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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Thursday
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Basic
strategy
0000). How to use 0001). Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25" 0002). 28 for minor 0003). 33 for NT slam 0004). Suit slam 0005). Importance of length 0006). Convention card 0007). ACOL and American Standard, differences 0008). A-Z Glossary 0690). A-Z Glossary
Hand
evaluation
0010). Balanced-Unbalanced 0011). How strong is your hand, HCP 0012). Distribution points 0013). Losing trick count 0014). Barrier-Reversing 0015). Selection of opening suit 0016). Showing shape 0017). 4441 distribution 0018). The skip over principle 0019). Rule of 20 Opening 1 of a suit 0019a). Rule of 25 Opening 2 of a suit 0019b). Rule of 500 Max penalty risk on preempt if doubled 0019c). Law of total tricks 0019d). Rule of Protective bidding
Opening
bids
0020). Plan of attack 0021). Bal, 12 to 19 HCPs, weak NT 0022). Bal, 20+ points 0023). Bal, 15 to 17 HCPs, strong NT 0025). Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit 0026). Unbal, Strong 2s 0027). Unbal, Pre-emptive 0028). Unbal, Gambling 3NT 0029). Benji Strong 2s
Responder
1st bids
0030). After 1NT, General principles 0031). After 1NT, Weak 0032). After 1NT, Getting out of trouble 0033). After 1NT, 11+ balanced 0034). After 1NT, 11+ 4-card major 0035). After 1NT, 11+ unbalanced 0036). After 1NT, 19+ 0037). After 2NT 0038). After 1NT, and Enemy has interfered 0039). 1 NT responses 0040). After 1 Suit, With fit 0041). After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit 0042). After 1 Suit, No fit, no new suit, probably balanced 0043). After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid 0044). After 1 Suit, Very strong 0045). After 1 Suit, Weak freak 0047). After 2 Suit, Strong 2s 0048). After 2 Suit, Weak 2s 0049). After 3 Suit, Responding to preempt
Openers
rebid
0050). Unbalanced, The general idea 0051). Unbalanced, You are weak 0052). Unbalanced, You are strong 0053). Unbalanced, Partner replied with 1NT 0054). Unbalanced, Delayed support 0055). Balanced
Responder
rebids
0060). Responder rebids, The general idea 0061). Choice of two suits 0062). Responders reverse 0063). After 1NT rebid
Basic
Convention
0080). Stayman 0081). Transfer 0082). Transfer after 2NT 0161). Minor suit transfer
Slam
bidding
0090). Slam, Spotting the chance 0091). Blackwood 0092). No-trump slam 0093). Gerber 0094). Extra slam techniques
Interfering
bids
0100). Overcalls, the basic idea 0101). Overcalls, in a suit, over a suit 0102). Overcalls, in a suit, over 1NT 0103). Overcalls, in NT, over a suit 0104). Overcalls, Jump overcall 0105). Overcalls, Double then bid a suit 0106). Overcalls, Bidding opponents suit 0107). Overcalls, Balancing (protective) 0108). Overcalls, Overcall a preempt 0109). Overcalls, Preemptive double jump 0110). Overcalls, To overcall, or to double 0111). Overcalls, Response to 1NT after suit overcall (Lebensohl) 0115). Defence after 1NT 0116). Competitive bidding 0117). Be cautious sometimes 0118). Sacrificing Be bold when non-vulnerable 0119). Sacrificing 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0126). Doubles, Protective double
Doubles

0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0123). Doubles, Negative double 0124). Doubles, Double a 1NT overcall 0125). Doubles, Double a suit over 1NT 0126). Doubles, Protective double 0127). Doubles, Responsive double 0128). Doubles, Double then bid a suit 0129). Doubles, Penalty 0130). Doubles, Support double 0131). Doubles, Lead directing double 0132). Doubles, Maximal double 0133). Doubles, Redoubling - coded meanings 0134). Doubles, Forcing Pass 0135). Doubles, Re-opening double 0139). Doubles, Index of doubles
Advanced
Convention
0150). Majors Jacoby 2NT 0151). Majors Splinters 0152). Majors Weak 2s 0153). Majors Weak 2 defence 0154). Trial bid 0160). NT and minors 4th suit forcing 0161). Minor suit transfer 0162). DONT Bidding When Opponents open 1NT 0163). Game tries 0166). Grand Slam Force 0167). Roman Keycard Blackwood 0168). Cue bidding for controls 0170). 2-suited Overcall Unusual 2NT 0171). 2-suited Overcall Michaels cue bid 0172). 2-suited Overcall Landy over 1NT 0173). Overcall Unassuming cue bid 0179). Very advanced

Quiz How much do you know about this page? Quiz

<= find/hide more deals exploiting this aspect

Quick summary

Responder has two biddable suits. Which first ?

bid longest suit if suits are of different length
bid "up the line" with two 4-card suits
bid "down the line" with two 5-card or 6-card suits.

"Up the line" means starting with the lowest denomination () and working up to the highest (). Do not show preference for Majors.

The idea is to help your partner find the longest trump match, so stick to this method.

Don't "reverse" by mistake, showing 12+ HCP, if you don't have 12+.

Print cribsheet

Bridge Venue

+	West
	4 2
	6 5 3
	7 6 3 2
	A 5 4 3

	North
	K J 5
	A J 7
	A K Q 8 4
	9 6

+	East
	A 9 8
	10 9 8 2
	10 9
	K 10 8 7

+	South
	Q 10 7 6 3
	K Q 4
	J 5
	Q J 2

Example Deal

You: North
Dealer: North
Vuln: none

# 126030

No Trumps or a suit ? And how to get there ?
..
Go to quiz (& full page) of deal # 126030
***

Click the + buttons to peep

Click on "q1" below to see question 1, and on "A1" to see the answer.

Question 1

North is dealer, with a balanced 18-point 6-loser hand and opens 1 Diamond. Partner replies 1 Spade, promising 6 or more HCP. What should North rebid and why ?

Question 1

North is dealer, with a balanced 18-point 6-loser hand and opens 1 Diamond. Partner replies 1 Spade, promising 6 or more HCP. What should North rebid and why ?

Answer

Even though North is balanced, the short club suit has no stoppers. Maybe best to bid a suit? Bid 2-Hearts to promise 16+ and 4-card suit. Only a little lie, and if partner raises in Hearts (promising 4) then you can switch to Spades since he MUST have 5 of them (otherwise he wouldn't have bid Spades first).

Question 2

Have a peep at South's cards. What should he now bid, knowing that the partnership has at least 27HCP ?

Question 2

Have a peep at South's cards. What should he now bid, knowing that the partnership has at least 27HCP ?

Answer

He can't support the Hearts with only 3, and he can't go to NT in case North has nothing in Clubs. But game is on, so he simply asks North to keep describing his hand by using 4th Suit Forcing, which when used at the 3-level is forcing to game.

Question 3

What more information can North give to South ?

Question 3

What more information can North give to South ?

Answer

North now knows that South has a 5-card Spade suit, since the 4th Suit Forcing bid denies having clubs. He can now give delayed support, and raise to game in Spades.

. . . .

Some subjects to follow up on
Unbalanced, Delayed support
Choice of two suits
Barrier-Reversing
NT and minors 4th suit forcing

#1	+	<-- click the + to show/hide one possible Bidding Sequence
West			North	East	South
-			1D	p	1S
p			???
			2H	p	3C
p			4S	p	p
p
-			System: Acol (Benji)
suggest a different Bidding Sequence

bid	explained at....
#2	+	<-- click the + for explanation of relevant Bidding Techniques
1D	Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit
1S	After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit
2H	Barrier-Reversing
3C	NT and minors 4th suit forcing
4S	Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25"

			Hand evaluation

#3	+	<-- click the + for ideas on the Opening Lead
Opening Lead: West , 7 Reasons, when playing in Either suit or NT contract: 1. top of rubbish

« 0061 »

Responder rebids. Choice of two suits

Did you think ahead ?

What does the 2nd bid imply ?

You goal is to bid your suits in an order that will (1) help your partner understand what you have, and (2) facilitate ending up in a suit with the most trumps.

Equal length suits

Most importantly, with suits of equal length

bid "up the line" with two 4-card suits (lowest denomination first), and
bid "down the line" with two 5-card or 6-card suits.

"Up the line" means starting with the lowest denomination () and working up to the highest ().

Unlike the opener's bidding order, which is very slightly different when you have a balanced hand, you should express no preference for Majors. Since your change of suit is forcing, you'll get a chance to bid the other one anyway. For example, after 1 from opener, if you have 4 diamonds and a 4-card Major, bid 1 first. That will give your partner an opportunity to bid a 4-card Major if he has one, as well as allowing you to mention your Major on the rebid, while at the same time not misleading your partner on suit lengths and also keeping the bidding at the one level.

Note: if you have a 4-4 distribution and your hand is balanced, you should consider responding in NT.

5-4 distribution

In general of course, bid the long suit first. You bid your longest suit first to help your partner find the longest trump match.

But let's say you have 5 diamonds and 4 Heart cards. After a 1 opening from partner, should you bid 2, or 1? After all, you have a 9-card diamond match! However, you must not ignore the skip over principle. You might have a hidden 8-card match in Hearts as well. You would much prefer to try for 10 tricks in Hearts compared with trying for 11 tricks in diamonds. So you should not "skip over" the lower bid of 1. By the way, since your "change-of-suit" bid of 1 is forcing, you will have another chance to support the diamonds if your partner does not have four Hearts to go with your four. Right, Mr S ? Remember also that supporting your partner's diamonds would be a weak bid, with no obligation on your partner to continue bidding.

What if you have 4-4 instead of 5-4 in this example just given ? No difference. Bid the lowest you can, which after a 1 opening from partner would again be 1 (the skip over principle).

If you have a 5-4 distribution, you will have noticed that your partner cannot always tell if your first suit is a 5- or a 4-card suit if you had to bid "up the line" because the longer suit has a lower denomination. Don't worry, your partner knows all about "delayed support", and so do you. He'll recognise the uncertainty, and if he only has 3 of them, he'll bid something else first, returning to them on his next bid. That's right, isn't it Mr P ?

Don't "reverse" by mistake (and don't fail to when you should)

Responder's "reverse" shows 12+HCP. It can (only) be made after opener has re-bid his opening suit, or followed the opening suit bid with a NT bid. In this situation, if you the responder "break your barrier" with your second rebid, then you are showing 12+ HCP.

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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Thursday