Look at the bidding from first principles. Your first goal as a partnership is to find a fit. Your second goal is to decide how high to bid, particularly whether to go for a game contract. Fit first.

It is a mistake for responder to waste space (by jumping a level) when bidding a new suit. Do so and you are taking the two fundamental bidding goals in the wrong order: the fit has not yet been found.

Exercise: Partner opens 1 ♦. What so you respond with these?

Answers:

(i) 1 ♠. Not 2 ♠. Bid 2 ♠ and what would you do if partner now bid, say, 3 ♦? Would you bid 4 ♣ and go past 3 NT? Or bid 3 NT and miss a good slam? Simply bid 1 ♠, then you can bid 3 ♣ over 2 ♦. Nothing bad will happen.

(ii) 1 ♥. Not 2 ♥. Bid 2 ♥ and what would you do if partner rebid, say, 3 ♣? Repeat those emaciated hearts and risk missing 3 NT when partner has no stopper in the unbid spades? Bid 3 NT and risk missing 4 ♥/6 ♥?

(iii) 1 ♥. Cheaper of fours. Take it slowly until the fit is found.
Remember that your new suit bid is unlimited – partner cannot pass.

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