D4a HOW TO BID HANDS CONTAINING TWO SUITS

INTRODUCTION

A biddable suit always contains at least 4 cards. Three card suits, even as good as A K Q are never biddable unless partner mentions the suit first. 'Unbalanced' hands may contain two suits which are biddable, e.g. if your hand shape is 5/4/3/1 or, say, 6/4/3/0.

WHAT SHOULD I OPEN WHEN I HAVE 2 SUITS?

a) Suits of unequal length

You should always open the longest suit. After all you are looking for a trump suit and the more trumps you have the better. Your high cards in the shorter suits will probably make tricks anyway. You hold as dealer:

ª 10 9 8 7 6

© A K Q J

¨ A 5

§ J 3

Open this hand 1ª, the longer suit.

b) Suits are of Equal length

Always open the suit of highest rank. You hold as dealer:

ª Q 10

© A

¨ J 9 7 6 2

§ A Q J 7 6

Open this hand 1¨. Diamonds are of higher rank than clubs

WHAT SHOULD I BID AFTER PARTNER RESPONDS WITH A CHANGE OF SUIT?

You normally bid the second suit. Some players are reluctant to do this preferring to rebid the stronger first suit especially when it is longer than the second. But partner should realize that your first suit is a good one anyway and the second suit may be weak.

As dealer you open 1ª and partner replies 2§ ; You hold;

ª A K Q 9 5

© A

¨ J 9 7 6

§ 10 6 5

Now 'rebid' 2¨ not 2ª

There is one very important exception to this rule. When your shorter suit is of higher rank, AND YOU CAN ONLY SHOW IT AT A LEVEL ABOVE 2 OF YOUR ORIGINAL SUIT,YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 15 POINTS.
Consider the hands (a) and (b).

On both hands you are the dealer and open 1¨, the longer suit.

(i) If partner bids 1© now bid 1ª on both hands. The bid is below 2¨, no problem.

(ii) If partner bids 2§, however, you should bid 2ª with hand (a) showing 15 or more points since you have exceeded the level of 2¨. On hand (b) however, your 13 points is not enough to exceed 2¨ . Grit your teeth and bid 2¨to show a more modest hand of less than 15 points!

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