What should I Bid? - Best enquiry for May 2007

Gordon Kellerman made the best submission for the month of May.

Hand: I was dealer at North at favourable vulnerability and held the following hand:

A75  AQJ107  102  AJ8

Bidding:	West	North	East	South
		1	Pass	1
	Pass	?

Comments:    I opened 1 playing 5 card majors as a 1NT opening (15-18) may not include a 5 card major.
Partner responded 1 and E-W passed throughout.
What should I rebid?
I rejected 2NT as this would show 19-20 HCP and 3 as this should show a 6-card suit and finally only bid 2. Partner then bid 3NT, all passed and 6NT rolled in.

Peter's Reply:

Hi Gordon.

If your method is to open 1 rather than 1NT on this sort of hand, the best rebid is 2. If a slam is a reasonable prospect and not just a lucky contract, then partner has bid 3NT too early in the auction.

The need sometimes to rebid two of a minor on a 3-card suit is one of the many reasons why some experts advocate including five card majors in 1NT openings. I personally do not advocate that approach, but I understand it. Should you choose to go down that path, I strongly advise you to tighten your 1NT opening to 15-17 and definitely evaluate your reasonable quality 5-card suits as being worth a point.

Partner very likely should have bid 2 over your choice of 2 rebid. 4th suit is artificial and simply states that the partnership is going to game. This would have allowed the space for you to make a third bid of 3, showing 3-card support as you didn't raise immediately and, even more importantly, showing your extra values.

Now partner is well placed to decide what to do. You mentioned "only bid 2". The "only" is inappropriate. 2 may be quite a strong hand. While non-forcing in standard methods, it simply denies the strength to force to game, i.e. less than about 19 HCP. That is why partner should not jump to 3NT on the second round of the bidding unless their hand is inadequate for slam opposite a possible 18 count.

This is one of the reasons for using 4th suit forcing and the reluctance to use this convention is one of the significant bidding weaknesses of many players.

Regards
Peter Fordham

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