Responses to 1NT

[mikestar13]

Thought I'd share my current favorite set of responses to 1NT. For reference, this is used opposite a NT which is a bit wide range but strictly 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, or 5-3-3-2 (five carder may be a major) If your NT is laxer on shape but tighter on values, you will likely want to make some modifications.

 

2♣ = Stayman

[mikestar13]

Thought I'd share my current favorite set of responses to 1NT. For reference, this is used opposite a NT which is a bit wide range but strictly 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, or 5-3-3-2 (five carder may be a major) If your NT is laxer on shape but tighter on values, you will likely want to make some modifications.

 

2♣ = Stayman

.....2♦= denies 4 card major

..........2♥ = Garbage Stayman, 4-4 or better majors, less than invitational values.

..........2♠ = 5 spades, invitational, not balanced. -- then 2NT asks second suit.

..........2NT = natural invitation, may or may not have a 4 card major.

..........3♣/3♦ = game force with 5+ card minor.

..........3♥/3♠ = Smolen.

..........3NT = to play.

..........4NT = quantitative.

.....2♥ =4 hearts, may have 4 spades.

..........2♠ = 4 or 5 spades, invitational.

..........2NT = natural invitation, no major interest.

..........3♣/3♦ = game force with 5+ card minor and 4 spades.

..........3♥ = heart raise, minimum.

..........3♠ = heart raise with slam interest.

..........3NT to play.

..........4♣/4♦ = splinter bid.

..........4♥ = to play, no slam interest.

..........4NT = quantitative. -- to use RKCB for hearts, bid 3♠/4♣/4♦ first.

.....2♠ = 4 spades, denies 4 hearts.

..........2NT = natural game invitation, may or may not have 4 hearts.

..........3♣/♦ = game force with 5+ card minor.

..........3♥ = spade raise with slam interest.

..........3♠ = spade raise, minimum.

..........3NT = to play.

..........4♣/4♦/4♥ = splinter bid.

..........4♠ = to play, no slam interest.

..........4NT = quantitative.

 

 

More installments to follow (it's after midnight).

[wclass___]

I suggest you take a look at ambra or Fclub. Similar main idea, but much more detailed and thought over.

[Free]

that's not a set :P

[glen]

that's not a set :P

Likely "More installments to follow (it's after midnight)", but excellent in a summary of the other thread

[mikestar13]

Likely "More installments to follow (it's after midnight)", but excellent in a summary of the other thread

 

 

Sorry for the noise, this didn't post correctly and I didn't notice. I had written the full Stayman structure, but it wasn't reflected in this post, my " it's after midnight" was in explanation for net yet moving on to Jacoby sequences and more.

 

Could an admin please delete this thread?

[mikestar13]

Continuing . . .

 

2♦ = transfer to hearts.

.....2♥ = normal action.

..........P = to play.

..........2♠ = 5 hearts, balanced or 4+ minor, invitational.

This sequence will be covered in a following post.

..........2NT = 4=5=x=x, invitational. -- not forcing, continuations natural.

Higher bids comparable to 1NT-2♥ sequences.

 

 

2♥ = transfer to spades.

.....2♠ = normal action.

..........P = to play.

..........2NT = 5 spades, balanced, invitational.

..........3♣/3♦ =5 spades, 4+ in bid suit, game force.

..........3♥ = 5-5 or better in majors, invitational. (5-5 majors, game force doesn't start with transfer.)

..........3♠ = 6+ spades, invitational.

..........3NT = To play.

..........4♣/4♦/4♥ = auto-splinter, slam interest

..........4♠= 6+ hearts, slam interest but not forcing, denies splinter.

..........4NT = quantitative. -- to use RKCB, auto-splinter or bid 3♣/♦ and bid 4NT on next round.

.....3♠ = super-accept.

Other super-accepts may be agreed on, we prefer a low information strategy, YMMV.

 

To be continued ...

[mikestar13]

I suggest you take a look at ambra or Fclub. Similar main idea, but much more detailed and thought over.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll look it over.

[mikestar13]

Continuing. . .

 

2♠ weak or game forcing with 6+ diamonds, or weak with both minors.

.....2NT = prefer diamonds if partner has both.

...........3♣ = 6+ diamonds, club shortage.

...........3♦ = diamond sign off.

...........3♥/3♠ = 6+ diamonds, shortage in bid suit.

.....3♣ = prefer clubs if partner has both.

..........P = club sign off.

..........3♦ = diamond sign off.

..........3♥/3♠ = 6+ diamonds, shortage in bid suit

..........3NT = 6+ diamonds, club shortage, no slam interest.

..........4♣ = 6+ diamonds, club shortage, slam interest.

 

 

2NT = transfer to clubs.

.....3♣ = normal action.

..........P = club sign off.

..........3♦/3♥/3♠ = shortage in bid suit.

 

 

3♣ = Low information Puppet Stayman, game forcing.

.....3♦ =denies 5 card major.

..........3♥/3♠ = asks for 4 cards in other major. -- responder will use regular Stayman with 4-4 majors.

.....3♥/3♠ = 5 cards in bid suit.

 

 

3♦ = 5-5 or better in majors, game forcing.

.....3♥/3♠ = 3+ cards in suit, slam interest.

.....3NT = poor support, concentration of values in minors.

.....4♣/4♦ = Cuebid, support for both majors, slam interest.

.....4♥/4♠ = 3+ cards in suit, no slam interest.

 

3♥/3♠ = both minors, shortage in bid suit, game forcing.

 

3NT = To play.

 

4♣ = Gerber.

 

4♦/4♥ = Texas.

 

4NT = quantitative.

 

Next: 1NT - 2♦ - 2♥ - 2♠ sequences.

Edited July 19, 2012 by mikestar13

[mikestar13]

Final installment . . .

 

The auction has started 1NT-2♦-2♥:

2♠ = Exactly 5 hearts, balanced, or 4+ minor, invitational. Denies 4+ spades..

.....2NT = rejects balanced invitation, usually <3♥.

..........P = to play, either balanced or minor suit with poor shape (usually 5-4-2-2).

..........3♣ = 4+ clubs.

...............P = to play.

...............3♦ = shows diamond stopper, interested in 3NT.

...............3♠ = shows spade stopper, interested in 3NT.

...............3NT = to play.

...............4♣ = invitational to 5♣.

..........3♦ = 4+ diamonds.

...............3♥ = artificial, shows club stopper, interested in 3NT.

...............3♠ = shows spade stopper, interested in 3NT.

...............3NT = to play.

...............4♦ = invitational to 5♦.

.....3♣ = 4-5 clubs, <3 hearts, accepts balanced invitation.

..........3♦ = 4+ diamonds.

..........3♠ = 4+ clubs, asks for diamond stopper, interested in 3NT.

..........3NT = to play.

..........4♣ = usually 5+ clubs, no interest in 3NT.

.....3♦ = <3 hearts, 4+ diamonds, accepts balanced invitation.

..........3♥ = to play, normally 5 hearts, 4+ clubs.

..........3♠ = 4+ in either minor, asks for club stopper, interested in 3NT.

..........3NT = to play.

..........4♣/4♦ usually 5+ in bid suit, no interest in 3NT.

.....3♥ = 3+ hearts, rejects all invitations.

.....3♠ = <3 hearts, asks for spade stopper, interested in 3NT.

.....3NT = to play.

.....4♥ = to play.

Edited July 20, 2012 by mikestar13

[Zelandakh]

I can see an immediate hole in your methods Mike. After 1NT - 2♦; 2♥ - 2♠; 2NT, Responder still has no idea whether Opener has 4 spades and will likely pass with an invitational 45xx hand. If not and they try 3♥, what is Opener meant to do with a minimum 3244 hand? Much better would be to use the sequence 1NT - 2♦; 2♥ - 2NT to show the invitational hand with 5 hearts and 4 spades and for the 2♠ rebid to include the balanced hand type, with which you can simply pass Opener's 2NT. There are some other areas where things can be better optimised too but since much of it is derived from Standard this is not serious.

[mikestar13]

I can see an immediate hole in your methods Mike. After 1NT - 2♦; 2♥ - 2♠; 2NT, Responder still has no idea whether Opener has 4 spades and will likely pass with an invitational 45xx hand. If not and they try 3♥, what is Opener meant to do with a minimum 3244 hand? Much better would be to use the sequence 1NT - 2♦; 2♥ - 2NT to show the invitational hand with 5 hearts and 4 spades and for the 2♠ rebid to include the balanced hand type, with which you can simply pass Opener's 2NT. There are some other areas where things can be better optimised too but since much of it is derived from Standard this is not serious.

 

This is precisely the kind of feedback that I'm looking for--areas that can change profitably without the need to redesign to whole method. I'll try out your idea, it sounds promising.

 

My notes should be clearer for the method that I have, however. The 2NT rebid is forcing, responder will bid 3♥ with 45xx. You method still looks like an improvement, identifying the spade fit as soon as possible.

[straube]

Here's a link to a discussion we had on NT bidding structures.

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/42716-bestmost-comprehensive-nt-structure/

 

I included our own NT structure. I think that 2S is very useful as a size-asking bid and 2N works well as Puppet Stayman.