Bidding with 5-5 HandsJim Berglund’s Bridge Lesson 9

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Hand 1: Qxxxx ♠ ♥Kxxxx ♦x Jx♣

Hand 2: Qxxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦x Jx♣

Hand 3: KQxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦x Jx♣

Hand 4: KQxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦A Jx♣

Auction 1: You are South at equal vulnerability

a. Do you make a weak 2 bid or pass with 1&2?

b. Do you bid 1♥ or 1 with ♠

hand 3?c. Do you bid 1♥ or 1 with ♠

hand 4?

W N E S

P ?

a. You should agree with partner to not make a weak 2 with 4 or more cards in the other major

c. Bidding 1 allows you to show ♠

your heart suit naturally . • If partner Bids 1NT, bid 3♥; • If she raises 1 to 2 , bid ♠ ♠

game.• If she raises 1 to 3 , bid 4♠ ♠ ♦

• If she bids 2 or 2♣ ♦, bid 3♥• If she bids 2NT (Jacoby), bid 3♦ (and 4♦ over her next bid)

b. Bidding 1 allows you to show ♠

your heart suit naturally

Bidding Hands with 5 Hearts & 5 Spades

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Auction 2: With Hands 1 & 2a. What do you know

about East’s hand?b. Do you Pass with either

of the two hands?c. Do you overcall? What?d. Do you Double? Why or

why not?e. Could you bid 2D? Is

Michaels ‘on’ in this sequence?

Hand 1: Qxxxx ♠ ♥Kxxxx ♦x Jx♣Hand 2: Qxxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦x Jx♣

W N E S

1♦ P 1NT ?

a. She has 6-9 HCP, no 4-card major and less than 5D; likely 4 clubs

b. Not a CHANCE! 1NT can be passed, and you may be cold for game . If partner is 3-3 in the majors, will he balance after he has already passed??

c. No – you need to show both suits

d. Yes – Although typically a 3-suited takeout, partner should think of the answer to the first question. If partner still bids clubs, bid 2H to show a 2-suiter

e. Because you have a Double to show this hand, 2D should be natural.

Note: West could be 4-4-3-2 and East could be 3-3-1-6 with 5 HCP

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Hand 1: Qxxxx ♠ ♥Kxxxx ♦x Jx♣

Hand 2: Qxxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦x Jx♣

Hand 3: KQxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦x Jx♣

Hand 4: KQxxx ♠ ♥KQxxx ♦A Jx♣

Auction 3:a. Do you pass with any of

these hands?b. With which hands do you

overcall? What? Why?c. With which hands do you

Double? Why?

W N E S

1♦ P 1NT ?

a. Absolutely not!

b. None of them

c. All of them

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Considerations:1. 5-5 (or 6-5) hands are generally

much better on Offense than Defense

2. If you are Opener, in any position, with enough playing points to open, do so.

a) Generally, (with under 18 playing points,) open the higher suit first, and then bid the second suit if partner doesn’t raise the first.

b) If partner raises the first suit, any new suit bid by you promises a feature – not length.

c) If you bid your second suit twice, partner should recognize that you have two long suits.

3. If partner opens and you are responding with 5-5, bid the lower suit first, giving partner a chance to raise or to possibly bid your second suit, (and avoiding 4th-suit forcing auctions you don’t want to be in.) On your second (or third) bid

a) Without game-going values, pass if you sense a misfit.

b) With invitational values, pass if you sense a misfit.

c) With forcing values don’t stop short of game.

4. If you are first to bid after an opponent opens

a) Bid your higher suit first if you have intermediate values

b) Bid a two suit-showing bid (Unusual NT or Michaels) if you have a weak or a strong hand

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Unusual No Trump Bids1. If the opponents open a Major suit, a bid of 2NT is called Unusual NT. It shows at least 5-5 in the minors

a) 1H/S – 2NT promises at least 5 clubs and 5 diamonds

2. If the opponents open a minor suit, a bid of 2NT shows at least 5-5 in the 2 lower unbid suitsa) 1C – 2NT shows at least 5 diamonds and 5 heartsb) 1D – 2NT shows at least 5 clubs and 5 hearts

3. Responder should bid his best supporting suit with 0-8 HCPa) A bid by responder of the other major is non-forcing and to playb) A Q-bid is forcing.

1. With good hands, bid 3NT with a stopper; Bid the other major (if possible) with a first or second-round control or bid 5 of your best minor 2. With weak hands, just bid 4 of your best minor

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Unusual over UnusualUnusual over Unusual - also used for other occasions where two suits are shown by opponents (like Sandwich NT, Michaels Q-bid, etc)

♠ A bid of their lower ranking suit indicates limit+ support for the lower of the other two suits

♠ A bid of their higher ranking suit indicates limit+ support for the higher of the other two suits

Partner Opp You1♥/♠

2NTDbl is penalty-oriented3♣ shows limit raise or better for Hearts3♦ shows limit raise or better for Spades3♥/♠ shows values for the suit bid - competitive but not forcingRaise should be considered weak

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Michael's Q-bid

IF THE OPP’S BID MICHAEL'S

1m-2m shows the majors with a weak hand or a very good hand.1M-2M shows the other major and one of the minors (weak or strong)

♠ A bid of 2NT asks for the minor suit; any other, non-game bid is forcing

♠ 1x-2NT or 1x-P-1/2y-2NT shows the two lower unbid suits♠ Michaels Q-bid over a takeout double by partner– only at

unfavorable vulnerability - shows 2 suits asks partner to bid her longest suit first

Partner Opp You1♦ 2♦ (Majors) Dbl is penalty-oriented

2♥ shows limit raise or better for Clubs2 shows limit raise or better for Diamonds♠

3 shows values - competitive but not forcing♣

3♦ should be considered weak

With 2-suited mid-range hands, (11-14HCP,) bid

naturally, the higher rank suit first

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Auction 4:a.       Do you pass with any of these hands?b.      With which hands do you bid? What? Why?c.       With which hands do you Double? Why?

Hand 1: ♠x ♥Kxxxx  ♦QJxxx   ♣JxHand 2: ♠x ♥Kxxx  ♦Qxxxx   ♣xxHand 3: ♠x ♥KQxxx  ♦KQxxxx   ♣xHand 4: ♠A ♥KQxxx  ♦KQxxx   ♣Jx

W N E S

1♣ P 1NT ?

b. Bid 2NT with hands 1, 2 and 4, planning to bid again with hand 4.

These typify weak/strong hands. Bid 2 with hand 3, ♥

an intermediate hand, planning to bid 3 , ♦

given the chance

a. No!

c. None! A double should only be made with at least 3 cards in the other 3 suits.

This is particularly true when you play mini-max Michaels

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Bidding with 6-5 or better…• Generally, you bid your longer suit first, and then bid your other suit second and bid it again if need be.• With very strong playing hands, Doubles and Q-bids should also be considered.

You Hold: ♠AKQxxx ♥KQxxx  ♦AQ  ♣void

• A double could be passed…• A bid of 5♠ could be passed…• A bid of 5♥ could be passed…• I’d bid 6 (which should show the Majors)♣ and if partner bids 6♦ (showing no preference for the Majors) I’d bid 6♠. If partner holds the ♥A and 2 or more cards in spades, he should bid 7 Spades

1♣ P 1NT 2♣ !

5♣ P P ?

Responder’s 1NT virtually guarantees 4 , since she’d ♣

have bid a 4-card suit, if she had one. Therefore 2 MUST be ♣

Michaels.

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A Special Case…My preference is to open 1♣ in cases where you hold 5 clubs and 5 Spades and non-reversing values.

• It gives you more flexibility at lower levels• It’s easier to act over opponents

preemptive overcalls, like….

• Stronger (reversing) hands can be bid 1♠ - 1NT – 3♣, a jump shift. This is only done when your spades are very strong – AQJ9x or better (and the 4♥ overcall is less likely)

This requires discussion and agreement with partner, and should be alerted

W N E S1♠

4♥

P P ?

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No One VulnerableYou are South

W N E S

P P P ?

♠ A10964 ♥ 83

♦ A ♣ KQ1098

♠ QJ10432 ♥ Q9

♦ ♣ KJ532

♠ KJ982 ♥ Q2

♦ 6 ♣ AQJ108

1 2 3 4

1. Open 1 . ♣

2. Open 2 . No use misleading partner. (shows 12-13 playing points in ♠

passout seat) 3. Open 1♣

♠ AKJ93 ♥ 5

♦ A10 ♣ AJ1054

4. Open 1 . You can afford to make a jump shift of 3 over ♠ ♣

partner’s bid

Exercises - Opening

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No One VulnerableYou are South

W N E S

P P 2♥ ?

♠ A10964 ♥ 83

♦ A ♣ KQJ109

♠ QJ10432 ♥ Q9

♦ ♣ KJ532

♠ KJ982 ♥ Q2

♦ 6 ♣ AJ1083

1 2 3 4

1. Bid 3♥ (Michaels) on hands 1, 3, & 4. You have tremendous playing strength and partner rates to have points. (She’ll also expect you to have a great hand.)

• If partner bids 3NT (asking which minor?), bid 4 with hand 3; 5 with ♣ ♣

hand 1, and 6 with hand 4. Partner will correct to spades, if ♣

appropriate.• If partner bids one of your suits, raise to game with hands 1 and 3. Q-bid

hearts with hand 4, to allow partner to show a feature.• If partner bids game in one of your suits, make an Ace-asking bid

♠ AKJ93 ♥ 5

♦ A10 ♣ AJ1054

2. Pass. Partner will almost always balance., giving you a chance to show your hand. Pass over a 3♥ bid by West, if partner takes no action.

Exercises - Overcalling

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No One VulnerableYou are South

W N E S

P P 1♦ ?

♠ A10964 ♥ 83

♦ A ♣ KQJ109

♠ QJ10432 ♥ Q9

♦ ♣ KJ532

♠ KJ982 ♥ Q2

♦ 6 ♣ AJ1083

1 2 3 4

1. Bid 2 ; bid spades over any bid by the opponents. ♣

2. Bid 2 . This is low-risk, since West is a passed hand. If doubled, Pass. Only bid ♠

clubs if partner ‘rescues’ with a Heart bid. (Plan a talk for later)3. Bid 2 . Treat this hand the same as hand #1♣

♠ AKJ93 ♥ 5

♦ A10 ♣ AJ1054

4. Double and bid spades over partner’s expected Heart response. This is a strong, forcing bid, usually denying heart interest. (You’d have Q-bid if you wanted to force and play in hearts). Plan to bid clubs, next, given a reasonable opportunity.

Exercises - Overcalling