no trump openings

Our 1NT opening shows 14+ to 17 hcp, balanced.  If we have a 5 card major we almost always have exactly 15.  We may open 1NT with 5-4-2-2 if our five-card suit is a minor.  We may open 1NT with a 6-card minor, particularly if the suit is weak and the hand is notrumpish.  We avoid 6-card minors with good controls.  We always open 1NT with a hand within range.  1NT may occasionally have a singleton honor (not expected).

2NT opening shows 19+ to 21 balanced, rarely a 5 card major.  Six-card minors within range are not unusual.  Our 3NT opening is gambling (long minor).

stayman

Does not guarantee a 4-card major.  Never 4-3-3-3, 8+ hcp (worst is 2 Aces or a 5 card suit headed by two of the top three honors).  After 2C asking, bids by opener –>

2D = no 4 card major.  Then –>

2H = garbage stayman
2S = 5S, unbalanced, invitational.  Better than transfer and pass.
2NT = natural and invitational.  May or may not have 4M.
3m = natural and forcing.  Asks opener to cuebid.
3H = game forcing Smolen.  Shows 5S and 4H.
3S = game forcing Smolen.  Shows 5H and 4S.
3NT = to play
4C = Gerber
4D = advance Smolen (stayman then transfer).  6H, 4S
4H = advance Smolen (stayman then transfer). 6S, 4H
4NT = quantitative.  If accepting, bid 4 card suits at the 5 level, 6-card suits at the 6-level
5m = to play
5NT = GSF.  Bid 6 with min, 7 with max

2H = 4 hearts.  Could have 4 spades.  Then –>

2S = exactly 5 spades, invitational.  As above.
2NT = natural and invitational.  3S by opener accepts, showing 4S
3m = natural and forcing with 4 of the other major
3H = natural and invitational
3S = unbalanced slam try.  Then, 3NT asks for shortness.  (4H shows stiff spade)
3NT = to play
4C = gerber (all/none, 1, 2, 3)
4D = balanced slam try
4H = to play
4S = keycard for hearts
4NT = quantitative
5NT = GSF.  Bid 6 with min, 7 with max

2S = 4 spades, denies 4H.  Then –>

2NT = natural and invitational
3m = natural and forcing with 4 of the other major
3H = unbalanced slam try.  After, 3NT asks shortness, 4x shows and 4NT RKC/spades
3S = natural and invitational
3NT = to play
4C = Gerber
4D = balanced slam try
4S = to play
4NT = quantitative
5NT = GSF

3M = 5 cards in the suit bid, 15 high card points

transfers

We transfer any time we have a five card major, regardless of point count (except exactly 7-8 hcp and 5 spades).  We always just accept the transfer with 2 or 3 trumps.  With maximum notrump values and 4 trump (or 3 trump with 2 of the top 3 honors) we break the transfer by bidding a new suit (showing a doubleton – never Qx), 2NT shows a super-accept hand with no doubleton (or Qx). Jumping to 3M shows 5 cards and 15 hcp. A transfer at the 2 level followed by 4NT is quantitative, Texas then 4S/4NT is Keycard.

2D = transfer, 5+ hearts any strength

2H = forced.  Then, bids by responder –>

  • 2S = 5 hearts, 4 spades, invitational
  • 2NT = natural and invitational
  • 3m = natural and forcing
  • 3H = 6 hearts, invitational
  • 3S = stiff, 6+ hearts, slam try
  • 3NT = to play
  • 4m = shortness, 6+ hearts, slam try
  • 4H = 6+ hearts, mild slam try
  • 4S = keycard for hearts
  • 4NT = quantitative

2S = maximum NT with HHx or better, doubleton spade
2NT = maximum NT with HHx or better, no biddable doubleton
3m = maximum NT with HHx or better, doubleton in minor bid
3H = 5 hearts, 15 high cards or 4 hearts non-minimum

2H = transfer, 5+ spades any strength

2S = forced.  Then bids by responder –>

  • 2NT = natural and invitational
  • 3m = natural and forcing
  • 3H = balanced slam try (5-3-3-2, 15-16)
  • 3S = 6 spades, invitational
  • 3NT = to play
  • 4x = shortness, 6+ spades, slam try
  • 4S = 6+ spades, mild slam try
  • 4NT quantitative (5-3-3-2, 17-18)

2NT = maximum notrump values, HHx or better trump, no biddable doubleton
3x = maximum notrump values, HHx or better trump, doubleton (not Qx)
3S = 5 spades, 15 high cards or 4 spades with a non-minimum

2S = 6+ clubs, any strength

2NT = denies Hxx trump.  Then –>

  • 3C = to play
  • 3x = shortness
  • 3NT = to play, slammish
  • 4C = keycard for clubs, 1430

3C = Hxx+ trump. Then –>

  • 3x = shortness
  • 3NT = to play
  • 4C = keycard for clubs
  • 4x = void
  • 4NT = quantitative
  • 5C = to play

2NT = 6+ diamonds, any OR any weak hand with 5-5 minors

3C = denies Hxx. Then –>

  • pass = 5-5 minors, bad hand
  • 3D = to play
  • 3M = shortness
  • 3NT = to play, slammish
  • 4D = keycard for diamonds (1430)
  • 4NT = quantitative

3D = Hxx+.  Then –>

  • 3M = shortness
  • 3NT = to play
  • 4C = cuebid
  • 4D = keycard for diamonds (1430)
  • 4M = void
  • 4NT = quantitative
  • 5D = to play

puppet stayman

Over 1NT, 3C is forcing to game and asks partner for a four or five card major.  We never ask when we are 4-3-3-3.  We do not restrict our use of Puppet Stayman to three-card major suits in responder’s hand, instead we tend to use 3C to find the right game whenever we have no slam aspirations even if opener has a maximum with fit.

1NT – 3C = values to 3NT, never 4-3-3-3.  Then, bids by opener –>

3D = one or two 4 card majors.  Then, –>

  • 3H = 4 spades
  • 3S = 4 hearts
  • 3NT = to play (no interest in 4 card major)
  • 4C = 5+ clubs
  • 4D = both majors

3H = no 4 or 5 card major
3S = 5 spades
3NT = 5 hearts

other 3-level responses to 1NT

3D = 5-5 minors, game forcing, slammish

3M = accepting in corresponding minor; after, 4m = keycard
3NT = to play, no slam interest

3H = 5-5 majors, invitational

3S = 5-5 majors, forcing

3NT = to play
4m = slam interest in corresponding major; after, 4S/4NT = keycard
4M = to play

smolen when we open 1NT

We show game forcing hands with 5-4 majors by starting with 2C (Stayman) and over a 2D call by partner we bid our 4-card major at the 3-level.  If partner shows a major when we ask, we bid to or past game in our major.  5x is exclusion.  With 6-4 majors we start with Stayman and then bid Texas.

texas transfers

With 6+ cards in a major and game-going values, we transfer to game in our major.  Texas is on in competition wheneer we have a jump to 4D/H available.  Texas followed by 4S/4NT is keycard for hearts/spades.

gerber

On over 1NT and 2NT openings and natural responses.  Ask for aces when a jump to 4C is available.  Responses are old-fashioned (0/4, 1, 2, 3).

opening 2NT

We open 2NT with all balanced 19+ to 21 point hands.  If we have 19, we have a five or six card minor suit.  As a general rule we Gazzilli (open 1M and rebid 2C) rather than open 2NT with a 5-card major, but Partner is allowed to deviate so  we play Puppet Stayman to cover the occasional 5-card major.  Puppet, Gerber, Texas and quantitative bids are the same as over 1NT.

puppet stayman when we open 2NT

Our Puppet Stayman structure is largely the same over 2NT as over 1NT, but when partner shows no major we use 5S and 5NT to ask her to bid 5 and 4 card suits up the line, respectively.

smolen when we open 2NT

With 5 hearts and 4 spades and game-going values (or better), we transfer to hearts and then bid spades.  With 5 spades and 4 hearts we bid Puppet Stayman and then spades; if partner bids 3D showing a 4 card major we bid 4D showing both.  Over 3H (none) we bid 3S.

minor suit slam tries

2NT – 3S = minor suit slam try.  Asks partner to bid 3NT, then bids by responder –>

4m = the minor we DON’T have
4H = 5 clubs, 4 diamonds, slammish
4S = 5 diamonds, 4 clubs, slammish
4NT = 5-5 minors, slammish
5C = pass/correct
6C = pass/correct

With 6-4 minors, we show the 6 card suit by bidding the other minor (ignore the 4 card suit mot of the time), unless the long suit is weak and the shorter suit is control-rich (eg: Jxxxxx, AKxx).  After a minor suit slam try, 4NT by opener is to play; we keycard with 5 of our intended minor.

opening 3NT

In 1st and 2nd seat, opening 3NT shos a solid 7 or 8 card minor with no outside A or K.  Does not apply in 3rd or 4th seat (could be anything, responder is generally expected to pass).  After 3NT opening, bids by responder:

4C/5C = pass or correct
4D = asks shortness –>

  • 4M = shows shortness
  • 4NT = 7-2-2-2
  • 5m = shortness in the other minor