Bergen Raises***
Jacoby 2NT Response ***
Splinter Raises ***
Forcing 1NT Responses ***
Immediate Jump to 3NT ***
Jump Shifts ***
Two Way Reverse Drury ***
Game Tries after a Single Raise ***
Major suit Openers show at least 5-card length, in first or second position, and may be slightly lighter than minor
suit Openers. KQxxx/AJx/x/Jxxx
qualifies for a minimum 1S Opener, but Jxxx/x/AJx/KQxxx is not a 1C Opener (although xxxx/x/AJx/KQJxx is, with the same HCP, because of the solid suit). After 1S(or 1H)/2C, a 2S(or 2H) rebid by Opener tends to show
6+ in the suit, and 2NT denies extra values. 2NT might have to be bid lacking a stopper in an unbid suit, as in
AQxxx/AKx/xxx/xx,
if no other bid looks palatable.
In third or fourth position, a major suit opening bid may be made with as little as 10 points. Opener may bid a 4-card major suit, if the hand does not contain full opening hand strength. He will then pass most responses. When deciding whether to open or pass in fourth position, a good rule of thumb is to add the number of spades held to the high card count, and open if the total is 15 or more.
A special case is a minimum strength hand with 5 spades and 5 clubs. In Standard Bidding, this hand is opened 1C. In Andover Standard, the opening bid is 1S, since Opener will always be able to show both suits without promising more than a minimum opener.
Bergen Raises is a system of major suit raises based on the Law of Total Tricks, and is aimed to go immediately to the highest safe level for pre-emptive purposes. The responses to one of a major are as follows.
1) Holding 3 card support:
a) With fewer than 7 support points, bid 1NT (forcing) and then show preference to Opener’s major. Do not go voluntarily higher than the 2 level.
b) With 7 to 10 support points, raise to the two level.
c) With 11-12 support points, bid 1NT (forcing) and then raise to the 3 level (3 card limit raise).
d) With 13+ support points, make a two over one response and then show trump support on the next round.
2) Holding 4 card support:
a) With fewer than 7 support points, raise to the three level.
b) With 7 to 10 support points, bid 3C.
c) With 11-12 support points, bid 3D (limit raise).
d) With 13+ support points, make a splinter raise or bid 2NT (Jacoby).
3) Holding 5 card support:
a) With fewer than 7 support points and a balanced hand (no singleton), raise to the three level.
b) With fewer than 7 support points and a singleton or void, raise to the four level.
c) With 7 or more support points, bid the same as with 4 card support.
Bergen Raises are only in effect in first or second position. Reverse Drury is used over a third or fourth position major suit opener to show a limit raise. With 5 to 9 support points, make a single raise holding 3 trumps and make a jump raise holding 4+ trumps.
Bergen Raises are OFF after an overcall and ON after a takeout double.
A response of 2NT to a major suit opening bid is conventional, showing a balanced (no singleton or void) game forcing hand with 4 card trump support.
Opener’s rebids are as follows:
1) Holding a singleton or void, Opener bids his short suit (regardless of hand strength). If his shortness is a void, and he gets a chance to do so, he shows the void by rebidding his short suit at the 4 level.
2) With a minimum opener (12 to 13 points) and no singleton or void, Opener bids game in his suit (principle of fast arrival).
3) With 14 to 15 points, and no short suit, Opener bids 3NT.
4) With 16 points or more, and no short suit, Opener rebids his major suit at the 3 level (principle of slow arrival).
5) Holding a good 5 card second suit, he bids that suit at the 4 level.
The Jacoby 2NT bidder then rebids as follows:
1) With a minimum hand (13 points or fewer) he signs off at game in the agreed suit.
2) With 14 to 15 points, if Responder is not encouraged by Opener’s rebid he signs off in game. If he is encouraged, he bids 3NT.
3) With 16+ points, Responder should make a move toward slam - cue bid a control, rebid his suit below game, or use any applicable slam bidding techniques described in the section on Slam Bidding.
Jacoby 2NT is still ON after a takeout double.
Splinter raises show good (game forcing) hands with 4-card support. Splinters over a major suit opening bid are double jump shifts, showing 12+ points with 4 card trump support and shortness (singleton or void) in the suit bid. If Opener has strength in the short suit (other than an Ace), this is a negative factor for slam. In similar fashion, holding 3 or 4 small cards in the splinter suit makes slam a good bet with 3 or 4 fewer HCP than usual.
In competition, cue bids and jump cue bids at the 4 level are Splinter raises.
Many responses to a major suit opener will begin with 1NT, which is forcing. Responder will have between 6 and 12 HCP. He will be too weak to bid a suit at the two level, and too strong to make a weak jump shift. 1NT is not forcing over a double or after a spade overcall in 1H/1S/1NT. If Opener was in third or fourth position, a 1NT response may be passed if Opener has a sub-minimum opener.
1) Opener shows a minimum opener (12 to 15 points) and a 6 card suit by rebidding 2 of his major. He shows 17 to 19 points and a 6 card suit by jumping to 3 of his major (with 16 points, he makes a judgment whether to call it 15 or 17, and bids accordingly). A jump to 4 of his major shows a 7 card suit good enough to play opposite a singleton, and denies any slam interest. All of these bids strongly suggest that Opener does not have a 4 card side suit.
2) 2S, a reverse bid after a 1H opener, shows 4 spades and 16+ points. It is forcing for one round. Opener realizes that Responder has denied a 4-card spade suit. With a minimum hand and 4-5-x-x distribution, Opener must rebid a 3 card minor or bid 2C with a 2 card suit (with 4-5-2-2).
3) A jump shift rebid promises 19+ points and is forcing to game.
4) 2NT shows a balanced 17 to 19 HCP. Responder may pass if game is unlikely and no other contract seems better.
5) 3NT shows 16 to 18 HCP and a solid 6 card major suit.
With all other hands, Opener bids a new suit (often a 3 card minor) at the 2 level. His strength ranges from minimum to 18 points. A rebid of 2H after opening 1S promises 4 hearts.
If Opener opened light in third or fourth position, he may opt to pass the "Forcing 1NT" response. He knows that Responder, holding a limit raise, would not have bid 1NT but would have used Reverse Drury.
1) If Opener has rebid his suit (showing 6 cards), Responder usually passes with 5 to 9 points. He may bid a long minor suit at the three level, which Opener should pass.
If Opener’s suit is spades, Responder’s rebid of 3H shows an invitational hand with 6+ hearts. With 10 to 12 points, Responder should raise to the three level with a doubleton in support, and raise to 4 with 3-card support.
With 10 to 12 points, a singleton in partner’s major, and all other suits stopped, Responder bids 2NT.
2) If Opener has reversed to 2S after opening 1H, Responder jumps to 4H with 3-card support and 10 to 12 points. With shortness in hearts, good 3-card spade support and 10 to 12 points, Responder raises to 3S (he has denied holding 4 spades). With no fit in hearts or spades, Responder may bid 2NT with 6 to 9 points, and 3NT with 10 to 12 points. With a bare minimum hand unsuitable for playing in NT, Hearts or Spades, Responder may bid his own suit at the three level, which Opener should pass.
3) If Opener’s rebid was a jump shift, Responder must continue bidding naturally until a contract of 3NT or higher is reached. A jump to game in a suit will discourage slam (fast arrival principle). With 10 to 12 points, Responder should cooperate in probing for slam.
4) If Opener has rebid 3NT, showing a solid 6-card major suit and 16 to 18 HCP, Responder either passes (usually) or corrects to Opener’s major suit.
5) If Opener’s rebid is a lower ranking suit at the two level, Responder with 5 to 9 points may pass, bid his own suit at the 2 level (5 cards or more), or take a preference to Opener’s major suit with a doubleton.
With 10 to 12 points Responder shows a 3 card limit raise by bidding 3 of Opener’s major suit, bids his own suit (5 cards or more) at the three level (hoping Opener can bid 3NT), invites 3NT by bidding 2NT (with stoppers in all unbid suits), or raises Opener’s second suit.
6) When Responder has denied a 4 card spade suit over partner’s 1H opening, he may rebid 2S (the "Impossible Spade " bid) to show a good raise (10 to 12 support points) for partners second suit. This bid shows at least 4 card and usually 5+ card support. Single raises of partner’s second suit show 5 to 9 support points. If opener bids 1H and rebids 2H, then 2S by Responder shows a singleton or void in hearts, 9 to 11 HCP and 5-5 in the minors.
A direct response of 3NT to a major suit opening shows a balanced 13 to 15 HCP with a doubleton in Opener’s suit.
In non-competitive auctions, jump shifts to a minor suit are part of the Bergen Raise system. A jump shift to the other major shows one of the following
1) A solid 6+ card suit (AKQxxxx, AKQJxx, etc.) and at least opening hand strength. With no extra values, Responder will bid game in his suit at his next opportunity. Any other bid shows extra values and slam interest.
2)A good (but not solid) 6+ card suit plus 18 or 19 HCP. The suit must have 2 of the top 3 honors, and the hand must have stoppers in the unbid suits and no singleton. Responder must be careful not to immediately rebid his suit, since that shows a solid suit. His most likely rebid will be in NT.
3) A good 5+ card suit, game values or better, and excellent support for Partner’s suit (Fit showing jump). Made by a passed hand, this bid shows invitational values.
In competition, jump shifts are weak (less than 6 HCP) and preemptive.
After a third or fourth hand major suit opening, Responder bids 2C to show a 3 card limit raise, and 2D to show a 4 card limit raise.
1) 2 of his major denies a full opening bid.
2) Any other bid is natural and confirms a full opening bid. Bidding past the 2 level in Opener’s suit is a game force.
1) When Opener has denied a full opening bid, Responder passes.
2) When Opener confirms a full Opener, then:
a) 2 of Opener’s major shows a limit raise.
b) 3C or 3D shows a real suit and invitational values - it denies major suit support and is non-forcing.
c) 3 of Opener’s major is game forcing (showing a hand not good enough to open but good enough when valued as dummy to force to game).
d) A jump in a new suit shows a singleton or void in that suit, and is game forcing.
e) A bid of 2NT shows a balanced hand and is an offer to play in either NT or Opener’s suit.
Two Way Reverse Drury is still ON if fourth hand makes a take-out double or an overcall of 1S or 1NT.
After a 2C overcall, Double is Drury showing a 3-card limit raise, and 2D is a 4+ card limit raise.
After a 2D overcall, double is Drury, showing at least a 3-card limit raise.
After a 2H overcall, double is a 3+ card limit raise.
Game Tries after a Single Raise
After a single raise, a game try may be made in three ways:
1) Raising to the three level. This shows a six-card suit and 16 or 17 HCP. Responder goes to game with a maximum raise (9 or 10 HCP).
2) Bidding 2NT. This shows a 5-3-3-2 distribution with 16 or 17 HCP and at least one honor in every suit. Responder bids either 3NT or 4 of the major with a maximum raise (9 or 10 HCP), and bids 3 of the major or passes with a minimum.
3) Bid a new suit at the 3 level (Help Suit Game Try). This is done with a couple of points less than would ordinarily be necessary to make a game invitation (15 or 16 points). The "Help" suit is a suit with 2 or more losers.
(Examples: xx xxx xxxx Axx Axxx Kxx Kxxx Qxx Qxxx).
Responder will usually accept the game try with good help (0 or 1 loser), even with a minimum raise.
(Examples: x Ax Kx KQx KJTx).
Responder will usually reject the game try with bad help (2 or more losers), even with a maximum raise.
(Examples: xxx Jxx xxxx Qx Qxx ).
He may elect to bid the game with bad help but a maximum single raise. Responder with bad help in the "help" suit and a maximum raise may make an invitational bid by bidding a suit of his own to show values in the suit (Kings and Queens are good values to show, but not Aces. Aces are always good, but Kings and Queens can be worthless opposite shortness).
Since Opener may be thinking about slam, when Responder has a maximum raise and good cards for slam, he accepts the game try by bidding his better minor at the 4 level. Accepting the game try by bidding 4 of the Major denies good cards for slam.
