BEGINNER'S BRIDGE                   - 6 -                                       

LESSON 3

 

RESPONSES TO 1NT OPENING BIDS

 

 

The opening bidder, having opened 1NT, has fully described his/her hand; i.e., one having 15‑17 HCP's, evenly balanced distribution, and the likely absence of any 5-card Major suit holding.   Responder, knowing more about opener's hand than opener knows about responder's,  takes control, acts as the captain of the team,  and steers the partnership into the best contract as to both level and denomination.

 

Level: The responder (Partner of the 1NT Opening Bidder) knowing the HCP count of the opener's hand   

            (15‑17) determines the level to which the partnership should commit; i.e., Accepting of a Part‑score 

            (Game not Possible), Invitation to Game (Game feasible but not absolute), Game (Game a certainty), 

             Slam (Bonus Levels above and beyond game).   His/her basis for the decision is the combined Point      

             count of the partnership as it relates to the 26 Point Count plateaus which usually produces game 

             and/or Small or Grand Slams.

 

Denomination:  If a Golden Fit  (An 8‑card or better combined suit holding) can be found, the hand usually 

                          plays best there rather than in No Trump regardless of which of the above-listed levels is  

                          chosen.   Likewise, here too, the responder acts as the ultimate captain of the team

                          favoring one direction or another with respect to the ultimate denomination chosen. 

 

1. PART‑SCORE SITUATION:    0‑8 HCP’s Points ‑  (Less than a combined 26 HCP in NT, or 26 Point Count including Distribution in a suit Contract).  The combined partnership values in this situation lie 25 points or less.   Game is not usually achievable.   If responder has no more than four cards in any given suit, there is virtually no chance of a Golden fit.   If responder has a five‑ suit, a Golden fit is likely.   Since there is no room for an exploratory bid, you assume there is a Golden Fit.   Even if the opener is found to have a doubleton in the chosen suit, the partnership will still have a majority of the trump suit (5 + 2 = 7).   If responder has a six‑card (or better) suit, he/she is certain of a Golden Fit since Opener has promised a balanced hand with no fewer than two cards in any suit.   Thus:

 

In Summary, When Responding To A 1NT Opening Bid With 0‑8 HCP’s Points:

 

 

a) Bid 2D, 2H or 2S with a five‑card or longer suit  (Exception: 2C is reserved for a special

purpose; i.e. The Stayman Convention and has nothing to do with the Club Suit).  Therefore. with 5‑Clubs in responders hand the contract is better left in NT.

 

b)       Bid 3C with a six‑card or better Club Suit

 

c)       Otherwise pass

 

 

                                                                                EXAMPLES

 

   J8752 (2S)        J53            Q62             Q6              2

   Q102              Q7432 (2H)     87              J4              A6

   J76               K98            J98432 (2D)     J653            1098

   9                 104            97              109762 (Pass)   J987432 (3C)                                                     

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                           - 7 -

 

 

2. INVITATIONAL SITUATION:    9‑10 HCP’s Points ‑  (A combined 26 HCP in NT, or 26 Point Count including Distribution in a suit Contract). About one‑half the time the partnership has 26 or more combined points.  Responder requires additional information.   Specifically, he/she is desirous of knowing whether opener has specifically  15, 16, or 17 HCP's.

 

          LEVEL:   A 2NT response is used to ask opener to tell responder more about his/her hand.   With 15 HCP's opener can pass and the partnership will stay safely in a part‑score 2NT.   With 16‑17 HCP's opener is asked to bid 3NT and the partnership will play in game.

 

          DENOMINATION:    If there is a Golden Fit in Clubs or Diamonds (Minor Suits), even if a combined 26 Point total is present, responder will choose to remain in NT.   If there is a Golden Fit in Hearts or Spades, however, responder would like to play in a major suit in game.   Responder requires more information as to both

opener's strength and major suit holdings.   This is where the Stayman Convention is applied. (FOR NOW, A RAISE TO 2NT WILL SHOW ANY HAND WITH 9‑10 POINTS)

 

In Summary When Responding To A 1NT Opening Bid With 9‑10 HCP’s Points:

 

 

a)       Bid 2NT  (For Now until Stayman Convention is presented)

 

 

EXAMPLES

 

             K87              Q8                            K85

            A3               A109                          Q76

            J987             J3                            J9843

            J1098            Q98653 (Ignore Golden Fit)    A7

 

 

 

3. GAME SITUATION:    11‑15 HCP’s Points ‑ (A combined partnership holding of at least 26 Points but fewer than 33 Points such that game is probable but slam not likely.   Even if Opener has a minimum of 15 HCP's there are enough combined points for game.   Responder needs only to choose whether to play in 4H 4S or 3NT (Rarely 5C or 5D).

 

          DENOMINATION: ‑ Responder's first choice is to play in a major suit game if there is a Golden Fit. If not,  3NT is the alternate choice.

          If you, as responder, have a six‑card or longer major suit, you know for sure there is a Golden Fit and in that case you can bid 4H or 4S directly.

          If you have a five‑card major suit, you know there will be a Golden Fit unless opener has only two cards in the suit.   Unlike the situation when you had 0‑8 points and merely had to assume there was a Golden Fit, here you have some room to explore on the way to the game contract.  You can bid 3H or 3S which asks opener to bid game in either the specified major suit (if 3 or 4 cards are held) or alternatively to bid 3NT.

          If only a four card major is held, opener must also have a 4‑card compatible holding in the specified suit for there to be a Golden Fit.   Once again, bidding room is available since a game contract is assured.   The Stayman Convention must be used. (WILL BE DESCRIBED LATER)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                         - 8 -

 

In Summary, When Responding To a 1NT Opening Bid With 11-15 HCP’s Points

 

 

a)       Bid 4H or 4S with a 6-card or longer Major Suit.

 

b)       Bid 3H or 3S with a 5-card Major Suit

 

c)       Bid 3NT otherwise

 

 

EXAMPLES

 

 

  AK9754 (4S)   10 (3NT)    J86           AQJ8 (3NT)   A9 (3NT)

  Q76           KQ          AJ962 (3H)    J109         K76    

  K9            AJ864       KQ3           Q984         QJ9854 (Ignore Golden Fit)             

  87            KJ53        Q7            AJ           J2

 

REBIDS BY OPENTNG 1NT BIDDER

 

Any bid by the responder to the opening lNT bidder caries one of three possible messages:

 

(1)   A SIGN ‑ OFF   bid telling opener to bid no further. The opener is expected to pass as a result of the responder, as captain, having so made the decision. Opener thus passes when responder bids:

                         (a) Pass (Where the original lNT bid becomes the contract

                         (b) A Part‑score sign‑off of 2D, 2H, 2S or 3C

(c)   A game sign‑off bid of 3NT, 4H, 4S or (5C, 5D Rarely)

 

(2)   An INVITATIONAL  bid telling opener to pass with a minimum (15 HCP's) or to proceed to game with a maximum of 16‑17 HCP's.   The responder has thus asked for a further clarification of opener's strength. The only current invitational response is

(a)   2NT

 

(3)   A FORCING  bid telling opener he/she must bid again.   As of now the only forcing bids ask the opener to bid four of the mentioned major with 3 or 4 supporting cards in the suit mentioned, or to correct to 3NT if only two cards are held in the mentioned Major Suit.   Opener may not pass since responder has made a forcing bid.   Such forcing bids are:

(a) 3H or 3S

 

EXAMPLE:   Suppose as opener you hold:       If responder bids 2S, you pass on your rebid.  Even though 

                                                                         you have attractive spades, you cannot bid more because      

        KQ62                                                        partner has made a sign‑off bid and expects you to pass. It

        AK7                                                          responder bids 2NT, you would accept the invitation and bid

        K93                                                          3NT with your 17  point maximum holding,  You would have

        Q96                                                          declined the invitation had you only 15 HCP's. If responder

                                                                          bids 3H he/she is making a forcing bid and you must bid again.   Since you have three hearts, bid game in hearts (4H).   If you had alternatively held only two hearts you would have corrected the forcing bid of 3 Hearts to 3NT.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                - 9 -

 

SUMMARY OF RESPONSES TO A 1NT OPENING BID

 

 

 

After your partner has opened the bidding with 1 NT, place your hand into 3 categories:

 

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0‑8 HCP's        Bid 2D, 2H or 2S with a 5‑card or longer suit ( “2C” reserved for the Stayman Convention)

                        Otherwise pass

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9‑10 HCP's    Bid 2NT (“2C” Stayman Convention used to uncover an 4‑4 Major Suit fit)

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11‑15 HCP's       Bid 4H or 4S with a 6‑card or longer major split (Rarely 5C or 5D with 6‑cards)                       

                          Bid 3H or 3S with a 5‑card Major Suit

                         Otherwise bid 3 NT (“2C” Stayman used to uncover an 4-4 Major Suit fit)

 

 

 

 

THE BIDDING MESSAGES IN RESPONSE TO A 1NT OPENING BID ARE:

 

 

Signoff:          Pass

                      2D, 2H, 2S, 3C

                      3NT, 4H, 4S

                      5C, 5D (Rarely Used)

 

 

Invitational:    2NT

 

                      

Forcing:         3H, 3S

                       “2C” (The artificial Stayman Convention used to explore for a 4-4 Major Suit fit) 

 

 

 

REBIDS BY THE OPENING 1NT BINDER

 

 

 

 After responder's signoff:                                  Pass

 

 

After responder's invitational 2NT:                  Pass with 15 HCP' s

                                                                           Bid 3 NT with 16‑ 17 HCP ' s

 

 

After responder's forcing bid of 3H or 3S:       Bid four of the Major with three or four of the Major Suit

                                                                           Bid 3 NT with only two cards in the Major Suit

 

 

 

 

 

- 10 -

BEGINNER'S BRIDGE

 

LESSON 4

 

OPENING THE BIDDING WITH ONE (1) OF A SUIT

 

 

 

REQUIREMENTS:

 

a.   With less than 13 Points HCP's + Distribution) = Pass

b.   With 13‑21 Points:

(l) With a 5‑card or longer suit:

(a) Bid the longest suit (Length over strength)

(b) Bid the higher ranking of two 5‑card or 6‑card suits