Constructive Auctions After a Major Suit (1H or 1S) Opening Bid - Part 2 of 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the last lesson, you learned how to bid when partner opens 1 of a major and you
have support (3 or more cards). In this lesson, I will discuss how to bid when you
do not have support.

Responding With A Minimum Hand (6-8 points)
-------------------------------------------
Most of the time, you will bid 1NT. This simply announces you have 6-8 points
and fewer than 3 cards in opener's suit. It does not promise NT distribution.

Note that you cannot bid 2 of a new suit, because that promises a medium or maximum hand.

If opener has a balanced hand (5-3-3-2, or 5-4-2-2 with scattered honors) and a minimum
or medium hand, he should pass. With a 6-card major, opener should rebid it. With an
unbalanced hand, partner should bid the second suit, asking you to pass with 3-card support.
(The one exception is that with 5H and 4S and a minimum, opener should pass, because the
auction 1H-1NT-2S is a reverse, showing a medium or maximum hand.)

There is one other auction of interest. If the opening bid is 1H, and you have 4 spades,
preferably to an honor, or 5+ spades, you should bid 1S.

Responding With a Medium Hand (9-11 points)
-------------------------------------------
These are the most complicated auctions, because you, as captain, need to determine both the
best strain (which suit or NT), and whether or not your side has game (partner must have a
medium, 15-17, or maximum, 18+).

The basic approach is for you to bid a new suit (forcing another bid from partner), and then invite
or bid game based on partner's next bid. Let's look at some specific cases:

1) If you have 5 cards in the other major, bid the other major. Note that the auction 1S-2H promises
5 hearts. (Hopefully, after you read the rest of this section, you will see why.) However, the auction
1H-1S does not promise 5 spades.

2) If you have a 5-card minor and no 5-card major, bid the minor. With both diamonds and clubs,
bid diamonds (this preserves bidding room by allowing you to bid clubs later, and allowing partner
to show a diamond preference at the same level).

3) If partner opens 1H and you have 4 spades and no 5-card minor, bid 1S.

4) Otherwise, bid your 4-card minor (even if you have 4 hearts and partner opens 1S).

If partner rebids the major (e.g., 1S-2C-2S), that promises a 6-card suit and minimum hand.
You should invite with a honor doubleton. Otherwise, you should pass, since
it is unlikely your side has game.

If partner rebids the cheapest NT (e.g., 1S-2C-2NT or 1H-1S-1NT), that shows a 5-card major
and a minimum. Your side probably does not have game.

If partner jumps in the major (e.g., 1H-2C-3H), that shows a medium hand with a 6-card suit,
so your side has game. It is your responsibility to make sure you get there.

If partner reverses (e.g., 1H-2D-3C), your side has game (partner has shown a medium or maximum
hand). Again, it is your responsibility to bid game.

If partner bids a non-reverse new suit (e.g., 1H-2C-2D), you should either pass or correct to 2 of
the opener's major (showing only 2-card support). Your side probably does not have game.

Responding With a Maximum Hand (12+ points)
-------------------------------------------
Your choice of first response is identical to what you would do with a medium hand. However,
the auction is less complicated from your perspective, because you know your side has game.
You can keep making forcing bids (e.g., another new suit) until you determine what the best
strain is.

One other choice is 2NT. This shows a balanced hand with 12-14 points, and no more than 2-card
support for partner's major. Partner is forced to make another bid.

Quiz
-------
Your partner opens 1H. For each hand below:

a) Do you have a minimum, medium, or maximum hand?
b) What is your plan regarding deciding the contract strain and level?
c) What is your next bid to help you achieve your plan?

1) S xxx
   H xx
   D AKxxx
   C xxx

   a) Minimum
   b) No game possible unless partner has maximum
   c) 1NT

2) S Qxxx
   H xx
   D KQxx
   C xxx

   a) Minimum
   b) No game possible unless partner has maximum;
      spades is a possible strain
   c) 1S

3) S xxxx
   H xx
   D AKxx
   C xxx

   a) Minimum
   b) No game possible unless partner has maximum;
      spades not as likely because of weak suit
   c) 1NT (1S is acceptable)

4) S xxxxx
   H xx
   D AKx
   C xxx

   a) Minimum
   b) No game possible unless partner has maximum;
      spades is a possible strain; 5 card length overcomes weak spots
   c) 1S

5) S AQxx
   H xx
   D xx
   C Axxxx

   a) Medium
   b) Game possible unless partner has minimum;
      can use 2 bids to describe hand
   c) 2C, bid 2S over partner's response
      partner will know you have 5C, 4S and a medium or maximum hand

6) S AQxx
   H xx
   D xxx
   C AKxx

   a) Maximum
   b) must force to game
      spades possible
      cannot bid 2C first because partner will assume fivw card club suit
   c) 1S
      if partner bids 2D, bid 3NT
      if partner bids 2H, bid 3C
      if partner bids 2S, bid 3C (partner may only have 3 spades)
      if partner bids 2NT, bid 3NT

7) S Axx
   H xx
   D Kxxx
   C Kxxx

   a) Medium
   b) Game possible unless partner has minimum
   c) bid 2C
      if partner bids 2D, bid 2NT
      if partner bids 2H, pass
      if partner bids past 2H (medium/maximum), force to game

8) S Axx
   H xx
   D Axxx
   C AKxx

   a) Maximum
   b) Must force to game
   c) Bid 2NT
      3NT is possible -- it shows an opening 1NT, but
      normally it is better to make a slight underbid than overbid




