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INERMEDIATE BRIDGE - BIDDING TIPS FOR TOPS

LESSON 10

THE OVERCALLER’S REBIDS - TIPS 74-77

74. Once partner has changed suits, in effect having ostensibly denying support for your overcalled suit, do not rebid your suit unless you have a strong 6-card suit.

East South (You) West North (Partner)

1H 1S Pass 2D

Pass ??

Ex. (a) AKXXX XXX X KXXX (Pass. Partner has few Spades and you do

not have Diamonds. Partner’s 2D is not

forcing. Quit while you are behind!!)

(b) AQJXXX XXX X AXX (Bid 2S.)

75. Overcaller’s rebid of opener’s Minor suit, subsequent to the responder to the overcall having bid No Trump, is natural and not forcing.

East South (You) West North (Partner)

1C 1H Pass 1NT

Pass ??

Ex. (a) X AQXXX XX AQJXX (Bid 2C to show a Heart-Club 2-Suiter.)

76. Overcaller’s rebid of opener’s Minor suit, subsequent to the responder to the overcall having passed, is natural and not forcing.

East South (You) West North (Partner)

1D 1H Dbl. Pass

1S ??

Ex. (a) X AQXXX AQJXX XX (Bid 2D to show a Heart-Diamond 2-Suiter.

The level is cheap and your Diamond suit

is good enough.)

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77. Be prepared for a possible cue-bid by partner. Assume that partner has a strong raise for your overcall suit (typically, at least 11-13 Support points), and wants to know more about your hand so as to best tell the final bidding destination.

(a) A rebid of your overcall suit evidences a simple overcall (8-11 HCP’s).

(b) A jump-rebid of your overcall suit evidences an invitational overcall (12-13 HCP’s).

(c) A bid of 2NT is invitational (12-14 HCP’s) with strength in opener’s suit.

(d) A jump into game shows a strong overcall of 15-17 HCP’s.

(e) A cue-bid following partner’s cue-bid is game force, slam invitational.

(f) A bid of a new suit is forcing but not necessarily better than a simple overcall.

East South (You) West North (Partner)

1D 1S Pass 2D

Pass ??

Ex. (a) AQXXX XX KXX XXX (Rebid 2S, showing a minimum overcall of 8-

11 HCP’s.)

(b) AQXXXX XX KX KXX (Rebid 3S, showing an invitational better-

than-minimum overcall of 12-13 HCP’s.)

strength in opener’s suit.)

(d) AKXXXX XX AQX QX (Jump to 4S, 15-16 HCP’s.)

(e) AKJXXX X AKXX AX (Bid 3D, a cue-bid evidencing a game force

with Slam possibilities. Pursuit of a

possible Slam is now up to overcaller’s

partner.)

(f) AQXXX XX XX AJXX (Bid 3C, then Pass if partner bids 3S.)

AJXXX KQXX XX XX (Bid 2H, then Pass if partner bids 2S.)

AJXXX KQXX AX XX (Bid 2H, then continue over partner’s 2S.)

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INERMEDIATE BRIDGE - BIDDING TIPS FOR TOPS

LESSON 11

THE TAKE-OUT DOUBLE - WHEN TO USE & WHEN NOT TO USE - TIPS 78-86

78. Under usual circumstances, a Direct Take-out Double over an opening bid of one of a suit by one’s RHO requires a HCP count equivalent to an opening bid; i.e., approximately 13 HCP’s. (Remember, a Take-out Double over a Major suit Bid by one’s opponent guarantees a 4-card suit of the alternate Major suit, a Take-out Double over a Minor suit bid by one’s opponent guarantees 4-card support for both Majors (or at least tolerance of 3 pieces for one and 4 for the other.) The ideal distribution for a Take-out Double in direct position is a 4-4-4-1 or a 5-4-4-0 with the singleton, or void, being in the suit opened by your RHO. Under such circumstances, one may double with as few as 11 HCP’s

Ex. (a) AXXX AXX KX KXXX (Over 1D by RHO, Double. {Tolerance for H})

(b) AXXX KXXX AXXX X (Over 1C by RHO, Double. {Both Majors})

(d) AXXXX AXXX QJXX - (Over 1C by RHO, Double.)

79. In balancing position, the requirements are even further diminished. One would need as few as 8-10 HCP’s in order to make a Balancing Take-out Double (“Re-Opening Double”). It closely resembles a Take-out Double in second position, virtually no upper limit, but with only moderate strength should usually exhibit shortage in the opponent’s bid suit at at least 3-card support for each of the un-bid suits.

Ex. (a) West North East South

1D Pass Pass ??

In such situations, the Spade suit (Similar to the principle involved with the Rule of 15 in the Pass-out

seat for a potential opener) is particularly significant. Possession of Spades favors a balancing action;

lack of Spades counts against it. In more general terms, a shortage in an unbid suit, especially a Major

suit, mitigates against balancing, and a shortage in the opponent’s suit favors it

Ex. (b) X JXXX AQXX QXXX (If the bidding had gone 1S,P,P a

balancing double would be automatic.

Against a bidding of 1D,P,P, one should

pass.)

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80. Seldom bid a Take-out Double with a small doubleton in an unbid Major. It is too risky unless you have 19+ HCP’s.

Ex. West North

1C ?

(a) XX AQXX AQXX QXX (Pass. Bid aggressively later.)

(b) AQX KQXX JXX XXX (Double. Standard Holding.)

1NT showing 18-19 HCP’s.)

81. A Take-out Double followed by a NT rebid is stronger than overcalling 1NT directly.

Ex. West North East South

(a) 1C Double Pass 1D

Pass 1 NT (18-20 HCP’s)

(b) 1C 1 NT (15-17 HCP’s)

82. A Take-out Double followed by a suit rebid is stronger than overcalling the suit directly, and should show a 2-suited hand; i.e., the remaining two other than opener’s and responder’s.

Ex. West North East South

(a) 1D 1S (8 or More HCP’s)

(b) 1D Double Pass 1H

2D Pass (13-15 HCP’s)

2D 2S (16+ HCP’s and S & C.)

83. After making an overcall, you can still make a Take-out Double providing the opponents find a fit and partner has not yet bid.

Ex. (a) AKXXX AJX XX KXX

North East South West

1D 1S 2D Pass

Pass Double (Strong enough to overcall

Spades and then to Double. This

evidences 13-16 HCP’s, shortness in

the opponent’s suit, and at least

3-cards in the two unbid suits.)

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84. With 8 or 9 winners in your own hand, plus a stopper in the opener’s suit, overcall 3NT. There is no need to use the Take-out Double. Do not worry about HCP’s; this bid shows tricks, not points.

Ex. K KX AKQXXXX AXX East South(You)

1H 3 NT

( Are you chicken or what? Overcall 3NT. If necessary, hide your

singleton K Spades in with your Clubs if it eases your nerves.)

85. With 8 or 9 winners in your hand, but without a stopper in the MAJOR suit bid by the opponent to your right (RHO), make a jump cuebid. (A new toy!!!) It asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in the opponent’s Major; otherwise to bid the next higher suit and you will place the contract. Such a bid is more descriptive in such a situation than is a Take-out Double.

Ex. AX XX KX AKQJXXX

North East(You) South West(Partner)

(a) 1H “3H” Pass “3NT” (Shows a H Stopper)

(b) 1H “3H” Pass “3S” (Denies a stopper)

Pass “4C”

86. A direct jump bid in the opponent’s MINOR suit is natural. It shows a 7-card suit with less than opening values. In such situations, no not use the Take-out Double.

Ex. AX X XXX KQJXXXX

North East(You) South

1C 3C(Natural)

(This bid may snow the opponents. They may not have agreed between

themselves that a Double by South, in this instance, would be

negative for a Take-out Double. SHHHHH!!!! Don’t tell them!)

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INERMEDIATE BRIDGE - BIDDING TIPS FOR TOPS

LESSON 12

RESPONDING TO A TAKE-OUT DOUBLE - TIPS 87-95

87. When a suit response is considered, never count points for your Jacks and Queen’s in the opponent’s bid suit.

Ex. 1H Dbl. Pass ??? XXXX QXX AXX XXX (Point Count = 4)

88. When a suit response is considered, add one point for any 5-card suit and three points for any 6-card suit.

Ex. 1S Dbl. Pass ??? XX AX KQXXXX XXX (Point Count = 12)

89. When responding in a suit, make a non-jump response with 0-8 HCP’s, a jump response with 9-11 HCP’s, and a cue-bid or game response with 12 or more HCP’s.

North East South West (You)

1H Dbl. Pass ???

(a) AJXXX XXX KX XXX (Respond 2S (Invitational and Non-Forcing)

Count one extra point for the 5-card Spade

suit, thus you have 9 points.)

(b) AKXX XXX KXX XXX (Respond 2S - With 9-11 points you must jump

the bidding, even with a 4-card suit.)

after adding three for the 6-card Club suit.)

(d) AJXXX QXX QXX XX (Respond 1S - Do not jump, you have only an

equivalent of 8 Points, Six in Spades [one

extra for the 5-card suit], two in Diamonds,

do not count any for the Queen of Hearts, if

the Queen of Hearts were to have been in

Clubs, you would count 10 points and would

have bid 2S.)

(e) AXX XX AJXX KXXX (Respond 2H, You are too strong to make a jump

response. It suggests game but denies four

Spades else you would have jumped to 4S.)

90. With a hand too weak to cue-bid or jump, with a 4-card Major and a 5-card Minor respond in the Major; with a 4-card Major and a 6-card Minor, respond in the Minor.

North East South West (You)

1H Dbl. Pass ???

(a) KXXX XX QXXXX XX (Respond 1S)

(b) KXXX XX QXXXXX X (Respond 2D, you will bid Spades later if

afforded the opportunity.)

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91. You do not need stoppers in all of the unbid suits to bid No Trump. You do need at least one stopper, preferably two, in the opponent’s suit. Bid 1NT with 7-9 HCP’s, 2NT with 10-12 HCP’s, and 3NT with 13-16 HCP’s.

North East South West (You)

1S Dbl. Pass ???

(a) KQJX XXX JXX XXX (Respond 1NT.)