Competitive Bidding Mistakes
Competitive auctions are where good players separate themselves from average ones. The pressure of opponents bidding makes it tempting to either compete too much or give up too easily. Both extremes cost IMPs and matchpoints. Here’s how to find the middle ground.
Competing With No Fit
The Problem: Bidding when you have no idea where to play.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♥ Pass 2♥ ???Your Hand:
♠ K J 8 6
♥ 7
♦ A 10 9 5
♣ Q 8 6 3You have 10 HCP, a singleton heart, and shape. It’s tempting to bid 2♠ or double, thinking “They’re making 2♥, we must have something.”
But think: Partner passed in second seat. They don’t have opening values and likely don’t have four spades (they would double with support). If you bid 2♠ now, you might be in a 4-2 fit, going minus 100 when they were making 2♥ for 110. You’ve turned -110 into -100—a push at best, a disaster at worst.
What to Do Instead: Pass. Sometimes the opponents have the hand. Compete when you know WHERE to compete (you have a fit), not just because you have scattered values.
Selling Out at the Two-Level With a Fit
The Problem: Passing too quickly when you have a known eight-card fit.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♥ Dbl 2♥ ???Your Hand:
♠ K 10 7 3
♥ 6 4
♦ Q 9 5 2
♣ J 8 3You have 6 HCP and four spades (partner’s takeout double promised support). Many players pass here, thinking “I have nothing.”
Wrong! Partner doubled, showing 12+ points and spade support. You have four spades. That’s an eight-card fit. By the Law of Total Tricks, if they have eight hearts (likely after the raise), there are 16 total tricks. If they make 2♥ (8 tricks), you can take 8 tricks in spades. Passing is chickening out.
What to Do Instead: Bid 2♠. You’re not showing values—you’re competing based on distribution. Even if you go down one, that’s -50 against their 110. And often you’ll make it or push them to 3♥, where they go down.
The Dreaded “Pushing Them Into Game”
The Problem: Competing to the three-level and pushing them into a game they wouldn’t have bid.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥
Pass Pass 3♠ ???Your Hand:
♠ 6
♥ K 10 8 7 3
♦ A 9 5
♣ Q 10 6 2You’ve already competed to 3♥. RHO bid 3♠ (competitive, not inviting game). Now you’re thinking: “Should I bid 4♥? We might make it.”
STOP. They’ve stopped at 3♠. Let them play there! If you bid 4♥ now, LHO might raise to 4♠ with extras. You’ve just pushed them into a game they wouldn’t have bid. And if they pass, you’re in 4♥ on a partscore deal, likely going down.
What to Do Instead: Pass. You’ve done your job by competing to 3♥. Don’t turn a good result (their 140 or 170 in 3♠) into a disaster (their 620 in 4♠ making).
Balancing With the Wrong Hand
The Problem: Balancing in passout seat with defensive values instead of offensive shape.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♥ Pass Pass ???Your Hand:
♠ A Q 10
♥ K J 9 8
♦ K 10 5
♣ Q 6 2You have 14 HCP and good hearts. It’s tempting to double or bid 1NT, thinking “They stopped at one, we must have something.”
But think: You have four hearts BEHIND declarer. These are pure defense. Partner is likely very weak (they couldn’t respond to 1♥). If you balance, you’re offering partner a choice of contracts when you actually want to defend 1♥.
What to Do Instead: Pass. Defending 1♥ with four trumps behind declarer is often your best result. You might beat it, and even if they make it, that’s probably your best score.
Correct Balancing Hand:
♠ K J 9 6 3
♥ 6
♦ A 10 8 5
♣ Q 7 4Now you have shape, shortness in their suit, and spades (the unbid major). Double here! Partner will bid something, and you’ll likely find a playable contract or push them higher.
Failing to Raise Partner Competitively
The Problem: Not raising partner’s overcall with a fit, even with minimal values.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♦ 1♠ 2♦ ???Your Hand:
♠ J 9 6 3
♥ 10 7 4
♦ 8 5
♣ K 8 5 2You have 4 HCP and four-card spade support. Many players pass, thinking “I have nothing.”
Wrong! You have four spades. Partner overcalled showing five. That’s a nine-card fit (at least). By the Law of Total Tricks, you should compete to the three-level if they do.
What to Do Instead: Bid 3♠ immediately (weak, preemptive). This serves two purposes:
- Makes it harder for LHO to show values
- Tells partner you have a fit if they’re wondering whether to compete again
Even if 3♠ goes down one, that’s -50 against their likely partscore. And you might make it!
Doubling for Penalties at Low Levels
The Problem: Making a penalty double when you should be competing.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1NT 2♥ Dbl ???Your Hand:
♠ K J 10 7 4
♥ 6
♦ Q 10 8 3
♣ A 6 2Partner overcalled 2♥, and RHO doubled (penalty). You have 10 HCP and a singleton heart. Some players pass, thinking “Partner will go down, but not doubled!”
Or worse, they redouble, thinking “We can make this!”
Both are wrong. You have five spades and shortness in partner’s suit. They’re about to crush partner in 2♥ doubled. GET OUT.
What to Do Instead: Bid 2♠. This is not showing great spades—it’s rescuing partner from disaster. Partner will know you have a good reason (usually shortness in their suit plus your own suit).
The Three-Level “Ghost”
The Problem: Competing to the three-level with only an eight-card fit against their nine-card fit.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♠ Pass 2♠ 3♦
Pass Pass 3♠ ???Your Hand:
♠ 7
♥ K 10 5
♦ A Q 10 8 6
♣ Q 9 5 2Partner passed your 3♦ overcall, suggesting minimal support. They bid 3♠. Should you bid 4♦?
No! If partner had three diamonds, they would have raised to 4♦. They likely have two diamonds at best. You’re in an eight-card fit (at most) competing against their known nine-card spade fit. The math doesn’t work—there aren’t enough total tricks to justify going to the four-level.
What to Do Instead: Pass 3♠. You took one shot with 3♦. Partner declined to raise. Move on.
Not Doubling When You Should
The Problem: Failing to make a penalty double when opponents are overboard.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♥ 1♠ Pass 2♠
3♥ 3♠ 4♥ ???Your Hand:
♠ J 8
♥ A Q 10 7 3
♦ K 9 4
♣ Q 6 2They just bid 4♥ over 3♠. You have five hearts including AQ10, plus an outside king. Partner has shown spades, so they have shortness in hearts. LHO might be stretching.
Many players pass, thinking “We might make 4♠.” But you have two spade—partner’s spade game is unlikely.
What to Do Instead: Double. You have defensive tricks in trumps plus side strength. Even if partner has a good hand, beating 4♥ for +300 or +500 is better than struggling in 4♠ and going down. Trust your trumps.
Competing Without a “Safety Level”
The Problem: Bidding when there’s nowhere safe to play.
Example Auction:
LHO Partner RHO You
1♠ Dbl Pass ???Your Hand:
♠ Q 10 8 6 5
♥ 7
♦ J 9 5 2
♣ 8 6 3Partner doubled showing support for the other suits. You have five spades—clearly the worst possible hand for partner’s double. Some players bid 2♦ or 2♣, “running from spades.”
But think: Partner has shortness in spades and values in the other suits. They might have:
♠ 4
♥ A K 10 6
♦ A Q 7 3
♣ K J 9 5If you bid 2♦, you might land in a 4-2 fit when 1♠ doubled is going down two for +300.
What to Do Instead: Bid 1NT (with a spade stopper) or redouble (showing values, asking partner to bid). With this garbage hand, just bid 2♥ or 2♦—pick one. But recognize you’re in trouble, and don’t get fancy.
Bottom Line
Competitive bidding mistakes cluster around three themes:
- Competing without a fit (bidding just because you have points)
- Selling out with a fit (passing when the math says bid)
- Level misjudgment (pushing them to game, or going one too high yourself)
The Law of Total Tricks is your friend: With a nine-card fit, compete to the three-level. With an eight-card fit, compete to the two-level. More than that, and you need extra shape or strength.
And remember: Sometimes passing IS competing. Defending 1♥ with four trumps behind declarer is often the best result on the board. Not every hand requires action.