BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You open 1 ♣ and partner responds 1 ♦ . What would you rebid, and what would your partner understand from the rebid? NOT surprisingly, you’d rebid 1 ♥ , showing your second suit naturally. This is a simple non-forcing bid, which partner can pass if he has no additional values, and has as good or better support for hearts than clubs.

Partner will know that you have two biddable suits, and that you were not opening a ‘ prepared’ 1 ♣ , because your hand was unsuitable for an opening 1NT. if this had been the case, you would have rebid in No Trumps, instead of showing a second suit.

At this stage, partner will not know your actual suit length, as you could easily be bidding in this way with five clubs and four hearts (plus a few more honour points).

unless he has a spade suit, or good values, he should not be looking for a contract outside of your suits.