Andrew:

Supporting bids are non forcing

Opener has four types of rebid after opening a suit and hearing responder bid a new suit:

(i) Notrumps.
(ii) Support of responder.
(iii) Repeat of his own suit.
(iv) Introduction of a third suit.
In the first three categories, opener has been able to show the strength of his hand at the same
time (depending on whether he jumps). This is not the case in (iv), as opener will almost always bid a new suit at the lowest level.

Because opener has not limited the strength of his hand, in an auction such as 1 ♣ - 1 ♥ - 1 ♠, it is up to responder to limit the strength of HIS hand with his rebid. This he does using the

Responder Line

--6----9	10-----12	13-------
1NT to 2♠	2NT to 3♠	3NT to 4♠

Hand A		Hand B		Hand C
♠ Q 10 7 5 ♥ A Q 6 4 ♦ 9 7 5 ♣ 6 4		♠ K J 7 4 ♥ A J 7 4 ♦ Q 3 2 ♣ 8 6		♠ A Q 6 5 ♥ Q J 7 5 ♦ A 3 2 ♣ 3 2

(A). 2♠. (B). 3♠. (C). 4♠.

Note that B’s 3♠ is non-forcing - this deal’s Common Mistake.

South Deals
N-S Vul

♠	A Q 6 5
♥	Q J 7 5
♦	A 3 2
♣	3 2

♠	3
♥	K 9 6 2
♦	Q J 10 8
♣	J 10 8 6

N
W		E
S

♠	8 7 4 2
♥	A 10 4
♦	K 9 7 5
♣	Q 9

♠	K J 10 9
♥	8 3
♦	6 4
♣	A K 7 5 4

How the Deal was Bid

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣1
Pass	1 ♥	Pass	1 ♠
Pass	3 ♠2	Pass	Pass
Pass

Just 11 points, but a clear opening bid. South has all his points in his long suits an easy rebid. You will note that the hand satisfies the Rule of 20: open when the high-card points added to the lengths of the two longest suits reaches 20.
Mistake. North knows the values for game are present, so must not make a non-forcing bid below game.

How the deal should be bid

West	North	East	South
			1 ♣
Pass	1 ♥	Pass	1 ♠
Pass	4 ♠	Pass	Pass
Pass

What happened
Declarer won ♦ Q lead with dummy’s ♦ A, and correctly started setting up his side-suit straight away. He crossed to ♣ AK and trumped ♣ 4 with ♠ Q (East discarding).
He led ♠ 5 to ♠ 9, trumped ♣ 5 with ♠ A, returned to ♠ KJ10 drawing East’s remaining trumps, then tabled the established ♣ 6. Part-score made plus one.

What should have happened
The play proceeds as above - but in 4 ♠. Game (and rubber) made.

If you remember just one thing...
Supporting bids are non-forcing -even jumps.

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Andrew:

Supporting bids are non forcing