1NT opener

[sceptic]

Hi all,

 

I am here to seek your views on the following topic, I hope it will produce some interesting reading

 

What is the best way to open 1nt? (please assume 15-17 hcp)

 

i.e. distribution hcp does it matter whether it is in 1st 2nd 3rd 4th seat, what ranges after a minor opening in different seats, what ranges after a major opening, what ranges after a major opening (overcalls) there are probably areas I have not considered and as long as they are about 1nt openers I am happy to hear them. (I will cover 2nt openers in another thread as I am making a pigs ear of those also)

 

can you also look at the following examples and gives views please.

 

spades hearts diamonds clubs is order of suits (hope that right)

 

1/. xx AKXX AKQXX XX

 

2/. XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

 

3/. AKXXX AXX QX QXX

 

4/. XXXX XX AKQ AKJXX

 

5/. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

 

6/. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

 

7/. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

 

I have actually held some of these and opened some 1nt and one or two differently, also I am sad to say I have open similar hands both ways (so we will ignore my inconsistancies.

 

comments on opening 1nt with 2 doubletons, long minors, and 5 card majors are of particular interest to me.

[EarlPurple]

Hand 4 has 14 cards.

 

I would probably open 1NT on all of the others except 1 and 7. Hand 1 I would open 1♦ as I can reverse into 2♥.

 

Hand 7 is too strong - I have 17 points and a good 6-card suit so I would open 1♣ and reopen 2NT.

 

Hand 5 I don't like but would probably still open 1NT. But change one of the aces to a king and I'd downgrade it to 14 and open 1♣ planning to rebid 1NT. Hand 5 will make 3NT however if partner has KQxxxx in a suit and nothing else opposite. (Hopefully it's a minor because 4 of a major won't make and partner might not let me play 3NT).

[Free]

I'd open all of these 1NT, except 1. As EarlPurple said: we can reverse to 2♥. Last hand might be some borderline decision, but since I still have 3-2 in the Majors, I'll go for 1NT and superaccept a transfer in ♠.

[Fluffy]

I never open 1NT with 5 cards major, I prefer to rebid best minor next round+ 2NT on third.

 

The only reason to open 1NT with 5 card major is because I consider it a 4 card (10xxxx or similar).

 

Most hands you posted are regular 15-17 balanced hands wich I don´t see any reason why not to open, except teh already mentioned 3, 1 wich I would open 1♦ (1NT with poor partner :lol: ).

 

The most difficult is 7, you really want to become declarer on that hand, but you are too strong for a 1NT openening IMO, I would open 1♣ and rebid 2NT. (maybe double or 3♣ if competitive bidding)

[hrothgar]

Take my answers with a grain of salt, since my views are often idiosyncratic

 

Hand 1: xx AKXX AKQXX XX

 

This is a bare minimum for a reverse and I fell leary about this action. Playing with a forgiving partner, I would prefer to open 1H and then jump in diamonds. I dislike 1NT based on positional considerations.

 

Hand 2: XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

 

I would open 1C. The KQJ tight in Diamonds should be downgraded. The AJ of Hearts is also a flaw.

 

Hand 3: AKXXX AXX QX QXX

 

Reasonable 1N opening

 

Hand 4: (corrected) XXX XX AKQ AKJXX

 

I prefer 1NT. Hand is at the upper boundary and I prefer partner to decalr NT

 

5. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

 

Easy 1NT

 

6. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

 

Easy 1NT - Those 10s are worth a lot

 

7. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

 

Open 1C and rebid 2N

[whereagles]

My opinion and analysis (under normal circumstances)

 

1/. xx AKXX AKQXX XX

No. No tenaces, slightly off-shape and there's a good alternative: 1D + reverse 2H.

 

2/. XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

No. Yucky placement of honors in short suits. I devaluate to 14 points and open 1C.

 

3/. AKXXX AXX QX QXX

Yes. I have some minor honors and good support for hearts, in case pard transfers.

 

4/. XXX XX AKQ AKJXX (removed a spade)

No. Good club suit. Upgrade to 18 and open 1C. Follow up with 2D or 2NT.

 

5/. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

Yes. The only descriptive bid available. No real alternative. Aces are worth 4 pts, especially in NT.

 

6/. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

Yes. Perfect specimen of 1NT.

 

7/. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

No. Club suit too good. Open 1C, then bid 3C or 2NT.

[paulhar]

1/. xx AKXX AKQXX XX

A minimum reverse. Open 1D, rebid 2H over 1S response. Hopefully you and partner have agreed what responses are forcing after this reverse. If you have no agreements whatsoever, opening 1NT isn't such a bad idea. (K/R = 17.30)

I expect to be all alone with that opinion, by the way.

 

2/. XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

http://www.gg.caltech.edu/~jeff/knr.cgi?ha...xxx+AJ+KQJ+KJxx

The above link to Kaplan/Rubens evaluator comes up with 13.40 points. (K/R)

I would open 1C although I would have no problemwith a student opening 1NT.

 

3/. AKXXX AXX QX QXX

I think either opening is OK. If my 5-bagger were hearts, I would open 1NT since I would have trouble after a 1S response. (K/R=14.70)

 

4/. XXX XX AKQ AKJXX (removed spade)

This hand is too good for 1NT. I would open 1C, planning to rebid 2D over 1S or 2NT over 1H. (K/R=18.20)

 

5/. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

You can't bid this hand if you don't open 1NT, so despite the advantages of having partner declare, I open 1NT.

 

6/. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

Those 10's and 9's are valuable, but try plugging this one into K/R (13.90)

I probably would have opened 1NT, but I guess I'm not supposed to :rolleyes:

 

7/. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

This hand is a 1C opener and a 2NT rebid IMO.

Hand 5 I don't like but would probably still open 1NT. But change one of the aces to a king and I'd downgrade it to 14 and open 1♣ planning to rebid 1NT. Hand 5 will make 3NT however if partner has KQxxxx in a suit and nothing else opposite. (Hopefully it's a minor because 4 of a major won't make and partner might not let me play 3NT).

Aces are undervalued in the 4-3-2-1 count. K/R rates the balanced 4-3-3-3 with three aces and a king in the fourth suit as 15.40 or 15.30 depending on if the king is in the 4-card suit. Note that this is with NO spots although K/R doesn't seem to differentiate between A9x and Axx.

 

Guidelines:

 

In general, open 1NT whenever you can. Very descriptive to partner.

 

You frequently have to open 1NT with five hearts because you'll have no comfortable bid over a 1S response.

 

A decent five-card suit is usually worth a point, which may take put you into or take you out of your NT range.

 

I try to have a balanced hand. I'll only open a 5-4-2-2 or 6-3-2-2 hand 1NT if I perceive rebid problems. Generally I'd like to have 'stuff' in my doubletons to do this. Bear in mind that if I have too much 'stuff' in the doubletons, the hand probably isn't worth what point count says it is, since you have to set up long weak suits, and are forced to win your high cards in your doubletons too early. For example, AQ, AQ, Q654, Q7654 is an ugly hand, and although the ACBL beginner course tells students that this is a 17 point hand (1 for the extra club), this hand is a disaster with those sundry honor combinations and all the queens and all the strength in the short suits. I would open 1C intending to rebid 1NT, and would not be totally surprised if someone passed (!) as dealer and got a top. K/R=13.70

 

Kx/Ax/AKxx/Jxxxx looks more like the 5-4-2-2 1NT opener. (Let the 1D openers planning to rebid 2C play in their 4-2 diamond fit, I'm not chagrined if partner transfers me to a 5-2 major suit fit with this hand, especially as I might score a surprise ruff in my hand.)

 

A 6-3-2-2 hand would be a 1NT opener if I felt uncomfortable about jump rebidding my suit. I would try to avoid this if my 6-card suit were a major.

[Cascade]

Hand 4 has 14 cards.

I never open these 1NT.

[Cascade]

I tend to open my suit if I am off-shape. There are many benefits from bidding your suits. This is especially true if the auction becomes competitive and they all seem to these days.

 

I will depart from this when I will have a difficult rebid problem if I bid my suit.

 

I do not like opening 1NT with a five-card major unless I have a method to subsequently find a 5-3 major suit fit. I will open a hand with a poor five-card major 1NT.

 

1NT for me tends to be 4333s 4432s and 5332s with a five-card minor.

 

5422s are possible but usually 54 in the minors. I usually play a weak NT which has some impact on this since it is harder to find a 4-4 fit in 2Major on a partscore hand after you open a weak 1NT.

 

6322s are also possible but the suit will need to be bad.

 

I am not adverse to opening 1NT with 4441s usually a minor suit singleton when I will have rebid problems if I open a suit. I do not like opening with a singleton major as partner might transfer you there. I would consider 4441 with a singleton honour in a major.

 

 

1/. xx AKXX AKQXX XX

 

1♦ then 2♥ this is a perfect description so I would not look elsewhere.

 

2/. XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

 

1NT. I suppose a downgrade is possible if you are having a bad day.

 

3/. AKXXX AXX QX QXX

 

1♠ always for me.

 

4/. XXXX XX AKQ AKJXX

 

xxx xx AKQ AKJxx is 1NT

 

as is xxxx xx AKQ AKJx

 

5/. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

 

Always 1NT.

 

6/. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

 

The 10s make up for the soft Queens and Jacks - 1NT

 

7/. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

 

1♣ always.

 

I would never open 1NT with a six-card suit and a maximum for my range that one extra card will often be one extra trick so partner will often underbid by a trick.

[whereagles]

Hum... I believe when both hands are balanced (with minimal fit or misfit), aces worth 4 points. It's only when there's a good fit that aces become undervalued.

[Chamaco]

1/. xx AKXX AKQXX XX

 

Two unstopped suits are bad for 1NT opener.

What's more, you have a perfect rebidding plan after 1D (reversing 2H)

 

2/. XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

 

The J of AJ hardly counts, and KQJ "stiff" hardly carry all their weight.

All in all, the hand is not worh 15 hcp.

If only the heart or diamonds J were in spades, , e.g.

JXXX AJ KQx KJXX

that would make it almost worth 1NT.

 

3/. AKXXX AXX QX QXX

 

It's a matter of agreement.

If you do not open 1NT you may have rebidding problems, if you do, your holdings in short suits are not great.

With the given hand I'd open 1S and rebid spades because of the shaky short minors, even if I usually like to open 1NT with a 5 card major.

 

4/. XXX XX AKQ AKJXX

(removed 1 spade)

 

Open 1 C and reverse in diamonds.

Reversing in a very good 3-bagger is a lesser lie than misdescribing your hand with 2 suits unstopped.

Your hand is more suit oriented.

Tell your pard where ur hcp are!

 

Also note that this is much less dangerous than reversing in a very god 3 card MAJOR.: after reversing in minors, your pard will be less ken to raise minors but will look for a notrump game.

 

5/. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

 

This hand is close to opening 1D and reversing in 2NT.

4 Aces are worth 18 hcp, not 16. The only reason i may devauate the hand wd be the 4333 shape.

Give me a 4432 with 4 aces and I'd open 1m and jump rebid NT.

 

6/. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

 

KJ is poor holding but QJT9 is very good. Also clubs and spades are good holdings, so 1NT is fair

 

7/. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

 

Definitely open 1C

If pard bids diamonds, then with KJ pulling their weight, jump bid to 2NT.

If pard bids a major, rebid 2 clubs.

These "half reverse" hands are hard to bid without specific gadgets (e.g. "Gazzilli" convention).

[bearmum]

1/. xx AKXX AKQXX XX

Open 1 ♦reverse to 2♥(MINIMUM reverse tho :blink: )

 

2/. XXXX AJ KQJ KJXX

I would downgrade the hand (AJ♥not worth full points -- open 1♣ and bid 1NT over everything except 1♠

 

3/. AKXXX AXX QX QXX

Open 1♠ as I prefer NOT to open 1NT with a nice major suit

 

4/. XXXX XX AKQ AKJXX

Open 1NT

 

5/. AXX AXX AXXX AXX

CLASSIC 1 NT opener 16 points FLAT hand

 

6/. QJX QJ109 KJ AJ10X

once again I would open 1NT

 

7/. QXX AX KJ AKXXXX

Prefer to open 1♣ with a SIX card suit