Wide-Range Rebid

7th April – Board 13: Game All. Dealer North.

Conventional Acol has it that when you hold a balanced 17-18 points it is in order to open one of the most appropriate suit and then make a jump rebid in no-trumps. This is based on the fact that a response at the one-level promises six points or more while changing the suit by going to the two-level would show at least eight points, enough for game opposite 17/18. There is a flaw in this method however because the possibility of finding a 5-3 major suit fit has vanished if opener has both a five card major and a balanced hand in the 17/18 range. Because of this, most tournament players have the sensible arrangement that after a two-level response in a new suit a rebid by opener of 2NT is game-forcing and shows anything from 15-19 points. That can be demonstrated by the hand shown below, although this time there was no eight-card major fit.

West	North	East	South
	No	No	1S
No	2H	No	2NT
No	3S	No	3NT
End

Here 2NT is game-forcing and 3S by North asks if the opener has a five-card spade suit. Clearly that does not exist in this example but you can see that on another day it might. The play in 3NT is not clear on the lead of the two of diamonds, but it just about looks right to play for the extra trick in hearts. So cash the ace and the king in case the queen falls and then cross to dummy with a spade to lead a third round. As it happens West is forced to win and cannot lead another diamond without helping declarer, but even if West had started with four hearts he would be powerless to hurt declarer if he also held the king of clubs. An alternative line to the one above would be to cross to dummy with a spade at trick two and lead a club and hope to guess right if East plays low. If East wins the king and plays a diamond – and this is the most likely scenario – he will doubtless feel upset when it transpires that the diamonds are blocked.