OPENER’S SUIT REBIDS ‘ABOVE THE BARRIER’
OPENER REBIDS A NEW SUIT - POINT RANGE 12-15 OR 16-19?
We know that all jump rebids show 16-19 points.
ALSO any new suit rebid that is higher than your first
suit at the next level up shows 16-19 points.
1y 2w shows 12-15 points
2x
but
Your rebid
1y 2w shows 16-19 points
2z
Your opening
3y
3x
3w
2z
16-19
2y
2x
2w
1y
12-15
Imagine a ‘barrier’ just above your first suit at the next level up. Any new suit rebid
above the barrier shows 16-19 points. In the example above the opening is 1y so the
barrier is between the 2y and 2z rebids.
Any opener’s rebid of a new suit above the barrier is forcing. All other opener’s
rebids are not forcing.
Another way of remembering whether partner’s rebid show 12-15 or 16-19 is that all
NON JUMP suit rebids show 12-15 points except when opener rebids a new suit (that
neither side has bid before), and it is ‘Above the Barrier’, then this shows 16+ points.
Look at the examples below to see how this works:
1y
2y
1y
2z
1y
3w
1x
1z
1z
Opener has 12-15 points. Not a jump and not a new suit.
1z
Opener has 12-15 points. Not a jump and not a new suit (same
suit as partner bid).
Opener has 12-15 points. Not a jump and not a new suit (same
suit as partner bid).
Opener has 12-15 points. Opener’s rebid is at the one level. It is
not ‘Above the Barrier’. (After a 1x opening the ‘Barrier’ level
is 2x. Only a new suit ‘Above The Barrier’ shows 16+)
Opener has 12-15 points. It is a new suit but it is not ‘Above the
Barrier’ (After a 1y opening the ‘Barrier’ level is 2y. Only a
new suit ‘Above The Barrier’ shows 16+)
Opener has 16+ points. It is not a jump BUT
a) Opener has bid a new suit that neither side has bid and b) It is
‘Above the Barrier’ (After a 1y opening the ‘Barrier’ level is 2y)
Opener has 16+ points. It is not a jump BUT
a) Opener has bid a new suit that neither side has bid and b) It is
‘Above the Barrier’ (After a 1y opening the ‘Barrier’ level is 2y)
2w
1y
1y
2w
1z
1y
2z
2w
1y
3w
2x
In all the examples opener is showing 5-4 shape. In the last two examples, if opener
had only 12-15 points he simply rebids his first suit and is unable to show the 2 nd suit.
© Leigh Harding 2009
2
www.nofearbridge.co.uk