# Bridge: 7 No Trumps baby! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 9, 2016, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229 "2016-08-09T09:47:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 49
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/963 "2019-02-15T23:02:13Z")
And fresh from today’s club game, dealt by the same dealing machine as the hand I posted earlier: void void AQJxxxx A10xxxx. Partner opens 1C (3+ clubs), RHO bids 2H, weak. Your call. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/964 "2019-02-16T00:42:00Z")
Someone’s obviously having fun with the settings on the dealing machine. 1C is better minor, right? The danger is LHO will bid not 4H but 5H. So I’ll bite the bullet and bid 5C. We may miss a slam but a direct raise of partner’s suit is usually a weak bid so may induce LHO to pass. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/965 "2019-02-16T01:10:02Z")
I’d get the diamonds off my chest early, so 3D. Not fond of a heart cue bid - misses a chance to show your very good diamond suit. And LHO could stick his nose in by raising hearts. Partner’s rebids: 3H - asking for a stopper? 3S - natural, most likely 4 card suit, though could be 5 3NT - heart stopper. So, a wasted honour. Over all of these I bid 4C Less likely rebids over my 3D: 4C - can’t support diamonds and can’t bid spades or NT. Five clubs or better. 4D - not interested in NT and having a diamond holding of Kx or better. The problem with this hand is that you have first round controls in all four suits. How do you show that when the opponents are wasting bidding space? You can’t. I think at some point you just bid 6C. To get to 7C a scenario might be: ```auto 1C 2H 3D 4H P P 6C P P 6H P* P 7C ``` - forcing pass and partner bid 7C with: S: Axxx H: xxx D: Kx, C: KQJx ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2019, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/966 "2019-02-16T09:53:02Z")
The problem there is that you are playing better minor and partner may have xxx in clubs. You are 7-6 in the minors and have a known 9 card fit. There’s no way of letting partner know your diamonds suit is 7 long. So go for the 60% score. And I’d open 1N on **K364** ’s putative hand. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/967 "2019-02-17T22:26:55Z")
At our table (I was the 2H bidder) responder chose 3H. I agree with **K364** that he should bid 3D. Over 3H it went Pass - 3S - Pass - 4C all pass. Plus 3. Responder thought 4C was forcing, opener did not. At another table responder bid 5NT, grand slam force, over 2H and partner bid 7C. He reckoned he had two chances - partner had KD or the finesse worked. I am not sure the finesse is too likely through the 2H bidder. **Quartz** - bidding 5C gets you 29% Opener had AJxx 109x Kxx KQx ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/968 "2019-02-17T23:50:40Z")
**amarone** I’m curious why your partner stayed out of the auction holding (presumably) four hearts. Unfavourable vulnerability? Anyway, turned out very well with the bone-head pass of 4C. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/969 "2019-02-18T04:24:52Z")
> [@K364](#): > > **amarone** I’m curious why your partner stayed out of the auction holding (presumably) four hearts. Unfavourable vulnerability? Anyway, turned out very well with the bone-head pass of 4C. She held AJxx of hearts, nobody vulnerable. She normally bids aggressively, but thought on this hand that bidding might push them into a making slam. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/970 "2019-02-18T10:58:26Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > **Quartz** - bidding 5C gets you 29% Remember that partner can bid on. > [@](#): > > Opener had AJxx 109x Kxx KQx I’d open 1N on that, with the bidding going 1N - 3D - 3H - 5C (showing massive 2-suiter) - 6D - 7D ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/971 "2019-02-18T11:50:42Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Remember that partner can bid on. But is not going to with a 4333 minimum and no control of opponents’ suit. Grand is cold opposite the right 6-count. You need to do more than just bid game. > [@](#): > > I’d open 1N on that, with the bidding going 1N - 3D - 3H - 5C (showing massive 2-suiter) - 6D - 7D They play a 15-17 NT. A lot of people here play 1N - 3D as a game forcing minor 2-suiter, so that would be even better. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/972 "2019-02-18T12:16:03Z")
Hereabouts a jump in the minor over 1N is a slam exploration bid, because 3N is almost always preferable to a minor suit game. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/973 "2019-02-19T12:22:39Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Hereabouts a jump in the minor over 1N is a slam exploration bid, because 3N is almost always preferable to a minor suit game. With my partners we would transfer to the minor first (2S = clubs, 2NT = diamonds). ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/974 "2019-02-19T13:14:17Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > With my partners we would transfer to the minor first (2S = clubs, 2NT = diamonds). With one of my partners we play 2S as a transfer to both minors with opener bidding 3C and then responder correcting. This is a weak bid. 2NT is normally an invitational bid for 3NT, so how do you end up in 2NT? ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/975 "2019-02-19T14:19:51Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > With one of my partners we play 2S as a transfer to both minors with opener bidding 3C and then responder correcting. This is a weak bid. 2NT is normally an invitational bid for 3NT, so how do you end up in 2NT? A benefit of playing separate transfers is that there is room for opener to show whether they like the suit without boosting the level. So after 1NT - 2S, for example, you can play one of 2NT/3C as “I like clubs”, and the other “I don’t like clubs”. If responder bids a suit after the transfer, it shows shortage in that suit. We get to 2NT via Stayman. 1NT - 2C - 2D/S - 2NT = invitational, says nothing about majors. (1NT - 2C - 2H - 2NT does deny spades as you bid 2S with an invitational hand with 4 spades). ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/976 "2019-02-25T05:59:14Z")
New at this, wondering how I should have bid this hand: Qxx, AKJ, K, AQxxxx. I opened 1C, which says 2 or more. Partner answered 1H, promising 4, opponent jumped in with 2D. What do I say now? I went 2H, everyone passed. Partner had 5 hearts and we made 11 tricks. We should have been in game but I don’t know how to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/977 "2019-02-25T11:05:18Z")
I’m torn between bidding 3C - showing your club suit to be genuine - and bidding 3D. If RHO had not bid I would have jumped to 3C. But with 19 HCP and a good 6 card suit I would have opened 2C on that hand. I use the Devalued 2C system. Open 2C, rebid is 3C, indicating a strong 2 in clubs. So the bidding would have gone 2C - 2D (or 2H) - 3C - 3H - 4H. Then possibly Blackwood. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/978 "2019-02-25T12:43:34Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > New at this, wondering how I should have bid this hand: Qxx, AKJ, K, AQxxxx. I opened 1C, which says 2 or more. Partner answered 1H, promising 4, opponent jumped in with 2D. What do I say now? > > I went 2H, everyone passed. Partner had 5 hearts and we made 11 tricks. We should have been in game but I don’t know how to get there. I play [support doubles](https://www.larryco.com/bridge-articles/support-doubles) in which a double of opponents’ suit by opener shows exactly 3-card support for responder’s suit - perfect for this hand. Without that, I’m not exactly sure - either 3D or 3H. 3H would normally show 4 cards, but even if you end up in a 4-3 fit, you will be ruffing in the short hand and your trumps are so strong that even Q10xx in partner’s hand gives you control of the suit. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/979 "2019-02-25T20:45:52Z")
Thanks, interesting. What would the the 3D bids mean? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/980 "2019-02-25T22:42:38Z")
3D would be a generic forcing bid - tell me more about your hand. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/981 "2019-02-27T08:17:53Z")
PIcked up a rock-crusher in a teams match last night - AKQJxx Kx K AKQx Bidding opened 1H on your left, pass pass to you. How would you handle this beast? If you double it will go pass and then 2D by partner back to you. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229/982 "2019-02-27T09:16:47Z")
Just bid 4S. You LHO can be expected to have 13 HCP and you have 25 HCP. That leaves 2 HCP for partner and RHO - no room for any aces. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229.md?page=48) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bridge-7-no-trumps-baby/762229.md?page=50)