points, i.e. HCP plus distribution and length points, except where marked HCP.
After 1♥ - 1♠
Opener raises spades only with 4 cards. With 3 spades and a minimum, opener rebids 1NT. There is no reverse because 2♠ is the raise, so opener shows extra strength by jumping.
| 1♥ - 1♠ - | |
|---|---|
| 1NT | 11–14 HCP, 2–3♠, 5=♥, BAL |
| 2♣♦ | 13–18, 4+# |
| 2♥ | 13–17, 6+♥ |
| 2♠ | 13–16, 4=♠ |
| 2NT | 18–21 HCP, BAL |
| 3♣♦ | 18–21, 4+# |
| 3♥ | 17–21, 6+♥ |
| 3♠ | 16–20, 4=♠ |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 19–22, 0–1#, 4=♠ |
| 4♥ | 19–22, 7+♥ |
| 4♠ | 19–21, 4=♠, 5-4-2-2 |
Wbridge5 rebids 2NT with any balanced 18–21 HCP and never rebids 3NT here. For example, ♠K54 ♥AK643 ♦AK3 ♣Q9 rebids 2NT. With ♠A1042 ♥AKJ75 ♦7 ♣A97, opener jumps to 3♠ rather than splintering, but ♠A976 ♥AKJ952 ♦A96 ♣- bids a 4♣ splinter.
Responder’s rebids after 1NT
Responder’s 2♣ is Roudy, which asks about spade support and strength. It needs 5+ spades. With 4 spades, responder bids notrump directly.
| 1♥ - 1♠ - 1NT - | |
|---|---|
| P | 6–10 HCP |
| 2♣! | Roudy, INV+, 10+ HCP, 5+♠ |
| 2♦ | NF, 8–10 HCP, 5=♠, 4=♦ |
| 2♥ | Preference, 6–11 HCP, 2=♥ |
| 2♠ | S/O, 6–10 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 2NT | INV, 11–12 HCP |
| 3♠ | INV, 7–9 HCP, 7+♠ |
| 3NT | S/O, 12–16 HCP, 4=♠ |
| 4♠ | S/O, 7+♠ |
For example, ♠AKQ1093 ♥J10 ♦Q53 ♣104 bids 2♣. Opener answers in the short-long-long-short code. A minimum has 11–13 HCP and a maximum has 13–14 HCP.
| 1♥ - 1♠ - 1NT - 2♣! - | |
|---|---|
| 2♦! | Minimum, 2=♠ |
| 2♥! | Minimum, 3=♠ |
| 2♠! | Maximum, 3=♠ |
| 2NT! | Maximum, 2=♠ |
Responder’s rebids after a new suit
The fourth suit 2♦ is forcing.
| 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♣ - | |
|---|---|
| P | 6–10 HCP, 3+♣ |
| 2♦! | FSF, 10+ HCP |
| 2♥ | Preference, 6–9 HCP, 2=♥ |
| 2♠ | S/O, 6–10 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 2NT | INV, 10–13 HCP |
| 3♣ | INV, 8–11 HCP, 4=♣ |
| 3♠ | INV, 13–16, 6+♠ |
| 3NT | S/O, 13–16 HCP |
| 4♣ | S/T, 14+ HCP, 5♠ 4♣ |
| 4♠ | S/O, 6+♠ |
The 4♣ row comes from 4 boards. The 2011 writeup says that only a fourth suit at the 2-level in a minor is forcing, so 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♣ would be natural. That auction was not probed.
Simple raise
Opener’s game tries are natural. A new suit shows 4+ cards and invites game, and a jump to the 4-level is a splinter.
| 1♥ - 2♥ - | |
|---|---|
| P | 13–16 |
| 2♠ | Game try, 16–19, 4=♠ |
| 3♣♦ | Game try, 16–19, 4+# |
| 3♥ | INV, 17–18, 6+♥ |
| 3♠! | SPL, 20+, 0–1♠ |
| 3NT | 19–21 HCP, 5-3-3-2 |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 20+, 0–1# |
| 4♥ | S/O, 18+ |
The 3♠ row comes from 3 boards. Opener also bid 2NT on 3 boards with 15 points and 5-3-3-2.
| 1♠ - 2♠ - | |
|---|---|
| P | 13–16 |
| 3♣♦♥ | Game try, 16–19, 4+# |
| 3♠ | INV, 17–18, 6+♠ |
| 3NT | 18–19 HCP, 5-3-3-2 |
| 4♣♦♥! | SPL, 20+, 0–1# |
| 4♠ | S/O, 18+ |
For example, ♠A72 ♥AQJ98 ♦K762 ♣8 makes a 3♦ game try over 1♥ - 2♥. With ♠K82 ♥AKJ63 ♦AK82 ♣6, opener bids 4♥.
Responder accepts a game try with 9+ HCP, or with 7–8 HCP and 5+ cards in the asking suit. After 1♥ - 2♥ - 3♣, ♠A42 ♥K52 ♦8654 ♣Q43 bids 4♥. The 2011 writeup’s rule, 8+ points or a double fit, fits the data.
Bergen raises
Opener signs off or bids game. Wbridge5 never control-bids over the mixed raise 3♣, even with 20+ points.
| 1M - 3♣! - | |
|---|---|
| 3M | S/O, 13–15 |
| 3NT | 18–19 HCP, 5-3-3-2 |
| 4M | S/O, 16+ |
Over the limit raise, the game threshold drops to 14 points. Only 1♥ - 3♦ was probed.
| 1♥ - 3♦! - | |
|---|---|
| 3♥ | S/O, 13–14 |
| 3♠! | S/T, 17+, ♠ control |
| 3NT | 18–19 HCP, 5-3-3-2 |
| 4♥ | S/O, 14+ |
The 2011 writeup has opener control-bid with 20–21 over 3♣ and with 19–21 over 3♦. Over 3♦, Wbridge5 makes a 3♠ slam try with 17+ points.
After 1M - 3♣ - 3M, responder passes. The 2011 writeup says that responder bids game with 5 trumps, but Wbridge5 passed on 92 of 97 boards with 5 hearts and 7–9 HCP.
Special 2NT
Unpassed responder
Opener relays with almost every hand, but splinters with 17+ points and shortness. The relay continuations are in the parent chapter.
| 1M - 2NT! - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣! | Relay, any hand without a splinter |
| Jump new suit! | SPL, 17+, 0–1# |
Over 1♥, the splinters are 3♠, 4♣, and 4♦. Over 1♠, they are 4♣, 4♦, and 4♥. For example, ♠K82 ♥AKJ63 ♦AK82 ♣6 bids 4♣ over 1♥ - 2NT. The 2011 writeup has these jumps as control bids, but every probed splinter held a singleton or void in the bid suit.
Passed responder
A passed responder’s 2NT is a limit raise. Opener signs off at the 3- or 4-level, or tries for slam.
| P - 1♥ - 2NT! - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣♦ | S/T, 18+, 4+# |
| 3♥ | S/O, 12–14 |
| 3♠! | S/T, 20+, ♠ control |
| 3NT | 14–19 HCP, 5-3-3-2 |
| 4♥ | S/O, 15+ |
The 3♠ row comes from 7 boards, and every hand held the ♠A or ♠K. The 3NT row comes from 4 boards.
Fit-showing jumps
Opener may pass a fit-showing jump with a minimum and a fit for responder’s suit. Over 2♠, opener can also choose spades as trumps.
| P - 1♥ - 2♠! - | |
|---|---|
| P | 12–13, 3♠ |
| 3♣♦ | S/T, 18+, 4+# |
| 3♥ | S/O, 12–14 |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 16+, 0–1# |
| 4♥ | 15+ |
| 4♠ | 13+, 3–4♠ |
For example, ♠J53 ♥AJ532 ♦K94 ♣K10 passes 2♠.
| P - 1♠ - 3♣! - | |
|---|---|
| 3♦♥ | S/T, 17+, 4+# |
| 3♠ | S/O, 12–15 |
| 4♠ | 15+ |
Opener passed 3♣ on 3 boards, each with 11 HCP and 4–5 clubs. On 3 more boards, opener bid 4♣ with 18–19 HCP.
Strong jump shift 1♥ - 2♠
Opener describes the hand naturally. 2NT shows a minimum balanced hand.
| 1♥ - 2♠ - | |
|---|---|
| 2NT | 11–15 HCP, BAL, 2–3♠ |
| 3♣♦ | 4+# |
| 3♥ | 6+♥ |
| 3♠ | 4=♠ |
| 3NT | 18–19 HCP, BAL |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 0–1#, 4=♠ |
The 2011 writeup lists two 2NT rows here, 12–17 and 18–21 HCP. Wbridge5 bids 3NT with the strong balanced hand.
Serious 3NT and splinters
Over serious 3NT or a splinter, opener signs off with a minimum and control-bids otherwise. A control is an ace, a king, a singleton, or a void. The two auctions probed were 1♥ - 3NT and 1♥ - 3♠.
| 1♥ - 3NT! 1♥ - 3♠! | |
|---|---|
| 4♣♦! | Control bid, 15+ |
| 4♥ | S/O, 13–15 |
Not probed
- Responder’s rebids after 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦, 2♥, 2♠ or a jump, including 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♣.
- Opener’s rebid after the fourth suit 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♦, and responder’s call after the Roudy answers.
- Responder’s call after game tries other than 1♥ - 2♥ - 3♣, and after 1♠ - 3♣ - 3♠.
- Opener’s rebids after the limit raise 1♠ - 3♦, the preemptive raise 1M - 3M, the strong jump shift 1♠ - 3♥, the serious 1♠ - 3NT, and the splinters other than 1♥ - 3♠.
- P - 1♠ - 2NT, and the fit-showing jumps other than P - 1♥ - 2♠ and P - 1♠ - 3♣.