Rebidding with Support

Here is your hand:
♠AK96
♥Q943
♦8
♣AK65

You are Dealer and decide to open the bidding ♣. The Opponents Pass throughout the bidding. Partner bids 1♥. What is your call?

Count your points. How many points do you have?

What is your bid?

Show Answer

Answer:
If you said you have 16 points in your hand you were counting High Card Points (HCP) only.

You have a fit for Partner. Partner should have four ♥ to respond and you have four ♥. You will be Dummy. You now get 3 points for your singleton ♦. You no longer just have 16 HCP -- you have 19 points.

With 19 points in support of Partner's major you need to bid 4♥.

If you bid 3♥ (only) Partner is allowed to say "PASS". But Partner should have 6 HCP to respond. Together you have at least 25 points which is enough to make game. Bid the game.

Here is Partner's hand:
♠QT8
♥KJT7
♦AK62
♣98

If you respond 4♥ Partner is going to get very excited with their 13 HCP and bid a slam. After all you are showing about 20 points for your bid.

You can take 12 tricks with both hands.

At the novice game on Tuesday NOT ONE PAIR reached the slam.

To test yourself on rebidding with support for Partner's major check out the following post:
Rebidding when you have a fit for Partner's Major and can count Distribution points