Chapter 4 Minor Openings
Responses to Minor Suit Openings ***
Inverted Minor Suit Raises ***
The 1D Response to 1C ***Jump Shifts ***
NOTRUMP Responses ***
Reverse Rebids by Opener ***
Splinter Rebids by Opener ***
Wolff Sign-off ***
New Minor Forcing ***
Checkback Stayman ***
Fourth Suit Forcing ***
Openings of 1C or 1D promise as little as xxx', a minimum of three cards, with no honor strength. Open 1C with AQxx/Kxxx/Ax/xxx. Responder will show a 4-card or longer major (regardless of suit quality), bypassing a longer diamond suit if he has less than opening hand values. Holding opening hand values, Responder will bid a longer minor suit first. With two 4-card majors, Responder bids 1H. With 5-5 or 6-6 in the majors, Responder bids spades first. With unequal length in the majors, Responder bids the longer suit first.
NOTE: the sequence 1C/1H: 1NT/3D shows a weak hand with 4 hearts and 6 diamonds, and 1D/1S: 1NT/3C shows 4 spades and 6 clubs (see New Minor Forcing).
Otherwise, Responder can consider a NT bid at some level (denying a 4-card major), or he can raise Opener's minor. If Responder cannot bid a major suit, and cannot bid NT, and cannot raise, he may be able to bid the other minor. If Opener has a NT-type hand, and does not have 4-card support for Responder's suit, he will NOT bypass a 4-card higher-ranking suit to rebid 1NT. After 1C/1D, holding AKxx/QJxx/Ax/xxx, Opener will rebid 1H. After 1C/1H, holding AKxx/KQx/Qx/xxxx, Opener will rebid 1S, not 2H or INT. If Opener doesn't have a NT shaped hand, and he cannot raise partner's suit, he may rebid a 5+ card minor, bid a lower-ranking suit (jump to the 3-level with 17+ points), or bid a higher ranking suit at the 2-level (with 17+ points).
A simple raise by Opener of Responder's major shows 4 trumps and 12 to16 support points, a jump raise shows 17 to 18 support points, and a jump to game shows 19+ support points. With game forcing strength, 4 card support for Responder's major, and a singleton or void, Opener may make a Splinter bid. A double jump shift in the short suit shows a singleton or void, a jump reverse shows a singleton (and is game invitational), and a double jump reverse shows a void. If Opener jumps to 4 of his minor suit, he is showing a 6 card suit, 4 card support of Responder's major, and enough playing strength to make game in the major.
Responses to Minor Suit Openings
Inverted Minor Suit raises means that 1C/2C and 1D/2D are forcing for one round and stronger than 1C/3C and 1D/3D, which are preemptive. A jump raise to 3C or 3D is made with 5 card support (4 is OK in diamonds), 5 to 9 points and denies a four card major suit. It’s purpose is preemptive. A single raise to 2C or 2D is strong (10+ points), denies a 4 card major, promises at least 4 card support, and is forcing for one round.
After a forcing raise, Opener’s first rebid, holding 12 to 13 HCP, will show this minimum hand by bidding 2NT with a balanced hand (not being concerned about stoppers) or rebidding his minor suit with an unbalanced hand. Note that Opener has not yet denied a four card major. All other bids by Opener show 14+ HCP and are forcing to 3NT or 4 of his minor.
1) Bid 2NT with a minimum balanced hand (12 to 13 HCP). With less than opening hand strength, Responder will pass or correct to 3 of Opener’s suit.
2) Rebid the minor suit with an unbalanced minimum. Responder passes with a minimum, and bids on with game forcing values - showing stoppers up the line in an attempt to reach 3NT.
3) Jump to 3NT with 18 or 19 HCP and a balanced hand (with 15 to 17 HCP, Opener would have opened 1NT).
4) With 14 HCP and a balanced hand, Opener makes an artificial bid in the other minor. This is forcing to 3NT or 4 of a minor, and Responder’s further bids are natural.
5) With 14+ HCP and an unbalanced hand, Opener bids a 4 card second suit (which can be the other minor or a 4 card major. With both major suits, Opener bids 2 Spades). This is forcing to 3NT or 4 of a minor, and Responder’s further bids are natural. Note that Opener’s rebid in the other minor can be artificial or natural. This must be clarified in the next round of bidding.
6) A jump bid in a new suit at the 3 level immediately after an Inverted raise is a Splinter, showing 14+ HCP and a singleton or void in the bid suit. Responder will bid 3NT with a concentration of values in that suit. If Responder has no "wasted" values in Opener’s short suit, he bids on in pursuit of game or slam in the minor suit.
7) After an Inverted raise, Opener’s jump to 4 of the agreed minor is Roman Key Card (RKC) "Blackwood". Responder’s responses are "up the line". This is a valuable convention, which allows stopping at 5 of the minor when slam isn’t there due to an insufficient number of key cards.
8) After an Inverted raise, a double jump shift in a new suit is a Control Asking Bid (see Slam Conventions).
Inverted Minor Raises are OFF after an Overcall or takeout double - a single raise shows 6 to 9 points, and jump raises show 4+ card support, good distribution and are preemptive. Cue bid opponent’s suit to show strength after an Overcall. After a double, bid 2NT to show a good hand with 4+ card support, or redouble to show 10+ points and no fit.
Responder's bid of 1D over a 1C opening is assumed to be natural, denying a 4 card major unless he has opening hand strength. With opening hand strength, Responder is prepared to bid his major suit at his next turn. Opener will then recognize the hand strength and shape, and will not stop short of game.
On occasion, Responder will temporize with a 1D bid when he does not wish to raise clubs, he has no 4 card major, and he is too weak (fewer than 8 HCP) to bid 1NT.
Opener, with a balanced minimum hand, assumes Responder has no 4 card major. He will rebid 1NT, suppressing any 4-card major(s) he may possess. If the final contract is in NT, the defense will have less information to guide them than if the 4 card majors were shown. If Responder has a major suit not yet shown, he must show it at his next turn.
Opener, with an unbalanced hand, bids descriptively. If his rebid is in a major suit, Responder's raise to the 2 level shows 3 card support and is a game invitation. If Responder raises to the 3 level, he shows 4 card support, confirms 5 diamonds and game forcing hand strength.
After Opener's rebid of 1S, Responder's rebid of 2H may be natural or Fourth Suit Forcing. Subsequent bidding will clarify this issue.
In non-competitive auctions, jump shifts to the 2 level are strong. They show one of three types of hands:
1) A solid 6+ card suit (AKQxxxx, AKQJxx, etc.) and at least opening hand strength. With no extra values, Responder will bid game in his suit at his next opportunity. Any other bid shows extra values and slam interest.
2) A good (but not solid) 6+ card suit plus 18 or 19 HCP. The suit must have 2 of the top 3 honors, and the hand must have stoppers in the unbid suits and no singleton. Responder must be careful not to immediately rebid his suit, since that shows a solid suit. His most likely rebid will be in NT.
3) A good 5+ card suit, game values or better, and excellent support for Partner's suit (Fit showing jump). Made by a passed hand, this bid shows invitational values.
In competition, Jump shifts are weak (less than 6 HCP) and preemptive.
A jump to 3C over a 1 D opener is invitational with a good (usually 6+ cards) club suit. This bid denies a 4 card major.
Prefer a NT response to a single or jump raise if the hand is balanced with distributed honors, and does not contain a 4 card major - 1NT with 6 to10 HCP (8 to 10 HCP over 1C), 2NT with 11 to 12 HCP, and 3NT with 13 to 15 HCP.
Reverse Rebids by Opener
If Opener's rebid is at the two level (or higher) in a higher ranking suit than his original bid, this is called
a Reverse. It shows at least 16 HCP, promises that his first suit is longer than his second suit, and is forcing
for one round at least. If responder has less than 9 HCP, he knows that game may not be there. He shows this by
making an artificial bid of 2NT (Lebensohl). With a hand strong enough to force to game opposite a minimum, Opener
rebids normally (which is game forcing). With a minimum reverse bid, Opener must rebid an artificial 3C (or rebid
his original suit if it is long and strong). Responder then bids normally from then on.
A jump reverse bid by Opener shows a strong hand with 4-card support in Responder’s suit and a singleton in the suit jumped in. A double jump reverse shows a strong hand with 4-card support in Responder’s suit and a void in the suit jumped in. For example, 1C/1S: 3D shows 20 support points, 4 spades and a singleton Diamond. 1C/1S: 4D shows 20 support points, 4 spades and a void in Diamonds.
When the opening bid is 1C, 1D or 1H and Opener’s rebid is a jump to 2NT, he is showing a balanced 18 or 19 HCP, and is not denying a 4 card major. In standard bidding, any rebid by Responder is forcing including a raise of opener's minor suit. On occasion, Responder will have a hand so weak and unbalanced that he believes 2NT is doomed but a suit contract at the 3 level might fare better. The Wolff sign-off was designed to allow this.
If Responder wishes to sign off in his suit, partner's suit or an unbid long suit, he does this by bidding an artificial 3C. Opener must show 3-card support for Responder’s suit, or bid an artificial 3D. Responder then sets the final contract, usually in his own long suit, by passing 3D or bidding 3H, 3S or 4C. A special case is if Responder rebids 3NT after his artificial 3C bid, this is a slam try in clubs.
If Responder has game values and wishes to check for 3 card support of his major or a 4 card major in Opener’s hand, he bids 3D ( a special case of New Minor Forcing) over Opener’s 2NT. Opener will then either show a 4 card major, show 3 card support for Responder’s major, or bid 3NT.
EXAMPLES:
| S - x H - Qxxxx D - Kxxxx C - xx |
S - x H - Qxxxx D - Kxxxx C - xx |
S - x H - Qxxx D - x C - Kxxxxxx |
S - Kxxx H - Qxxxx D - Kx C - xx |
S - x H - Qxxx D - Kxxxxx C - xx |
|
N E S W 1D P 1S P |
N E S W 1D P 1S P |
N E S W 1C P 1S P |
N E S W 1D P 1S P |
N E S W 1C P 1S P |
If Opener's rebid is 1NT, Responder's bid of a New Minor suit shows invitational values (10 to 12 points) or better and is forcing. It says nothing about the suit bid. Most often, Responder wants to know whether Opener has 3 card support for his first bid suit. For example: 1D/1S: 1NT/2C is New Minor Forcing and says nothing about club length or strength. Responder may also use this bid with a very good hand simply to announce a force at a low level. If Responder has both minor suits available, he bids the better minor as New Minor Forcing.
Opener's rebids to New Minor Forcing are as follows:
1) With 3-card support for Responder's major suit and 12 or 13 points, he raises the major suit.
2) With 3-card support for Responder's major suit and 14 or 15 points, he raises the major suit to the three level.
3) Without a 3 card fit for Responder's major, Opener will show a 5 card or greater diamond suit, if that is his first bid suit, by bidding it at the 2 level (Responder’s New Minor bid will have been 2C).
4) With a doubleton in Responder's major and 12 or 13 points, and no long diamond suit, Opener bids the unbid suit (artificially). If this is a major suit, it may or may not be 4 cards. The message here is that Opener has a minimum hand and only two cards in Responder's suit (with a singleton, Opener will not have rebid 1NT).
5) With a doubleton in Responder's major, 14 or 15 points and no long diamond suit, Opener bids 2NT
6) When Opener's first bid is 1H, he still supports Responder's major with three-card support as above. With a doubleton, he may rebid his hearts with a good suit, bid 2NT with maximum values, or bid 2D to show minimum values and a poor heart suit.
Responder's continuations after New Minor Forcing are as follows:
1) With invitational values, if Opener has shown a maximum Responder bids the appropriate game. If Opener has shown a minimum, Responder signs off in the appropriate contract.
2) With game forcing values, Responder will ensure that game is bid. Any continuation beyond 2NT is a game force. If Responder bids either minor at the three level, this is a slam try. Opener may cooperate or decline, according to his hand strength.
3) When Responder holds 5 spades and 4 hearts and game forcing strength, he bids 1S over 1C or 1D, uses New Minor Forcing, and then bids 3H. This shows specifically 5-4 in spades and hearts, and is forcing to game. When Responder holds 5 spades and 5 hearts and game forcing strength, he first bids 1S and then jumps to 3H over Opener's 1NT. This is forcing to game.
Responder's Weak Six-Four hands
With six diamonds and a 4 card major, and less than opening hand strength, Responder will have bypassed the diamond suit and responded in his major. After Opener's 1NT rebid, with 6 to 9 points Responder will bid 3D, which Opener must pass. With 10 to 12 points, Responder will suppress his diamond suit and bid 2NT.
Similarly, when Responder has 6 clubs and a 4 card major, after Opener's 1NT rebid Responder jumps to 3C with 6 to 9 points. With 10 to 12 points, he bids 2NT.
Checkback Stayman is an alternative to New Minor Forcing. It’s purpose is to find an 8 card fit in either major suit. If Opener’s first rebid is 1NT, Responder’s bid of 2C (even if Opener opened 1C) shows invitational values (10 to 12 points) or better, shows 5 cards in his major suit, and is forcing. It says nothing about his club holding. Most often, Responder wants to know whether Opener has 3-card support for his first bid (major) suit.
NOTE: 1H/1S: 1NT/2C is also Checkback Stayman.
Opener’s rebids to Checkback Stayman :
1) 2D says that Opener has fewer than 3 cards in Hearts.
2) 2H shows exactly 3 Hearts and a minimum hand (12 HCP or bad 13).
3) 3H shows exactly 3 Hearts and a maximum hand (14 HCP or a good 13).
4) No other response is permitted.
1) 2D says that Opener has fewer than 4 Hearts and fewer than 3 Spades.
2) 2H shows exactly 4 Hearts but does not deny 3 spades.
3) 2S shows 3 spades and a minimum hand (12 HCP or bad 13) and denies 4 hearts.
4) 3S shows 3 spades and a maximum hand (14 HCP or a good 13) and denies 4 hearts.
5) No other response is permitted.
Responder’s continuations after Checkback Stayman :
1) If Opener has bid 2D (denying 3 Hearts), then:
a) With invitational values, Responder bids two hearts if he thinks the hand will play better in hearts (trusting that Opener has 2 card support) than in NT, or bid 2NT. Opener will select the final contract in hearts, or NT.
b) With game values and no slam interest, Responder will bid a forcing 2S to show 4 spades, looking for a possible 4-3 spade fit. Otherwise, Responder will bid a forcing 3H to suggest game in a 5-2 heart fit, or bid 3NT.
c) With slam interest, Responder may support Opener’s minor at the 3 level, bid a forcing 2S to show 4 spades, make a cue bid in the other minor, bid 4NT (invitational to 6NT), bid 4C (RKC Gerber for hearts) or bid the slam directly.
2) If Opener has bid 2H (showing 3 hearts and a minimum hand), then:
a) With invitational strength, Responder will pass.
b) With game forcing strength, Responder will rebid 4H.
c) With slam interest, Responder may support Opener's minor at the 3 level, bid a forcing 2S to show 4 spades, make a cue bid in the other minor, bid 4NT (RKC Blackwood for hearts), or bid slam directly.
3) If Opener has bid 3H (showing 3 Hearts and a maximum hand), then:
a) With invitational or game forcing strength, Responder will rebid 4H.
b) With slam interest, Responder may support Opener’s minor at the 4 level, bid a forcing 3S to show 4 spades, make a cue bid in the other minor, bid 4NT (RKC Blackwood for hearts) or bid slam directly.
1) If Opener has bid 2D (denying 4 Hearts or 3 Spades), then:
a) With invitational values, Responder will bid a non-forcing 2H to show 4 hearts and looking for a 4-3 fit in hearts. Otherwise, he will bid two spades if he thinks the hand will play better in spades (trusting that Opener has 2 card support) than in NT, or bid 2NT. Opener will select the final contract in either major or in NT.
b) With game values and no slam interest, Responder will bid a forcing 3H to show 4 or 5 hearts. Holding 5 hearts, Responder can insist on game in a major by bidding 4H over Opener’s 3NT rebid. With fewer than 4 hearts, Responder will bid 3NT.
c) With slam interest, Responder may support Opener’s minor at the 3 level, bid a forcing 3H to show 4 or 5 hearts, make a cue bid in the other minor, bid 4NT (invitational to 6NT) or bid 4C (RKC Gerber for spades).
2) If Opener has bid 2H (showing 4 hearts but not denying 3 spades), then:
a) With invitational strength, holding 5 spades and 4 hearts, Responder will rebid 3H. Opener will choose the final contract in either NT or hearts.
b) With game forcing strength, holding 5 spades and 4 hearts, Responder will rebid 4H.
c) With slam interest, holding 5 spades and 4 hearts, Responder may support Opener’s minor, make a cue bid in the other minor, bid 4C (RKC Gerber for hearts), or bid slam directly. These bids all confirm hearts as trumps.
d) With invitational strength, holding fewer than 4 hearts, Responder will rebid 2S. Opener will then choose the final contract in either spades or NT.
e) With game forcing strength, holding fewer than 4 hearts, Responder will rebid 3S (forcing to game). Opener then chooses game in either NT or spades.
f) With slam interest, holding fewer than 4 hearts, Responder will rebid 3S (forcing to game). After Opener chooses the proper game, Responder may pursue slam by cue bidding, bidding 4NT (either an invitation to 6NT, or RKC Blackwood if the slam will be in spades), or bid slam directly.
3) If Opener has bid 2S (denying 4 hearts and showing 3 Spades and a minimum hand), then:
a) With invitational strength, Responder will pass.
b) With game forcing strength, Responder will rebid 4S.
c) With slam interest, Responder may support Opener’s minor at the 3 level, make a cue bid in hearts or the other minor, bid 4NT (RKC Blackwood for spades) or bid slam directly.
4) If Opener has bid 3S (denying 4 hearts and showing 3 Spades and a maximum hand), then:
a) With invitational or game forcing strength, Responder will rebid 4S.
b) With slam interest, Responder may support Opener’s minor at the 4 level, make a cue bid in hearts or the other minor, bid 4NT (RKC Blackwood for spades) or bid slam directly.
Responder’s Major Suit Five-Five Hands
1) With less than invitational values, Responder first bids 1S and rebids 2H. Opener should choose the best part score contract by passing or bidding 2S.
2) With invitational values, Responder bids 1S and rebids 3H. Opener can then select the best final contract.
3) With game forcing values, Responder uses Checkback Stayman and bids as though he had 5 spades and 4 hearts. If Opener bids 3NT as the "final contract", Responder may correct to 4H, which Opener should pass with 3 hearts. This will only be a problem if Opener is 2-2-5-4, resulting in a 5-2 trump fit.
Responder’s Minor-Major Two Suited
Hands
1) With six diamonds and a 4 card major, and less than opening hand strength, over Opener’s 1C Responder will bypass the diamond suit on the first round and respond in his 4 card Major. If Opener’s rebid is 1NT, Responder will bid 3D with 6 to 10 HCP, which Opener must pass.
With 11 to 12 HCP and no 4 card major, Responder will suppress his diamond suit and bid 2NT.
With a game forcing hand, Responder will bid naturally - diamonds first and the Major in the second round.
2) When Responder has 6 clubs, a 4 card major, and Opening hand strength, he will bid a game forcing 2C over Opener’s 1D on the first round and bid his major next. Otherwise he will respond first in his 4 card major.
After Opener’s 1NT rebid Responder jumps to 3C with 6 to 10 HCP. With 11 to 12 HCP, he will suppress his diamond suit and bid 2NT.
3) Weak hands with a four card major and good support for Opener’s minor are shown by jump raising to three of Opener’s minor after his 1NT rebid. Opener must then pass.
Fourth Suit Forcing is an artificial bid used by Responder when 3 suits have been bid and he needs further information from Opener to determine what the final contract should be. Frequently the bid is made with a flattish hand type, and no convenient bid. The fourth suit is frequently a 2 or 3 card suit that is not stopped, else Responder might find a NT bid at some level. Responder may use it with a very good hand simply to announce a force at a low level. Often Responder is looking for 3 card support for his first bid suit or for a stopper in the fourth suit. Fourth Suit Forcing is an invitation to game (one round force).
When Opener has bid and rebid in two different suits, and Responder’s first bid was in a third suit, a jump to the three level by Responder in any of the three bid suits is invitational to game but not forcing. So, in those cases where Responder would like to make such a jump and he holds game forcing values, he makes an artificial bid in the fourth suit, which is a one round force. After Opener’s next bid, Responder’s bid at the three level in either of Opener’s suits shows good support and game values, and a bid in his own first suit shows a six card suit and game values.
A special case is the auction 1C/1D: 1H/1S. This is Fourth Suit Forcing, and Responder is guaranteed NOT to hold 4 spades. The auction 1C/1D: 1H/2S is not Fourth Suit Forcing, and Responder is guaranteed to hold 4 spades and has at least an opening hand.
1D/1H: 1S/3D Invitational
1D/1H: 1S/2C: 2D/3D Game Force
1C/1H: 1S/3S Invitational
1C/1H: 1S/4S Game Bid, No Slam Interest
1C/1H: 1S/2D: 3C/3S Game Force, Slam Interest, No Singleton or Void
1C/1D: 1S/3D Invitational, 6 Diamonds
1C/1D: 1S/2H: 3C/3D Game Force, 6 Diamonds
1D/1S: 2C/3S Invitational
1D/1S: 2C/2H: 3D/3S 1D/1S: 2C/2H: 3D/3S Game Force, 6 Spades
Opener’s responses to Fourth Suit Forcing are as follows:
1) His first priority is to show 3-card support for Responder’s suit by raising with 12 to 13 points, and making a jump raise (forcing to game) with greater values.
2) His second priority is to bid 2NT, showing a stopper in the fourth suit and 12 to 13 points. He jumps to 3NT with a stopper in the fourth suit and 14 to 16 points.
3) Opener may raise the fourth suit, showing 4 cards in the suit.
4) Failing any of the above, Opener makes the bid that best describes his hand, even rebidding a bad 5 card suit or even a 4 card suit, if necessary.
