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 ♦Axx ♣x , 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 ♦KJx ♣xxxx 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. ♠x ♥Kxx ♦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.