Insufficient Bid

If you make an insufficient bid, your Left Hand Opponent (LHO) can choose to accept it and the auction just carries on as if nothing was wrong. This can lead to practical problems with the bidding boxes because someone could, for example, bid 1NT more than once in the same auction. There aren't enough cards in the bidding boxes for that! However, that's just a detail.

If LHO doesn't accept your bid, you have two choices.

  1. You can correct it to any other bid which conveys all the information (possibly more) than the original bid did. Ie. there is nothing anyone can glean from the insufficient bid which cannot equally be deduced from the new bid. This is a new rule for 2008. It is permissible for the new bid to convey more information as long as it doesn't convey less.
  2. You may correct it to any other bid, including pass but not double or redouble, but in this case a penalty will apply...
If your replacement bid conveys less information than the insufficient bid then your partner must pass for the rest of the auction. Moreover there may be restrictions on what partner may, or may not, lead during the play of the hand if you end up defending. The director will advise.

Back Copyright © Keith Sheppard, 2001