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Reply to Suit Bid at 1 Level - 6 to 9 Points
After your partner has done an opening suit bid at the 1 level (e.g. 1 Heart), your bid then depends on your reply points. If the value of your hand is 6 to 9 points, you have these options :
- Bid 2 of the same suit as your partner bid, if you have at least 4 cards in your partner's suit.
- Bid 1 of a different suit, if you have at least 4 cards in a suit that is higher ranking than that bid by your partner (e.g. 1 Spade as a reply to 1 Heart)
- Bid 1 No Trump to indicate your points, if you have no other correct bid that you can make.
Example 1
Here you have an ace and a queen, giving you 6 points. Let us assume that your partner opened the bidding with 1 Heart. Then you can reply with 2 Hearts because you have 4 cards in hearts.
Example 2
Here you have an ace, a king, and a singleton, giving you 9 points. Assume again that your partner opened the bidding with 1 Heart. Then you can reply with 1 Spade because you have 5 cards in spades and insufficient length in hearts.
Example 3
Here you have a king, a queen, a jack, giving you 6 points. Assume again that your partner opened the bidding with 1 Heart. Then on this hand you should reply with 1 No Trump because your length is in clubs which is lower ranking, and you have insufficient length in hearts. If you were to bid 2 Clubs on this hand, this would indicate to your partner that you have 10 to 12 points, because of the change to another suit at the 2 level.
Note :
A distribution point is not counted on the last example, because the reply bid is in 'no trumps'.