[bravejason]

What is the general approach for bidding when RHO deals and opens one of a suit and you have 4 or 5 cards in RHO's suit, a minimal opening hand (12-15 points), and either none of your other suits are biddable or your biddable suit(s) is lower ranking than RHO's suit? Also, does the approach change based on how much strength you have in RHO's suit. For example, would you do something different holding AJxxx versus holding xxxx?

I was playing rubber bridge with family and ran into the situation where dealer opened with 1 diamond and my partner, who was dealer's LHO, held AQJxx of diamonds. Partner, who is new to the game, didn't know what to do and after some discussion (it's a highly informal game), bid 2 diamonds on the advice of my father. Father's logic was that since my partner held good diamonds, partner isn't afraid of dealer's diamonds and that it is possible dealer has only small diamonds. Admittedly, if dealer held only small diamonds, there would likely be 5 of them. Father's idea is that it would be easy to draw trumps since partner held most of the high trumps. My argument was that we don't want to be in diamonds since we know our best case trump split is 4-0, assuming partner and I have 9 trumps. Moreover, if dealer has only small diamonds, then not only do we have to contend with an adverse trump split, we also have to contend with dealer's high cards in the side suits.

[inquiry]

Welcome to the forum bravejason.

The situation you describe is typically handled by PASSING. Here is what will happen if you pass. Your LhO will bid something and they will continue bidding with your moderate hand behind opener. That will be god for defense. If your LHO passes, your partner will typically reopen the bidding (he most assuredly will be short in the suit opened). He might reopen with double if he has a fairly good hand. If not, he will bid something else. If he reopens with a double, you can decide if you want to defend 1-suit- doubled, or if you want to invite to game (or even bid a game). 3NT being a possible target given the hand type you described. Perhaps the best thing is if your LHO raises the suit bid by opener and your partner doubles for takeout, in which case your partner typically will have a good hand and your trump stack would strongly suggest play defense.

Traditionally bidding the suit your partner opened is treated as either a very strong takeout (very old school method) or as an artificial takeout showing some specific hand types (usually a two suited hand, and usually the two highest unbid suits ... known as michaels cuebid). I will admit that sometimes a 1♣ opening bid doesn't show clubs so a 2♣ "cue-bid" is natural and not forcing, but that is a specific situation not really related to your question.

[helene_t]

If you have another suit that is biddable just bid it. It takes a good long suit and a decent hand to bid at the twolevel but the fact that you have length in their suit shouldn't deter you.

But if your only biddable suit is their suit just pass. You can agree that 2di here shows both majors (5-5). It certainly doesn't show diamonds.

[Vampyr]

 inquiry, on 2015-May-12, 22:34, said:

Traditionally bidding the suit your partner opponent opened is treated as either a very strong takeout (very old school method) or as an artificial takeout showing some specific hand types (usually a two suited hand, and usually the two highest unbid suits ... known as michaels cuebid). I will admit that sometimes a 1♣ opening bid doesn't show clubs so a 2♣ "cue-bid" is natural and not forcing, but that is a specific situation not really related to your question.

FYP

[99_lvl]

Guys, you're so clever;)

[PhilG007]

 bravejason, on 2015-May-12, 20:55, said:

What is the general approach for bidding when RHO deals and opens one of a suit and you have 4 or 5 cards in RHO's suit, a minimal opening hand (12-15 points), and either none of your other suits are biddable or your biddable suit(s) is lower ranking than RHO's suit? Also, does the approach change based on how much strength you have in RHO's suit. For example, would you do something different holding AJxxx versus holding xxxx?

I was playing rubber bridge with family and ran into the situation where dealer opened with 1 diamond and my partner, who was dealer's LHO, held AQJxx of diamonds. Partner, who is new to the game, didn't know what to do and after some discussion (it's a highly informal game), bid 2 diamonds on the advice of my father. Father's logic was that since my partner held good diamonds, partner isn't afraid of dealer's diamonds and that it is possible dealer has only small diamonds. Admittedly, if dealer held only small diamonds, there would likely be 5 of them. Father's idea is that it would be easy to draw trumps since partner held most of the high trumps. My argument was that we don't want to be in diamonds since we know our best case trump split is 4-0, assuming partner and I have 9 trumps. Moreover, if dealer has only small diamonds, then not only do we have to contend with an adverse trump split, we also have to contend with dealer's high cards in the side suits.

The only safe action is to pass and wait developments. RHO has opened and you have unknown strength on your left. This is a very dangerous
situation. Making any overcall is taking you in Tiger Country. Better to pass and see where the land lies. If LHO passes and partner doubles
for takeout(as he should in the balancing seat) you are well placed to judge whether to pass the double for penalties or bid NTs to show you have the suit stopped.
Bidding the opps suit on the basis of strength in it is bizarre. Overcalls are always risky at the best of times. THIS one where you KNOW an opp is strong in your prospective trump suit is not heroic but just plain stupid. It's one thing to have the misfortune to skid off the road,quite another to accelerate
deliberately into a tree.(!) The advice is if you know where you're going,go there quickly;if not,hold back.....