Monday, June 12, 2006 4:18 AM


Hand Evaluation - Forcing NT ( 2
rebid )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            The spade suit is the highest ranking suit in Bridge. This elementary fact quite often pre-empts partner. When you open 1♠ and partner responds 1NT beware of the  2 rebid. This bid virtually shuts out partner unless she has a good enough hand to bid at the 3 level. If you play the BART convention or have an understanding that 2 or 2 by the NT bidder is forcing one round you should avoid rebidding 2♠. Spades shut out hearts due to the rank difference. This can be fatal quite often. Use the 2♣ rebid as a tool of convenience which allows partner to use BART or other treatments. Opener should help the forcing 1NT bidder out when she can.

 

           Holding ♠KQxxxx Axx Axxx , you open 1 with partner responding a forcing 1NT. Since you have 3’s to the Ace , I would bid 2 . This gives partner a chance to bid 2 or otherwise describe her hand. Say you bid 2♠ and partner holds ♠x KJ10xx KJxxxxx or similar hands. 4 has a play but two ’s probably goes down. Partner gives preference with two small spades anyway .

 

            Playing BART like structures , let the system do the work for you. If you have clubs with heart tolerance do not “pre-empt” the bidding by rebidding 2. ♠AJxxxx Kxx Ax Kx  You open 1♠ , partner responds 1NT . 2 has a high probability of ending the auction. You have 15 HCP but your suit is not good enough to jump to 3. Its these “in between” hands that you do everything in your power to keep the bidding open. Playing 2 forcing one round or BART allows you to bid 2♣ as a rebid. Partner is aware that your 2♣ rebid could show as little as two of them so allow partner to describe her hand. Partner does have hearts so you reach +620. A rebid of 2 and you play it there , down one.

 

            I like a 2 rebid to mean a lack of heart tolerance with a decent spade suit. Game in the other major is shut out too many times by that rebid. I like playing a 2/1 in a minor , rebidding the minor as non forcing after a major opener. Therefore , by the negative inference if partner bids a minor after my 2 rebid  , she is rescuing the partial , not showing any cards. ♠xKxx ♦QJ109xxx ♣xx is a 3 bid after a 2 rebid so probably says that 2 is not going to make.

 

            Playing 3♣ as a multi-purpose jump shift clarifies these hand types. A 3 & 3 bid is invitational so can be done on lighter values . 6-4’s are always shown by rebidding the 4 card suit. Therefore , a 2 rebid is getting close to being a “picture” bid. A single suited minimum with no heart tolerance & a decent suit.