This week, we are looking at raising partner with only three-card support. The opener bids one heart or one spade. When you, the responder, have a game-invitational hand with three cards in partner's major, you adopt a two-step process.
You bid a suit, then support partner's major, perhaps with a jump. If your first response is at the one-level, you must rebid three of partner's suit. But if your initial response is at the two-level, which immediately promises game-invitational values, you support partner at the minimum level. (If you use two-over-one and a forcing one-no-trump response, begin with one no-trump, then rebid three of partner's major.)
By the by, if you read in a book that you may jump-raise a one-heart or one-spade opening straight to three with only three-card support, give it to your opponents and tell them how wonderful it is! Here, after North shows 10-12 points with three hearts, South knows they have game values. West guesses well to lead the diamond two.
East wins with his king, cashes the diamond ace, and continues with a third round, West ruffing away South's queen.
Now suppose West shifts to a club. Declarer wins with dummy's ace, cashes two rounds of trumps using honors from his hand, plays a spade to dummy's ace (the honor from the shorter side first), returns a spade to his king, and ruffs his last spade with dummy's heart jack (so there's no risk of an overruff by East). Finally, South trumps a club back to his hand, draws East's third trump, and claims.
You bid a suit, then support partner's major, perhaps with a jump. If your first response is at the one-level, you must rebid three of partner's suit. But if your initial response is at the two-level, which immediately promises game-invitational values, you support partner at the minimum level. (If you use two-over-one and a forcing one-no-trump response, begin with one no-trump, then rebid three of partner's major.)
By the by, if you read in a book that you may jump-raise a one-heart or one-spade opening straight to three with only three-card support, give it to your opponents and tell them how wonderful it is! Here, after North shows 10-12 points with three hearts, South knows they have game values. West guesses well to lead the diamond two.
East wins with his king, cashes the diamond ace, and continues with a third round, West ruffing away South's queen.
Now suppose West shifts to a club. Declarer wins with dummy's ace, cashes two rounds of trumps using honors from his hand, plays a spade to dummy's ace (the honor from the shorter side first), returns a spade to his king, and ruffs his last spade with dummy's heart jack (so there's no risk of an overruff by East). Finally, South trumps a club back to his hand, draws East's third trump, and claims.