LaFetra Bridge Club

BALANCED HANDS
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DETERMINE OPENER'S POINT COUNT WITHIN
1 POINT FROM 12 POINTS TO 30 POINTS
WHEN OPENER HAS A BALANCED HAND:


You can determine opener's points within 1 point if your partnership uses the following system with BALANCED hands

12-14 points: Open 1 of a suit and rebid NT at the lowest level (e.g. 1H 1S; 1NT or 1H 2D; 2NT)

15-17 points: Open 1NT (Even with a 5 card major)


18-19 points: Open 1 of a suit and jump 1 level in NT with your rebid (e.g. 1H 1S; 2NT or 1H 2C; 3NT)

20-21 points: Open 2NT

22-24 points: Open 2C and over responder's bid rebid 2NT (e.g. 2C 2D;2NT)

25-27 points: Open 2C and over responder's bid rebid 3NT (e.g. 2C 2D; 3NT)

28-30 points: Open 2C and over responder's bid rebid 4NT (e.g. 2C 2D; 4NT) (Careful if responder bids in a major suit ie 2C 2H; your bid is Blackwood)

THE THREE TYPES OF HANDS FOR OPENER:

MINI 12 to a bad 16 - A Red light hand
MIDI Good 16 to 18 - An Amber hand
MAXI 19+ - A Green light hand

With a Mini rebid 1NT or rebid your suit (with 6+ cards), bid a new suit at the one level or at the two level in a lower ranking suit then the suit you opened, or raise partners suit 1 level with 4+ card support.

With a
Midi
encourage responder, you can bid at the 3 level, you can reverse (your 2nd bid is at the two level in a higher ranking suit then your opening bid), jump in your suit or in partners suit or in NT but do not jump to game, you must invite game.

With a Maxi, do not make any bid partner can pass, until the partnership reaches game, make a jump shift or a reverse - jump to game in your suit or partners suit (you must have good support for partner or a self sufficient suit of your own).

THE THREE TYPES OF HANDS FOR RESPONDER:

MINI 6 To a Bad 10 - A Red light hand
MIDI A Good 10 to 12 - An Amber hand
MAXI 13+ - A Green light hand

With a MINI hand do not jump the bidding, do not encourage partner, make a minimum bid and only rebid to show a preference or if forced by opener, or if opener invites and you have maximum for your range

With a MIDI hand do something that encourages partner but does not force to game. Jump in your suit or partner's suit, jump in No-Trump but do not jump to game.
With a MAXI hand do not make any bid that partner can pass below game. Bid a new suit, jump in a new suit if partners has rebid 1NT.