Bid, Pass, or Double?

Bid, Pass, or Double

1. Responding to 1

white, respond on 0-2 or 5+
red, respond on a good 5 or more
with a fit and some shape, respond always
never pass with an ace.
at matchpoints red, don't pass 1m with a singleton: -200 looms.
never pass with a six-card major

The hands you want to pass with are 3-4 counts. Those have enough values that the opponents are likely not to bid game. Or maybe not make it if they bid it. You aren't out trying to steal partscores. And you don't want to bid on nothing red, or you can go for your life.

Qxxxxx xxx x xxx 1-1
Axx xxx xxxx xxx 1-1
x J10xxxx xxx xxx 1-1NT
xxx QJxx xxxx xx 1-Pass

2. Bidding at the 5-level

the doubleton rule: If you have a doubleton in their suit, you normally want to defend. With a singleton or void in their suit, you want to bid unless partner's cards are in their suit. Therefore:
If you have bid a game to make with at least half the high card and they bid over it
In direct seat:

double with a doubleton
pass with a singleton
pass or bid with a void
If partner passes, showing shortness, you double with values in their suit, bid with two or three small.

Example: you hold Jx Qxxxxx xx A10x

CHO RHO You LHO

1 Pass 1 1

3 3 4 4

Pass Pass ?

You should bid, because partner has a stiff spade.

CHO RHO You LHO

1 Pass 1 1

3 3 4 4

Dbl Pass ?

You should pass, because partner has two spades.

Example: you hold x AKJxx Q10xxx xx

You LHO CHO RHO

1 1 2 4

?

You should pass to show shortness in their suit.

Now if partner has KQx Qxxx Axxx Qx, he will double. They are probably going down, and we are definitely not making.

If partner has xxx Qxx AKxx Axx, he'll bid. You are making, and they probably are not getting hurt badly in 4.

Does this always work? No. But avoiding the five level with 2-2 in their suit is usually right.

3. Helping partner bid at the 5-level

You hold xx AQ10xx KQxxx x.

You LHO CHO RHO

1 1 2 3

?

You should bid 4. Then partner with x Kxxx AJ10xx xxx knows to bid 5, but with x Kxxx xxx AJ10xx, he knows to defend 4.

Rule: when the auction is competitive and it looks as if one side may have to make a decision at the five-level, your new suits are not slam tries, but show your shape so that partner can judge the offensive vs. defensive value of his cards.

These bids "authorize" partner to outbid them at the 5-level, but don't force us to double them if we choose to defend.

If you have a very good hand and know it is your hand, you can cue bid in most of these auctions, provided you stay below game. For example

You LHO CHO RHO

1 2 2 3

4

creates a force on your side. They cannot play undoubled. In auctions where a cue bid is not available, for example,

You LHO CHO RHO

1 1 2 3

?

then some partnerships play that 3NT is a "cue bid" and sets up a force. Don't try this without partnership discussion.