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 the lowest sufficient bid in the same denomination. If you do this, there is no penalty provided both the original bid, and the corrected bid are natural.
  2. You may correct it to any other bid, including pass but not double or redouble, but in this case a penalty applies...
If either the insufficient bid or the corrected bid are conventional, or if you correct your bid to anything other than the lowest legal bid in the same denomination, 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