Responding to a Suit Opener – without a fit (2) Rule of 14

You plan to respond in your longest suit at the lowest level, but sometimes this is made awkward by the level at which you would have to make your response. To respond in a new suit at the two-level, you hand should satisfy the Rule of 14: the point-count of your hand added to the number of cards in your suit should get to 14 or more.

If you fail the Rule of 14, you have the following options in priority order:

• a). Respond in a four-card suit at the one-level. So with say four spades, five diamonds and seven points, you should respond 1♠ to 1♥, not 2♦.
• b). Support partner with three cards (preferably headed by a picture). Raising from One to Two in partner’s suit does not guarantee four(+) cards, unlike One-Three (or One-Four, which guarantees a fit)
• c). Respond 1NT, the so-called “Dustbin One Notrump”, for it is what you bid with those 6-9 point hands that fit nowhere else. 

Exercise: Partner opens 1♥. What would be your response holding these?

Please click here for  the answer