The 1NT Opening

The 1NT opening shows a balanced hand of 12-14HCP with no 5 card major, unless Qxxxx or worse. Responses are:

2C = Stayman. Types of Hands:- weak going to pass opener's reply. balanced hand with 4cM, at least I but no slam interest. strong GF with 5+ minor. Rebids 3C/D over opener's response. slam interest 6-4 in M's
2D/H = transfers. New suit rebid is GF. Now jump to 4M shows very mild slam interest. Jump in NS is a splinter with slam interest. (6331, 7321 shapes).
2S = range probe. Types of Hands:- I hand to 3NT w/o 4cM. Strong balanced hand, slam interest. 4441 hand slam interest.
2NT = forces 3C. Types of Hands:- Hand that wants to play 3C or 3D (weak). Slam interested single suited M hand. Rebids 3M, over which 3NT is a cue.
3C/D = I hand to 3NT with goodish 6c minor.
3H/S = GF, fragment in bid M. Either 5-4 or 6-4 in the minors. Bid of other M asks responder to bid 5c+ minor. Raise of M suggests playing Moysian.
4C/D = TEXAS, no slam interest, but creates a forcing auction typically 9-13 pts.
4H/S = hand not interested in defending, to play.
4NT = non forcing blackwood, invites partner to show aces if maximum.

1NT : 2C 2D : 2H/S = weak. Inference is 5cM bid and 4cOM.

1NT : 2C 2H : 2S = weak. Inference is have 5c minor also. Opener bids 2NT for minor.

1NT : 2S 2NT = minimum. Now 3suit is Baron (slam interest), higher = maximum. Baron response.

1NT : 2C bid : with 6-4 in M's ( & slam) rebid 6cM at 3 level, unless opener bids it, then jump to 4 minor showing a control in the suit.

Intervention Over 1NT

If 1NT is doubled for penalties then:

pass : to play
xx : to play, or penalise the opponents should they remove, setting up a forcing pass auction.
suit : to play.

Natural Overcall All doubles at 2-level are takeout unless a penalty pass has been made. Pass of XX, to play 1NT redoubled, being classified as a penalty pass. After 3-level overcall, double is values and a new suit is natural and forcing. Except after 2NT for two known suits.
Conventional Overcall Double shows values, suggesting ability to penalty double at least one of "their suits". It creates a forcing auction. Doubles by opener as described in (A) above; but all later doubles by responder are penalty. Responder with a hand not interested in penalty doubling opponents employs reverse lebensohl or passes and then later doubles which is for takeout. Bidding their suit is takeout. If the two suits are known the higher cue, if economical, suggests length in higher unbid suit.
Reverse Lebensohl
Simple 2 and 3 level bids = NF, except 3C is forcing. Slow auctions (when have choice) through 2NT shows a stopper. "Slow = Shows".

Opener bids:-

pass = denies support after transfer, denies a 4cM after Stayman OR a hand which intends to pass the redouble.
XX = happy to accept transfer, shows at least one 4cM after Stayman. Suggests may be best if partner were declarer.
bid = acceptance of a transfer shows support, and 2M after Stayman shows 4cM. To bid shows some reason to be declarer. 2D over Stayman shows 5 diamonds.

Responder bids :-

over pass : redouble if would have sat a penalty redouble by opener otherwise bid normally.
over anything else: bid normally.
If responder has Staymanned on a weak "running" hand he rebids 2D over the pass or XX by opener.

University of Warwick Bridge Club - bridge@sunion.warwick.ac.uk