ACBL01B – Bidding: Basic Support Bids Ward Trumbull
Jun 10, 2010
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Just Starting
This write-up is the tip of the iceberg. ACBL01 goes in great detail to
explain what bidding is all about.
Ground Rules
You open the bidding based solely on High Card Points (HCP). Do not
count distribution points. You can/must make an opening one-level suit bid
when you have:
1. any 11 HCP hand with a 5+ card suit (major or minor)
2. all 12+ HCP hands
Bid Categories
If PASS is not considered a bid, then there are four types of bids:
1. Opening Bids
2. Overcalls (i.e., the opponents opened the bidding)
3. Doubles (forget redoubles for now)
4. Response to
a. Opening Bids
b. Overcalls
c. Doubles
Opening One of a Suit
When you open at the one-level you must have:
Spades - 5 or more cards in the suit
Hearts - 5+ cards in suit
Diamonds - 4+ cards in suit (that’s FOUR – got it)
Clubs - could be as few as 2 cards
ACBL01B – Bidding: Basic Support Bids Jun 10, 2010
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What is a Support Bid?
In the course of the bidding partners should be trying to establish if they have an 8+ cards suit between them, preferably in a major suit. When one partner bids a suit and then the other partner bids the same suit, the second partner’s bid is called a Support Bid. That second bid says:
“We have at least 8 cards in this suit between us.”
It does not say:
“Maybe we have 8 cards in this suit.”
Too many “enlightened” bridge players use the second approach when supporting their partner’s major suit bid.
Supporting Opening One-Level Bids
Partner Opens He/She Has You Need for a Support Bid
------------------- ----------------- --------------------------------------
1 club 2+ clubs 5+ clubs
1 diamond 4+ diamonds 4+ diamonds
1 heart 5+ hearts 3+ hearts
1 spades 5+ spades 3+ spades
NOTE: A response of 1 notrump (6-9 HCP) to any of the above opening
bids says:
“I do not have enough cards in your suit to support that
suit.”
And over 1 club, 1 diamond and 1 heart it also says:
“I do not have 4+ cards in any unbid major.”
ACBL01B – Bidding: Basic Support Bids Jun 10, 2010
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Supporting Partner’s Overcall
When the opponents open the bidding, any suit or notrump bid by your pair is called an Overcall. You must have 5+ cards in a suit to overcall that
suit. Normally, you should have at least 2 honors (ace/king/queen/jack) in that suit. For your partner to support that suit, he/she (of course) must have 3+ cards in that suit.
Supporting Partner’s Suit Response
When you open the bidding or make a Takeout Double, your partner’s bid is called a RESPONSE. If he/she responds in a suit (other than your suit), it says there are at least 4 cards in that suit. So if you later support that suit, you must have 4 cards in that suit.
You do not make a support bid with 3 hoping partner really
has 5.
This is the pitfall of inexperienced players. They are so eager to make the support bid that they violate the requirement for the partnership to find 8 cards in a suit.
NOTE: Those of you who are familiar with the Negative Double (advanced
stuff) know there are exceptions to the response rules.
Point Counts to Support an Opening One-Level Suit Bid
This is one of the hardest things for bridge players to grasp. They learned these point counts the old way and will be damned if they’ll change. As pointed out above, when you support partner’s one-level opening suit bid you guarantee that between you there are 8+ cards in that suit. You also tell your partner how many HCP you have in your hand.
ACBL01B – Bidding: Basic Support Bids Jun 10, 2010
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Point Counts to Support an Opening One-Level Suit Bid
Partner Opens You Respond Message
-------------------- ------------------ -----------------------------------------------
1 heart/spade 2 of that suit 6-9 HCP
3 of that suit 10-11 HCP and distribution points
This is a Limit Raise.
* 2 of a minor ** Any 2 level response is 10-18 HCP.
You make this bid with 16-18 HCP.
* 2 notrump ** 12-15 HCP (forcing to game)
4 clubs 19+ HCP - Gerber slam try
Preferably Roman Key Card
4 of that suit *** 6-11 HCP, 4+ card support and a
singleton or void
* Since you do have support for partner’s suit, you will make the
support bid on your next bid. In this case the HCP count is more
important.
** Partner doesn’t know that you have support, and you are
indicating that you don’t have 4+ cards in the other major.
*** This is a direct jump to game in a major suit. Note that it is not
an opening hand (i.e., 12+ HCP). Learn this bid. It is the type
that is used in Standard American bidding.
Partner Opens You Respond Message
-------------------- ------------------- ----------------------------------------------
1 club/diamond 2 of that suit * 6-9 HCP
3 of that suit * 10-11 HCP and distribution points.
This is a Limit Raise.
** 2 notrump * 12-15 HCP (forcing to game)
* All these responses deny having a 4+ card major suit.
Because if you did, you should have bid it at the one-level.
** You don’t need stoppers in all suits. You do need 12-15 HCP.
ACBL01B – Bidding: Basic Support Bids Jun 10, 2010
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Recap - By Point Count
Partner Opens Your Points Support Response
-------------------- ----------------- -----------------------------------------------
1 level suit 6 – 9 2 of suit
6 – 11 4 of suit 4+ cards with single/void
10 – 11 3 of suit (includes distribution pts)
12 – 15 2 notrump
16 – 18 2 of a minor
19+ 4 clubs Gerber (preferably RKC)
Two of a Minor (16-18 HCP) Logic
This point count isn’t strong enough to immediately start slam bidding because partner may have opened with an 11-12 HCP hand. He/she really only counts your hand for the minimum
2-level point count of 10. However, if partner skips to 3 of his/her
major or bids 3 notrump, your pair should have enough points for
a slam. Either of those rebids by partner indicates 15+ HCP.
Strong Hand Exception
If you have one of those 19+ hands and a very good suit of your own (lots of honors); instead of Gerber, you can invite a slam in your suit by making a jump-shift bid in your suit. Note that it promises a 5+ card very strong suit.
Example:
Partner Opens Your Points Jump-Shift Slam Invite Response
-------------------- ----------------- -----------------------------------------------
1 heart 19+ 2 spades