Raising Your Partner's Suit

         Suppose that partner opens 1. If you have 3-card spade support, you should raise his spades as follows:

         The Single Raise.      A single raise shows a minimum hand and 3-card support:

1 — 2:     6-10 points and 3-card spade support.

Partner should pass unless he has significant extra strength.

         The Limit Raise.      With an invitational hand, you should make a limit raise:

1 — 3:     10 or 11 points and 3-card spade support.

Partner should pass with only 13 points and bid 4 with 15 points. With 14 points, partner must choose between these two options.

         The Preemptive Raise.      Raising to game immediately is actually preemptive:

1 — 4:     0-10 points and 5-card spade support,   plus a singleton or void in a side suit.

         The Delayed Raise.      With a game-forcing hand, you should begin by bidding a new suit, and then raise to game:

1 — 2 — 2 — 4:     12+ points and 3-card spade support.

You should not raise to game immediately, since such a bid would be preemptive!