Why? Because the diamond bid could be very short, and if responder with a weak hand
elects to pass, for sure the opponents, holding diamonds, will also pass. That can't
be good.
In the long ago days of Charles Goren a rule was set - If your partner opened the bidding
and you had less than 6 points, you had to pass. It's time to break that rule.
Charlie's partner never opened a 1-card diamond suit.
Responses
Pass
But only if you have a weak hand and at least four diamonds
1
Might be a 3-card suit and 0 HCP
Why? Because you don't want to leave your partner in what may be a
disasterous diamond contract.
If your partner raises to 2 you are in a 4-3 fit and that's not
terrible.
(Whatever your partner rebids you can pass.)
NOTE: With a 3-card heart suit and four spades, you should still
respond 1. That way, you can pass if partner rebids
1 and perhaps he can play at the 1-level.
Inverted Minor Raise
3 - A jump raise is a weak hand with at least 5-card diamond support
2 - A simple raise is forcing with 4-card support and
asks for major suit stoppers
Rebids
2 promises a heart stopper and denies a spade stopper
2 promises a spade stopper and denies a heart stopper
2NT shows a stopper in both majors
Jump to 2 -- Weak
Most people like to play this as a weak 6-card suit, but those occur
about 18% of the time while 5-4 hands are almost twice as often, so we use a jump to
2 to show a weak hand with a 5+ spades and 4+ hearts.
The point-count is 6 or less
(With 7-9 points responder can bid spades first and then rebid hearts)
Jump to 2 -- Invitational
Same hand as above, but exactly a 4-card heart suit and invitational with 10-12 points
Jump to 3 -- Invitational
About 9-12 points, but guarantees at least 5-5 in both majors
Jump to 3 -- Forcing
At least 5-5 in the majors
What if the Opponents Double?
We have a new weapon! We use Transfer Bids.
Redouble transfers to hearts
1 transfers to spades
1 transfers to clubs
All other bids are natural, with these agreements:
Transferring to clubs is a weaker method of showing clubs than bidding 2
Transferring to clubs and then rebidding diamonds shows only a weak diamond suit
Bidding 2 immediately is about 10-12 points
Jumping to 3 is at least 13 points
11-15 HCP and May be a Singleton.
Might be a 3-card suit and 0 HCP
and perhaps he can play at the 1-level.
