Bidding Strong Hands

Finally, you have a good hand. What now?

---

What Is A “Good” Hand?

For the purpose of this article, there are two types of good hands:

1. Hands with 22+ high card points.
2. Hands with at least 9 playing tricks.

Everyone knows how to count points, so I won’t bother with an example of the first type. The second type would be a hand something like this:

Example 1

♠ A K Q 10 8 7 2 ♥ A 6 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ 7

This hand is worth 9 tricks in a spade contract. You expect to take seven spade tricks, the ace of hearts, and one diamond.

---

Opening A Strong Hand

Open either type of strong hand with 2♣. This is an “artificial” bid that specifically shows a strong hand with 22+ points or 9 playing tricks. It says nothing about the club suit.

Your opening bid of 2♣ is absolutely forcing. Your partner must respond; how to respond is the next topic.

---

Responding To A 2♣ Opening Bid

The advice presented here is what the majority of players use. There are other systems for responding to a 2♣ opening bid, but they’re best left to more experienced players to experiment with.

Most of the time, your responding bid will be 2♦ (there is one exception, which we’ll get to shortly). Again, this is an “artificial” bid that says nothing about your point count or your distribution. It’s referred to as “2♦ waiting”. All of the following hands would respond 2♦:

Example 2

♠ 8 6 3 2 ♥ 7 6 3 ♦ 9 7 4 ♣ 5 3 2

This is about the worst hand you can have. Still, a 2♣ opening is forcing, so you have to bid.

Example 3

♠ Q 6 3 2 ♥ Q 6 3 ♦ 9 7 4 ♣ 5 3 2

This is a little better. Still, respond 2♦.

Example 4

♠ A 10 3 2 ♥ K 9 3 ♦ 9 7 4 ♣ 5 3 2

You have a good hand for your partner. Still, start with 2♦.

Example 5

♠ A 9 ♥ 7 ♦ J 10 9 8 4 3 2 ♣ 5 3 2

Having long diamonds is accidental. Respond 2♦ only.

Example 6

♠ 9 8 4 3 2 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦ A 9 ♣ 5 3 2

Avoid the tempation to bid spades; your hand isn’t good enough. Respond 2♦ only.

When do you respond with something other than 2♦? Only when you have a five card (or longer) suit that contains at least two of the top three honours (ie, at least two of the ace, king, or queen), and at least 8 high card points. In this case, you respond in your suit (2♥, 2♠, 3♣, or 3♦). Here are two examples:

Example 7

♠ K Q 9 4 2 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦ 8 6 ♣ 5 3 2

Your spade suit is good enough to respond 2♠, but your hand isn’t strong enough. Respond 2♦, then bid the spades on your next turn.

Example 8

♠ K Q 9 4 2 ♥ A 7 3 ♦ 8 6 ♣ 5 3 2

Your spade suit is good enough to respond 2♠, and your hand is now strong enough.

Example 9

♠ A 4 ♥ 10 7 3 ♦ 5 3 ♣ K Q 10 8 7 4

The good club suit and nine points makes this hand worth a 3♣ response. If you only had five clubs to the king and queen, a 2♦ response (“waiting”) might be better. This applies to minor suits only; with major suits (like Example 8), always show the major.

---

Opener’s Rebid With 22+ Points

With 22+ high card points, opener will bid notrump (with a balanced hand) or a suit (with a hand unsuitable for notrump).

With balanced hands, a bid of 2NT shows 22 to 24 points, while a bid of 3NT shows 25 to 27 points. A suit bid generally promises five or more cards in the suit, but doesn’t show a point range (only that it’s 22+).

---

Responding To Opener’s Second Bid

If opener has bid notrump, responder adds his points to the minimum that opener has shown, and raises the notrump bid accordingly. To make 3NT, the combined point count should be at least 26 (25 if your partner plays the hands well). To make 6NT, you need 32 points. To make 7NT, you need 37. Use 4♣ (Gerber) to check for aces and kings if you are thinking about slam. If you don’t have enough points to raise partner’s notrump bid, then pass.

If partner has bid 2NT, and you have at least one four card major, you can bid 3♣ (Stayman) to check for a major suit fit, and you can use Jacoby transfer bids (3♦ as a transfer to hearts, or 3♥ as a transfer to spades). For Stayman, you must have enough points for game or slam (at least 4 for game, or 10 for slam). If partner has a four card major, play the game or slam in the major suit; otherwise, play in notrump. Stayman and transfers do not apply over any higher notrump bid.

If opener has bid a suit, then responder must bid again regardless of point count (or lack thereof).

• With a weak hand (less than 4 points) and no support for partner’s suit, rebid 3♣ (unless partner has bid clubs, in which case bid 3♦, or partner has bid diamonds, in which case bid 3NT). Again, this bid says nothing about your suit, only that you have a horrible hand. If opener rebids his suit you are allowed to pass; otherwise, you must bid again.
• If you have a weak hand (less than 4 points) with support for partner’s suit, jump to game in partner’s suit.
• If you have a good hand (4+ points) with no support for partner’s suit, bid a suit of your own. The strength of your suit doesn’t matter; if you had two of the top three honours, you would have bid your suit immediately over 2♣, so partner will know your suit is not that good. This rebid is forcing to game. Avoid bidding notrump (notrump should be bid by the stronger hand).
• If you have a good hand (4+ points) with support for partner’s suit, make a single raise (combined points should be 26 for a major suit game, 29 for a minor suit game).

Example 10

♠ 8 6 ♥ 7 6 3 ♦ 9 7 4 2 ♣ 9 5 3 2

After the initial 2♣/2♦ sequence, your partner bids 2♠. You don’t have spade support (you need at least 3), so you bid 3♣ to show a bad hand. If partner rebids 3♠ you are allowed to pass. If partner bids a new suit, you have to bid something (but not notrump). If partner bids diamonds, raise them. If partner bids hearts, go back to spades.

Example 11

♠ 8 6 4 ♥ 7 6 ♦ 9 7 4 2 ♣ 9 5 3 2

Assume the same auction as the previous example. Now, you have a weak hand with three card spade support, so jump to 4♠. This jump to game warns partner that although you have spade support, you also have a weak hand.

Example 12

♠ Q 6 4 ♥ 7 6 ♦ A 7 4 2 ♣ 8 5 3 2

Assume the same auction as the previous example. Now, you have three card spade support with a good hand, so bid 3♠ only. This provides an extra level of bidding space to investigate slam possibilities.

Example 13

♠ 9 6 ♥ 7 6 ♦ A J 7 4 2 ♣ 9 5 3

Assume the same auction as the previous example. Now, you have a good hand without spade support. Bid 3♦. You can’t bid diamonds the first time because you don’t have two of the top three honours.

---

Opener’s Rebid With 9 Tricks

These are hands that open 2♣ based on offensive strength, rather than high card points. Therefore, opener’s rebid is simple: bid game in the long suit.

Example 14

♠ A K Q 10 8 7 2 ♥ A 6 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ 7

This is the hand from Example 1. Open 2♣, and over partner’s usual 2♦ (waiting) response, bid 4♠. If partner makes a positive response in clubs your hand doesn’t improve, so bid 4♠ anyway. If partner makes a positive response in diamonds or hearts, you should be thinking about slam. Use Blackwood and proceed accordingly.