The Inverted Diamond Raise



A partnership often finds itself with two opening hands and a predicament...   bid five of a minor or try to make 3NT.

The Inverted Minor Suit Raise will help make that decision.


Responder Raises to 2
An immediate raise in diamonds is a strong and forcing bid.  It denies a four card major.

It's a simple agreement.  Instead of using a jump raise in diamonds as a limit raise, the partnership agrees to play that bid as weak.  That means that a simple raise is a good hand.      "Let's find out if we can play in a notrump contract, partner."

What's the rebid after partner makes a strong raise to 2?

Opener's Rebids After Opening One Diamond
  •   With a stopper in both majors, opener rebids 2NT.
  •   With a stopper in only one major, opener bids that suit.
  •   No major suit stopper, opener either rebids 3 or 3

    The opener may have started the bidding with 1 holding a five card club suit, but unable to open it for lack of a four card major.  In that case, opener might rebid 3 instead of 3



    • Asking About a Partial Stopper
    A partial stopper in each hand makes a full stopper, right?
    Suppose the bidding goes as shown below...

    North East South West
    1 P 2 P
    2NT P 3

    Opener has stoppers in both majors, so responder could bid 3NT with a club stopper, but with only a partial stopper in that suit, responder needs to know if her partner can help.  By bidding 3 she asks about a partial in clubs.

    Note:   If responder had returned to 3 in the above auction after hearing that both majors were guarded, opener would need a full stopper in clubs to bid 3NT.  Responder probably has help in one or both majors.



    Responder Still Needs Help
    Often responder will have honors in one or both majors and need to know if opener can stop clubs.  The bidding starts the same way with an inverted raise, but after opener rebids 2NT, responder still doesn't know if 3NT is the correct contract because of concerns about the club suit.

    North East South West
    1 P 2 P
    2 P 2

    Opener has shown a heart stopper and denied a spade honor by rebidding 2.

    If responder had a stopper in both clubs and spades, she could go directly to 3NT.  By bidding 2 she is simply showing a spade stopper and denying a club.  This bid would tell opener it's okay to go to 3NT with a club stopper, right?


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