Respond Light

With six+ points, you have to respond to partner’s One-of-a-suit opener — in case he has 19 (20). However, saying that you have to respond with six+ points is not the same as saying that you should pass with fewer than six points.

Here are two good reasons for sometimes responding with fewer than six points:
(i) You may steal the deal from the opponents. Passing cedes the momentum.
(ii) You may be able to make a higher contract, even a game, when you have a good fit, should partner be big and shapely.

Exercise: Partner opens 1 ♣. What, if anything, would you respond with these:

(i)1 ♠. You may be able to make a spade partscore, even game. Even if not, bidding 1 ♠ may prevent the opponents from finding their heart fit.

(ii) 1 ♥. If you have a five-card major you can bid at the one level, especially with just a singleton in the suit partner opened, I’d recommend responding with as few as four points. Those
points would need to be in the long suit, mind. Leaving partner in 1 ♣ when you have such a robust heart suit is simply losing bridge.

(iii) Pass. No reason to scrape up a response with this defensive junk (suggesting the opponents can’t make much).

(iv) 1 ♠. Then keep on rebidding spades at the lowest level. If spades are trumps, your hand is worth (at least) four tricks; if any other suit is trumps, you may as well toss your hand in the bin. Phooey to your lack of six points.

Click to play this deal

Declarer won West’s ♣ J lead with dummy’s ♣ Q. He drew trumps in three rounds, then played ♣ AK and ruffed ♣ 2. He conceded a diamond, watched East-West switch to heart-heart, ruffing the second, then ruffed a diamond, cashed ♣ 4 and conceded one diamond. Ten tricks and game made.