BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You open 1 ♣ and partner responds 1 ♦ , and you rebid 1 ♥ . Partner now bids 1NT. What action do you take next? BeFORe determining what to do, it’s necessary to understand what is the significance of 1nT (the other bids are self-explanatory).

Partner has better than minimum values, or he would have passed or bid 2 ♣ .

He has not got as many as 11HCPs or he would have been able to bid 2nT. He has got something in spades, possibly even a four-card suit, but he couldn’t bid spades as this would systemically be fourth suit forcing for use on hands with interest in game.

He is likely to assume from your bidding that you have five clubs and four hearts in a hand unsuitable to have opened 1nT. if this were the case, you should certainly pass his nT bid.

However, this hand will not play well in 1nT, so you must take it out into one of your suits. Bid 2 ♣ not 2 ♥ and partner should get the message.