MAJOR SUIT BIDDING & RESPONDING EXERCISES

Bidding Sequence / Opener's Strength / Openers Distribution / Responder's Strength / Responder's Distribution
1 / 1♠ –1NT
2♥ -Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ ___5 ____
♥ __ 4+ _____
♦ ___2 ____
♣ ___2 ______/ 5 - 9 / ♠ __1 or 0_____
♥ __3 or 4_____
♦ ___4?____
♣ ___4?____
2 / 1♠ –1NT
2♥ -2♠
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ ___5 ____
♥ __ 4+ _____
♦ ___2 ____
♣ ___2 ______/ 5 - 9 / ♠ __2_____
♥ __3 or fewer
♦ ___4? ____
♣ ___4? ____
3 / 1♠ – 2♥
3♥ -4♥
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ ___5____
♥ ___3+____
♦ ___3____
♣ ___2___ / 12 - 14 / ♠ __2 or fewer___
♥ __5+_____
♦ ___3?____
♣ ___3?___
4 / 1♠ – 2NT
3♥ -4♠
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ ___5+____
♥ _0 or 1______
♦ ___3 or 4____
♣ ___3 or 4____ / 13 - 14 / ♠ __4_____
♥ __HCP_____
♦ ___3?____
♣ ___3?____
5 / 1♠ – 2♣
2♥ -4♥
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ ___5____
♥ _4+______
♦ __2_____
♣ __2_____ / 12 - 14 / ♠ __2 or fewer___
♥ ___4____
♦ ___2 or 3____
♣ ___5+____
6 / 1♠ – 2♣
2♥ -3NT
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ ___5____
♥ _4+______
♦ __2_____
♣ __2_____ / 13 - 14 / ♠ __2 or fewer___
♥ __3 or fewer___
♦ ___3 or 4____
♣ ___5+____
7 / 1♠ – 2♠
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __5_____
♥ __?_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____ / 6 - 9 / ♠ __3_____
♥ __?_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __ ?____
8 / 1♠ – 1NT
2♠ - Pass / 10 - 13 / ♠ __6____
♥ __?_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____ / 6 - 9 / ♠ __2 or fewer___
♥ __?_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____
9 / 1♥ – 2♥
3♥ - 4♥
Pass / 18+ / ♠ __<5_____
♥ __5+_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?_____ / 8 - 9 / ♠ __?_____
♥ __3+_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____
10 / 1♥ - 1♠
2♥-2♠
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __1 or 2___
♥ __6_____
♦ __?____
♣ __?_____ / 8 - 9 / ♠ __6_____
♥ __0 or 1_____
♦ ___?____
♣ ___?____
11 / 1♥ – 2♣
2NT – 3NT
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __3+_____
♥ __5_____
♦ __3+_____
♣ __2 or fewer_____ / 12 - 14 / ♠ __3_____
♥ ___2 or fewer_
♦ ___3____
♠ ___5+____
12 / 1♠ – 3♠
Pass / 12 - 13 / ♠ ___5____
♥ ___?____
♦ ___?____
♣ ___?____ / 9 - 11 / ♠ __4_____
♥ __?_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __ ?____
Bidding Sequence / Opener's Strength / Openers Distribution / Responder's Strength / Responder's Distribution
13 / 1♥ - 2♥
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __< 5_____
♥ __5_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __ ?____ / 6 - 9 / ♠ __<4_____
♥ __3_____
♦ ___?____
♣ ___?____
14 / 1♥ - 1♠
2♥ - Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __<4_____
♥ __6_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____ / 6 - 9 / ♠ __4+_____
♥ __1 or 2?_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __ ?____
15 / 1♥ - 1NT
Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __<5_____
♥ __5_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____ / 6 - 9 / ♠ __<4_____
♥ __<3_____
♦ ___?____
♣ ___?____
16 / 1♥ - 1NT
2♥ -Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __?_____
♥ __6_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?_____ / 6 - 9 / ♠ __<4_____
♥ __ 1 or 2?_____
♦ ___?____
♣ ___?____
17 / 1♥ - 1♠
3♠-4♠ Pass / 18+ / ♠ __4_____
♥ __5____
♦ __2____
♣ __2____ / 8 - 9 / ♠ __4+_____
♥ __<3_____
♦ __2 or 3?_____
♣ __2 or 3?_____
18 / 1♠ - 2♥
3♠ - 4♠ Pass / 14+ / ♠ __6+_____
♥ __?_____
♦ __ ?_____
♣ __?_____ / 12 - 14 / ♠ __2+_____
♥ __5_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?____
19 / 1♠ - 2♣
2♥ - 3NT Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __5_____
♥ __4+_____
♦ __?_____
♣ ___?____ / 12 - 14 / ♠ __<3_____
♥ _<4______
♦ __3+_____
♣ __5+_____
20 / 1♥ - 2♣
2♦ - 3N Pass / 12 - 14 / ♠ __<5_____
♥ __5_____
♦ __4+ ?_____
♣ __?____ / 13– 14+ / ♠ __<4_____
♥ __<3_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __5+_____
21 / 1♥ - 2NT
3NT-4NT
5♠ - 6♥ / 15+ / ♠ __<5_____
♥ __5_____
♦ __2 or 3_____
♣ __2 or 3_____ / 17+ / ♠ __?_____
♥ __4_____
♦ __?_____
♣ __?_____

Thoughts on possible strength and shape: These aren’t “the right answers”. They are possible, logical views of bidders’ hands. “Partner?” means, “Partner, why didn’t you balance against this low contract? We have as much as they do, right?”. (< = “Less Than”)

1 Weak responder; < 3 Spades; 3+ Hearts. / 12 9 to 11 point, 4 trump Limit Raise weak opener
2 Weak responder; a preference - not a raise – to 2♠ / 13 Simple minimum raise. Partner: no balance?
3 Two Over One; fit in responder’s Heart suit. / 14 4+ Spade responder, but tolerance for 6 Hearts.
4 Jacoby 2NT GF; Heart shortage didn’t help. / 15Minimum, not forcing 1NT; Partner: no balance?
5 Two Over One; fit in opener’s 2nd 4+ card suit. / 16 Minimum response; tolerance for Hearts. Partner?
6 2 Over 1; no fit in majors; Diamond stopper / 17 1♠ is forcing and Spades becomes a game contract.
7 Simple raise. Why didn’t partner bid? / 18 Big HCP, 6 Spades rebid invite: accepted.
8 6 card, maybe minimum HCP ♠’s. Partner? / 19 2 Over 1; responder has both minors.
9 Simple 6 - 9 raise; strong invite; accepted. / 20 2 Over 1; responder has black suit stoppers.
10 Both 6 card majors; opener can stand Hearts. / 21 Jacoby 2NT GF; extra HCP by opener gets to slam.
11 2 Over 1; 2NT shows both unbid so 3NT is it.

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Bob McConnell, 2016