Source:  14th Coffs Coast Gold Congress at Opal Cove Resort Pairs, Bd 12, W/NS Spade SuitAQT965 Heart SuitKJ Diamond SuitAT87 club suitK Sitting South, you pick up this great hand with a nice six-card spade suit. How ever, West opens the bidding with 1Heart Suit, and East responds 1Spade Suit! What do you do?
Andy Hung
Andy Hung
We are generally taught that “bids in the opponents’ suit(s) are not natural”. Of course, the situation here is one of those exceptions! It is very useful to be able to bid 2Spade Suit (or even 3Spade Suit) as a natural bid, usually promising an opening hand with 6+Spade Suit‘s. It’s true that responder may have a five-card spade suit, but chances are he will only have a four-card spade suit, in which case you don’t mind even if the suit breaks 1-4. I have seen many times responder bidding 1-Major in this situation with four little spot cards, and I think it is important to be able to bid 2-Major here as a natural overcall.

Andy’s Bridge Website: www.andyhungbridge.com