<p>A good general principle is that when you have an opening hand and partner opens, you should get to a game.</p>

<p>Partner has advertised a 6+-card diamond suit (some people may rebid 2D with 2353 shape on this auction, but I prefer 2H) and has limited their values (with a good 17-count or better, partner would have a different bid). So you can see that you (probably) don't have an 8-card fit. You don't describe your hand completely, but if you have half a spade stopper or better, 3NT seems like the right place to play. If partner rebids 4D, this is game forcing and suggests some slam interest; it cannot be passed.</p>

<p>If your spades are bad, probably your best rebid is your 4-card club suit; if partner has a spade holding they can rebid 3NT. Rebidding your hearts is not very attractive because you only have 5 of them.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T20:13:36.770Z
The partnership appears to have a 10-card diamond fit and 26-28 points; enough for 5D, surely?
Tim Lymington
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-20T00:42:40.540Z
It was also stated that the pair didn't (or probably didn't) have an 8-card fit and the suits were given out of the standard order, so my assumption was that the asker mislabeled the suits in the hand given.
ruds
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T19:14:03.777Z
2013-06-19T19:14:03.777Z
ruds
<p>The appropriate decision, ranging from (just possibly a) pass to investigating slam is critically dependent on the high cards in your hand. For instance, with these hands:</p>

<pre><code> Axx        xx
 AQxxx      Kx
 Kxxx       AQxxxx
 x          Axx
</code></pre>

<p>a grand slam is likely. Alternatively, with these two:</p>

<pre><code> KJx        xx
 AJxxx      Kx
 KJxx       AQxxxx
 x          Axx
</code></pre>

<p>3NT looks like the best contract, and if your 13 points includes distribution then this pair:</p>

<pre><code>KJx        xx
QJxxx      Kx
KJxx       AQxxxx
x          Axx
</code></pre>

<p>should be in 5D.</p>

<p>In all three examples partner has the same hand, better than minimum for his bid. I can easily seeing many partners bidding the same way without the QD, in which case all actions have to be a bit more restrained. Give us your complete hand, and you will get better advice.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T22:11:47.657Z
@woodchips: I'm leading spades on that auction, in a nice even tempo holding either AS or QS, and sitting as demurely as I can while studying dummy. However you are right, 6D is probably good at matchponts, or vulnerable at IMPS. Replace SJx with ST9 and it is a closer call.
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T22:15:35.240Z
@woodchips: Of course in all three cases partner might not have the DQ or equivalent, or CAxx might instead be CAJx
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T21:55:35.173Z
2013-06-19T21:55:35.173Z
Forget I was ever here
<p>I'd head for game in diamonds. You have 13 high card points, but your singleton club is worth 2-3 more provided that you play in a sut contract. </p>

<p>Your partner probably has at least 13 high card points and 5-6 diamonds. You should have 26 high card points or more between you, plus 9-10 diamonds and the club singleton. Unless your opponents have A of clubs, plus A-K of another suit where you and partner both have at least a doubleton, you'll make five diamonds. </p>

<p>The main question is whether you have a good enough fit for slam. That would occur if your opponents had A, K, Q, J of clubs, and scattered values elseshere, say J, J, Q of the three other suits. On the other hand, slam is "off" if partner (or you) have wasted honors in clubs, meaning that your opponents may have useful honors elsewhere.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-21T17:55:31.920Z
2013-08-28T21:45:33.387Z
2013-08-28T21:45:33.387Z
Tom Au
<p>Partner opens 1D -- I respond 1H -- Partner responds with 2D -- (I have 3 spades, 5 hearts, 1 clubs, 4 diamonds, 13 hcp) --> I'm tempted to bid 3NT now. Should I always get to game with me and partner both having opening strength even if we don't have 8-card fit? In essence, what do I bid here? <br>
- Bidding 2H shows 5 hearts, but not game values.<br>
- Bidding 3NT - we and partner might not have both together NT distribution.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T18:23:34.947Z
Do you mean that you have 1 diamond and 4 clubs? If you have 4 diamonds and partner has bid them twice, you certainly have an 8-card fit.
ruds
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-19T22:26:49.893Z
This hand has great potential, depending on the exact cards held. What is your full hand?
Forget I was ever here
<bridge><bidding>
Bidding game (simple SAYC)
user5185
# Bidding game (simple SAYC)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-06-19)

Partner opens 1D -- I respond 1H -- Partner responds with 2D -- (I have 3 spades, 5 hearts, 1 clubs, 4 diamonds, 13 hcp) --> I'm tempted to bid 3NT now. Should I always get to game with me and partner both having opening strength even if we don't have 8-card fit? In essence, what do I bid username_2?   
- Bidding 2H shows 5 hearts, but not game values.  
- Bidding 3NT - we and partner might not have both together NT distribution.

**Tags:** bridge, bidding

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Do you mean that you have 1 diamond and 4 clubs? If you have 4 diamonds and partner has bid them twice, you certainly have an 8-card fit.  
> **username_2**: This hand has great potential, depending on the exact cards held. What is your full hand?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-06-19. Score: 1

A good general principle is that when you have an opening hand and partner opens, you should get to a game.

Partner has advertised a 6+-card diamond suit (some people may rebid 2D with 2353 shape on this auction, but I prefer 2H) and has limited their values (with a good 17-count or better, partner would have a different bid). So you can see that you (probably) don't have an 8-card fit. You don't describe your hand completely, but if you have half a spade stopper or better, 3NT seems like the right place to play. If partner rebids 4D, this is game forcing and suggests some slam interest; it cannot be passed.

If your spades are bad, probably your best rebid is your 4-card club suit; if partner has a spade holding they can rebid 3NT. Rebidding your hearts is not very attractive because you only have 5 of them.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: The partnership appears to have a 10-card diamond fit and 26-28 points; enough for 5D, surely?  
> **username_1**: It was also stated that the pair didn't (or probably didn't) have an 8-card fit and the suits were given out of the standard order, so my assumption was that the asker mislabeled the suits in the hand given.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-06-19. Score: 0

The appropriate decision, ranging from (just possibly a) pass to investigating slam is critically dependent on the high cards in your hand. For instance, with these hands:

```
 Axx        xx
 AQxxx      Kx
 Kxxx       AQxxxx
 x          Axx

```

a grand slam is likely. Alternatively, with these two:

```
 KJx        xx
 AJxxx      Kx
 KJxx       AQxxxx
 x          Axx

```

3NT looks like the best contract, and if your 13 points includes distribution then this pair:

```
KJx        xx
QJxxx      Kx
KJxx       AQxxxx
x          Axx

```

should be in 5D.

In all three examples partner has the same hand, better than minimum for his bid. I can easily seeing many partners bidding the same way without the QD, in which case all actions have to be a bit more restrained. Give us your complete hand, and you will get better advice.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: @woodchips: I'm leading spades on that auction, in a nice even tempo holding either AS or QS, and sitting as demurely as I can while studying dummy. However you are right, 6D is probably good at matchponts, or vulnerable at IMPS. Replace SJx with ST9 and it is a closer call.  
> **username_2**: @woodchips: Of course in all three cases partner might not have the DQ or equivalent, or CAxx might instead be CAJx  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-06-21. Score: 0

I'd head for game in diamonds. You have 13 high card points, but your singleton club is worth 2-3 more provided that you play in a sut contract.

Your partner probably has at least 13 high card points and 5-6 diamonds. You should have 26 high card points or more between you, plus 9-10 diamonds and the club singleton. Unless your opponents have A of clubs, plus A-K of another suit where you and partner both have at least a doubleton, you'll make five diamonds.

The main question is whether you have a good enough fit for slam. That would occur if your opponents had A, K, Q, J of clubs, and scattered values elseshere, say J, J, Q of the three other suits. On the other hand, slam is "off" if partner (or you) have wasted honors in clubs, meaning that your opponents may have useful honors elsewhere.


---

