April 2024 - 56

Newer Players
Reasoning with Robert
3/1 invitational responses
W
hen you play 2/1
game-forcing responses
to one-level opening bids,
then you need to decide how to play
jumpshifts by responder. If a two-level
response is game forcing, then a
jumpshift in that suit would be to the
three level. These are called " threeover-one "
bids.
You should discuss with your
partner how to use these responses.
Over a major, some use jumpshifts as
Bergen raises or other conventional
bids. But it is also extremely useful
to use them as natural and invitational.
Because these jumpshifts are
at the three level, it does not make a
lot of sense to use them as weak bids.
Instead, they show a good, long suit,
6+cards, and invitational values.
This method is called " three over one
invitational. "
After partner opens 1s, here is an
example of a hand that might make a
3/1 invitational bid:
s5 h8 6 5 dA 5 4 cA Q 9 8 4 3.
Here, you respond 3c, describing
your hand in one bid. Long clubs, no
spade support, not enough to force
to game but enough to be at the three
level.
List of 3/1 invitational bids
Just like there are only six 2/1
game-forcing responses, there are
six 3/1 invitational responses, all
of which deny two-card support for
opener's major. They tend to show little
interest in playing in another suit.
Those hands start with 1NT.
1s-3c = 6+ clubs, 9-11 HCP,
tends to deny four hearts
1s-3d = 6+ diamonds, 9-11 HCP,
tends to deny four hearts
56 | Bridge Bulletin | April 2024
1s-3h = 6+ hearts, 9-11 HCP
1h-3c = 6+ clubs, 9-11 HCP,
tends to deny four spades
1h-3d = 6+ diamonds, 9-11 HCP,
tends to deny four spades
1d-3c = 6+ clubs, 9-11 HCP,
no four-card major
Because all of these responses limit
your values and describe your hand
entirely, they are nonforcing.
When you have a doubleton in partner's
major suit, a long suit of your
own and invitational values, start
with 1NT (either semi- or forcing),
and find out more about partner's
hand. If partner rebids their suit,
then you have found a 6-2 major suit
fit and should probably just raise
their suit.
s5 4 hQ 5 dK Q 9 8 4 3 cK 5 2
Partner North You South
1h
2h
Pass
Pass
1NT Pass
?
Raise to 3h to show a fit and invitational
values.
One of the most useful of these 3/1
invitational auctions is the one that
shows length and strength in the
other minor.
s9 5 4 h5 dK 5 3 cA Q J 8 4 3
If partner opens the bidding 1d, this
is an excellent hand for jumping to 3c
to show an invitational hand with a
long club suit.
Follow-up bids
After responder makes a 3/1 invitational
bid, you need to have some
good agreements with partner about
what bids are forcing and what bids
are nonforcing. There are a variety of
sorrypartner.com
BY ROBERT S. TODD
robert@advinbridge.com
advinbridge.com
different agreements you could have;
but the most important thing is that
you have the same agreements.
Let's look at an auction.
Partner North You South
1s
?
Pass
3c Pass
I like a simple agreement: opener's
rebid is forcing for one round. If opener
has a bad hand, they simply pass.
3d = Diamond stopper, looking for
3NT. Could be a real diamond
suit.
3h At least 5-5 in the majors.
3s Good 6+ card suit.
3NT To play.
4c Slam try in clubs. (Key card in
clubs if your partnership plays
minorwood.)
Give this natural and useful bidding
structure a try. It is a valuable tool
for describing these hands that are
" almost game-forcing " responses. 2
http://www.advinbridge.com http://www.sorrypartner.com
April 2024

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