Match the Message to the bid

Match the Message to the bid (MMB)

by Harold Schogger

Lots of students and for that matter a lot of players say “what bid shall I make on this hand?” and I think this is the wrong approach. Bidding is after all a language and when you convert from one language to another you would try and convey what you would be saying in English into whatever language you wish to speak. You would not say how can I use “Bonjour”? You would say how do I say “Good morning in French?”. This approach should be absolutely the same in Bridge.

Let’s look at some examples :-

ª	A Q 5 You are making an Opening bid and you should say
©	K J 8 7 “I want to tell partner I am balanced and I want to tell
¨	K J 5 partner I have 14 points – Oh the bid therefore must be
§	8 5 4 Open 1NT”

ª	Q 6 5 Partner just opened 1NT and the message you want to
©	9 7 6 5 4 2 convey is “I am very weak and would like Hearts
¨	93 as trumps OH YES the only way I can do that is to
§	5 4 bid 2© and I do now expect you to Pass”
	(NB we have not learnt transfers yet)

ª	Q 6 Partner just opened 1NT and the message you want to
©	A J 10 6 5 convey now is “ I am strong, I have good Hearts suit
¨	K Q J and want to be in Game – happy to play in 4© or 3NT
§	A 5 2 - if I bid 3NT directly that would be unilateral OH I
	Know – I can bid 3© and let partner decide” (see below)

ª	K Q 6 You are making an Opening bid and you should say
©	A K Q J 8 “ I have rock crushing hand and we are going places-
¨	A K Q what is the strongest bid I can make OH YES 2§”
§	4 2

ª	Q 7 6 5 Partner opened 1¨ and next player bid 2§
©	K 8 6 5 Now I need to convey “ That overcall has really fixed me
¨	K 8 3 I would have like to tell partner I am interested in Hearts
§	5 4 in fact I am interested in both Hearts and Spades. OH YES
	The overcall has helped me out as I can now show both suits with one Bid OH YES I can use the Negative Double here to convey this hand”

ª	Q 8 5 I am now opening and want to convey “I am Balanced but
©	K Q 6 I cannot open 1NT as I have too many points
¨	A K 8 so I need to tell partner two things as follows
§	K 8 6 4 a) I am balanced and b) I have more than 14 points
	Oh I will open 1§ and then be able to make a rebid next in No Trumps to say how many points I started with. in this case 17 so I will need to rebid 2NT next assuming partner replies in a new suit”

Partner are you receiving the Message, please act accordingly and maybe send me a another message back please?

ª	K Q 8 6 Initially you opened 1NT on this hand and partner replied
©	9 5 4 3© messaging that she had a good enough hand to be in
¨	A K J 8 Game and is now asking you to commit to either 3NT or 4©
§	8 2 So now you will message back “Yes I have at least 3 Hearts
	and am happy to play in the 5:3 (or better) fit with you so I am duly bidding 4©

ª	A Q 5 4 Having opened 1§ next player bids 1¨ and partner now
©	K J said Double- Are you receiving his message?
¨	7 2 “Partner is messaging me with a Negative Double that he
§	A K 8 5 4 Has 4 card in each Major I better tell him I have 4 Spades
	With him and a good hand and enough to say 3ª now

ª	A K J 7 You Opened 2NT and partner has now gone 4NT- what is
©	K Q 9 partner messaging me now?
¨	K Q 7 Oh Yes partner is inviting me to bid onto 6NT if I am maximum,
§	K J 8 so I will now bid 6NT as I am indeed maximum, for my original
	Bid of 2NT 22 instead of just 20.

ª	A K J 7 5 You Opened 1ª and partner went 1NT, you rebid 2§
©	K Q 9 and now suddenly partner rebids 2¨
¨	9 What is partner messaging me now?
§	K J 8 4 OH partner is weak from her first bid and suddenly
	Introduce 2¨ - Yes she must have six Diamonds and doesn’t like either of my suits – I had better do as I am told and now Pass.