Holding Openers Suit  

You can show your partner that you have enough cards for a fit, and points in their suit by raising the bidding in their suit. Raising their bid by 1, 2 or 3 levels shows your partner your point count. This suit raise is called a limit bid. Limit bids are useful bids as with one bid it is possible to show both the strength and the shape of your hand. A new suit bid is not a limit bid.

Minimum Hand Limit bids

• Pass - shows 5 or less points
• Double - in this situation shows 8-9 points but unable to bid at the 1 level, tells partner you have some values
• 1NT shows 6-9 points and 2 cards in partner's suit
• Raising partner's opening bid by 1 level - shows 6-9 points

Medium Hand Limit bids

• 2NT shows 10-12 points and 2 cards in partner's suit
• Raising partner's opening bid by 2 levels - shows 10-12 points

Strong Hand Limit bids

• 3NT shows 13+ points and at least 2 cards in partner's suit (must have balanced hand)
• Jump shift bid - jumping 2 levels and changing the suit shows partner 13+ points and is a forcing bid, partner must keep the bidding going for at least 1 round

Preemptive bids

Bidding game directly (raising to 4 level) is a pre-emptive bid designed to shut out the opponents

• 1H-4H promises 6-9 HCP with either 4 trump suit cards and a void
• 1S-4S equally it shows  5 trumps and a singleton

Remember that if you have 3-card support for the opener’s major suit, you should raise that suit to the appropriate level immediately.