Opener's Rebid with a Balanced Hand
In Acol with a weak no-trump, balanced hands are shown by a ladder: 12-14 opens 1NT, 15-16 rebids 1NT, 17-18 rebids 2NT.
With a balanced hand, opener's job is to tell partner the point count as exactly as possible. Partner can then usually decide the contract straight away.
This tip uses Acol with a weak (12-14) no-trump, the most common system at UK clubs. If your partnership plays a strong no-trump, the ranges below are different, so agree them with your partner.
The balanced-hand ladder
12-14: open 1NT.
15-16: open one of a suit and rebid 1NT.
17-18: open one of a suit and jump to 2NT.
19: open one of a suit and jump to 3NT.
20-22: open 2NT.
Some partnerships play the 1NT rebid as 15-17 and the 2NT rebid as 18-19. Either works, as long as you both know.
Examples
♠ K J 5 ♥ A 9 6 4 ♦ Q 8 3 ♣ K 7 2 (13 HCP)
Open 1NT. You have a minimum balanced hand, so you show it all in one bid.
♠ A Q 7 ♥ K J 8 5 ♦ K 10 4 ♣ Q 6 2 (15 HCP)
Open 1♥. If partner responds 1♠, rebid 1NT. That shows 15-16 and a balanced hand without four spades.
♠ A 6 4 ♥ K Q 7 4 ♦ A J 3 ♣ K 10 8 (17 HCP)
Open 1♥. Over 1♠, jump to 2NT to show 17-18. Partner passes only with a very weak hand.
Before you rebid no-trump
Do you have four cards in partner's major? If so, raise partner instead. Finding the fit comes first.
Is your hand really balanced? 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 and 5-3-3-2 count as balanced; a singleton does not.
Key takeaways
Learn your partnership's ladder of balanced ranges.
With 12-14 balanced in Acol, open 1NT rather than planning a rebid.
Support partner's major with four cards before rebidding no-trump.