TIPS FOR KISSING Sorry, bidding

KISS your partner, Keep It Simple Stupid KNOW your rebid before you open THINK about what you are telling partner Keep It Simple

BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT RULES Rules about not having two doubletons to open 1NT, Must have four cards to raise are not cast in stone. Be flexible to keep the bidding simple

♠AQ ♥Kx ♦Kxxx ♣Jxxxx Open 1C, partner bids 1H, you have to rebid 2C,   ♠AQ ♥Kx ♦Kxxx ♣Jxxxx Open 1C, partner bids 1H, you have to rebid 2C, That is NOT A GREAT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR HAND Think about your rebid and what you are telling partner. Better to bend rules and open 1NT

You have   ♠A ♥KQx ♦Kxxx ♣Jxxxx Here you have to open 1C and if partner bids 1S you have to rebid 2C. If partner bids 1D, that’s easy, bid 2D. If partner bids 1H, BID 2H. That is much better than 2C.

Open 1NT with 5 card majors   ♠Qxxxx ♥Kxx ♦Ax ♣KJx Looks a good 1NT opening to me, certainly not 1S and rebid 2S Think what you are telling your partner with your bid and rebid.

♠Jxx ♥AKQJ ♦Qxxxx ♣x General rule 1: If you rebid a suit you should have 6 or a good 5 There are exceptions of course e.g.   ♠Jxx ♥AKQJ ♦Qxxxx ♣x Standard opening is 1D and rebid 2D. However you might think of opening 1H and rebidding 2D. Certainly with this: ♠Jxx ♥ x ♦ AKQJ ♣ Qxxxx I open 1D and rebid 2C

You should also be prepared to rebid 1NT with a singleton in partner’s suit:   ♠x ♥KQJxx ♦AQx ♣Axxx You open 1H, partner bids 1S, 1NT is a MUCH BETTER bid than 2C. (If partner has a six card spade suit and bids 4S, that’s OK, 6-1 fits play well enough) It’s what works best most times, nothing is right every time. 1NT keeps it simple, with 1NT you know exactly what you have told your partner, 2C is wide ranging and easily passed (or preference to 2H) even with a 10 count.

General Rule 2: Open every hand you can 1NT Even with a 5 card major Sometimes with two doubletons (e.g. poor 5 card suit) Rebid NT every hand you can even with a singleton (in partner’s suit!) That way you are KISSing partner. And partners love to be kissed. They know exactly what you have and what they should bid.