A 1NT opening is a wonderful thing. Right away we know that the opener has a good hand but we also know that it’s balanced and that it’s in the narrow 15-17 HCP range. As the responder you can already judge possible contract strains and level. You become the captain of the auction!
In this lesson series we are going to go through the NT response system. At the end you’ll be able to have a constructive auction to the appropriate level.
Responding Hand Categories
The NT response structure is based on the strength of your hand and the nature of its distribution more strictly than suit auctions.
Strength Ranges
- Weak: _______ to ___________ HCP
- Invitational: _________ to ________ HCP
- Game Going: ________ to _________ HCP
- Slam Interest: _______ to ________ HCP
- Slam Going: _______ + HCP
Hand Shapes
- Flat without a 4 card major.
- Flattish with a 4 card major
- 5 card major
- 5-3-3-2
- With a second 4 card major
- 5-5 in the majors
- With a second 4+ card minor
- 6+ Major
6+ Minor
- 5-5 in the minors
Imagine Candidate Contracts
For each of the hands below list the possible contracts. We will discuss how to bid them later.
Flat, No 4 Card Major
♠️ Kxx ❤️Qxx ♦️xxx ♣️Jxxx __________
♠️Kxx ❤️Axx ♦️xxx ♣️Qxxx __________ or ______________
♠️ Kxx ❤️AQx ♦️xxx ♣️Qxxx __________
♠️ KJx ❤️AJ9 ♦️Q10xx ♣️Kxx _________
♠️ AJx ❤️AJ9 ♦️KTxx ♣️Kxx __________ or ____________
♠️AJx ❤️AK9 ♦️KJxx ♣️ Kxx __________
♠️AKQ ❤️AK9 ♦️KJxx ♣️Kxx __________
Flattish with a 4 Card Major
♠️KTxx ❤️Axxx ♦️xx ♣️xxx __________
♠️KT9x ❤️AQx ♦️xxx ♣️xx __________, __________, ____________, or ______________
♠️KT9x ❤️AQx ♦️QJx ♣️xxx _________ or ___________
♠️KT9x ❤️AQx ♦️QJx ♣️Axx _________, ____________, _______________, or __________
♠️KQ9x ❤️AQx ♦️QJxx ♣️Ax _________ or ___________
Weak, Short in Clubs
♠️KTxx ❤️Axxx ♦️xxxx ♣️x __________, ___________, or __________
♠️KTx ❤️Axxx ♦️xxxxx ♣️x __________, ___________, or ___________
5-3-3-2 (5 Card Major)
♠️xx ❤️KJxxx ♦️xxx ♣️xxx ________
♠️xx ❤️AQxxx ♦️Qxx ♣️xxx ________, _____________, ______________, or _________
♠️Kx ❤️AQxxx ♦️Jxx ♣️xxx _________ or ___________
♠️Kx ❤️AQxxx ♦️Jxx ♣️Axx __________, ____________, or ______________
♠️Kx ❤️AQxxx ♦️Kxx ♣️Axx _________ or ____________
♠️AKx ❤️AQxxx ♦️Kx ♣️Axx _________, _________, or __________
6+ Card Major
♠️xx ❤️KJxxxx ♦️xxx ♣️xx _________
♠️xx ❤️AQJxxx ♦️xxx ♣️xx _________ or _________
♠️xx ❤️AQJxxx ♦️Qxx ♣️xx _________
♠️AJx ❤️AQxxxx ♦️Kxx ♣️x _________ or ___________
♠️AJx ❤️AQxxxx ♦️KQx ♣️x ___________
♠️AKx ❤️AQJxxx ♦️KQx ♣️x __________ or ____________
5-4 Majors
♠️Qxxx ❤️Kxxxx ♦️xx ♣️xx __________
♠️Qxxx ❤️AQxxx ♦️xx ♣️xx _________, _________, __________, __________, _________, or _______
♠️Qxxx ❤️Axxxx ♦️Ax ♣️xx _________, _________, or _________
♠️KQxx ❤️AQxxx ♦️Ax ♣️Jx _________, ___________, _________, ___________, __________, or __________
♠️KQxx ❤️AQJxx ♦️Ax ♣️Kx _________, _________, ___________, __________, _______, or _______
5-5 Majors
♠️Qxxxx ❤️Kxxxx ♦️xx ♣️x __________
♠️Kxxxx ❤️Axxxx ♦️Qx ♣️x ________, __________, __________, _________, _________, or _________
♠️KQxxx ❤️AJxxx ♦️Qx ♣️x _________, _________, or _________
♠️KQxxx ❤️AKJxx ♦️Kx ♣️x _________, __________, __________, __________, ________, or ________
♠️AKQxx ❤️AKJxx ♦️Kx ♣️x _______, ___________, _________, or _________
5 Major and 4+ Minor
♠️xx ❤️Kxxxx ♦️Qxxx ♣️xx __________
♠️xx ❤️Kxxxx ♦️AQxx ♣️xx ___________ or ________
♠️xx ❤️KQxxx ♦️AQxx ♣️xx ___________, _________, or __________
♠️Ax ❤️KQxxx ♦️AQxx ♣️xx __________, _________, ________, __________, _________, or ________
6+ Card Minor
♠️xxx ❤️Qx ♦️xx ♣️QJxxxx ___________
♠️xxx ❤️Qx ♦️xx ♣️AQxxxx __________ or _________
♠️xxx ❤️xx ♦️xx ♣️AQJxxx__________ or __________
♠️Axx ❤️Qx ♦️xx ♣️AQxxxx __________
♠️Axx ❤️Qx ♦️Kx ♣️AQJxxx________ or ___________
5-5 Minors
♠️x ❤️xx ♦️Kxxxx ♣️Qxxxx _________, _________, or _________
♠️x ❤️Kx ♦️Kxxxx ♣️Qxxxx __________ or ___________
♠️x ❤️Kx ♦️KQxxx ♣️KJxxx _________, _________,_______, ________, or _________
♠️x ❤️Kx ♦️KQxxx ♣️AKJxx _________, __________, or _________
Conventions After a 1NT Opener
Stayman
- Basic form: 2C asks opener to show a 4 card _________.
- Garbage Stayman: Weak hand short in _______, willing to pass whatever opener answers.
- Option: Puppet Stayman asks for a ________ ________ ___________
- Option: Smolen with 5-4 majors and game values. Ater the sequence 1NT – 2C – 2D a bid of 3 of a major shows _______ in that major and _______ and the other major with _______ or more HCP.
- Discuss with your partner what this auction means: 1NT – 2C – 2D – 2H (or 1NT – 2C – 2D – 2S)
- Option 1: Invitational with 5 in the bid major and 4 in the other major.
- Option 2: Weak with 5 in the bid major and 4 in the other major.
Jacoby Transfers to Majors
- Basic form: Bid 2D to transfer to H, 2H to transfer to S
- Discuss these auctions with your partner:
- 1NT – 2D – 2H – 2S. One possibility is 5H, 4S, invitational values.
- 1NT – 2H – 2S – 3H: One possibility is 5S, 4H, invitational values
Signoff in 3 of a Minor
- Use 2S to relay opener to 3C. Pass with a club bust or correct to 3D with a diamond bust. Opener must pass the 3D bid.
Alternative: Transfers to Either Minor
- 2S is a transfer to 3C.
- Option 1 “Preaccept”: Opener shows he likes the transfer suit by bidding 2NT.. “Like” is usually defined as a holding of ______, _________, or __________ or better.
- Option 2 “Bid ’em if you like ’em”: Opener shows he likes the transfer suit by bidding 3C.
- 2NT is a transfer to 3D
- Option 1: Preaccept bid is 3C
- Option 2: “Bid ’em if you like ’em”
- Drawback: You lose the natural sequence 1NT – 2NT to invite game in NT.
- Workaround is to go through Stayman even without a 4 card major. For example, 1NT – 2C – 2D/H/S – 2NT. Opener should alert the 2NT bid and if asked, explain “In this sequence responder might not have a 4 card major.”
- Advantages:
- You can get to 3NT when opener has a fitting honor and the minor provides 6 or more tricks.
- Slam exploration in the minor.
Texas Transfers
- 4D transfers to 4H, 4H transfers to 4S
3 Level “5-5 Bids”
- If you’re not using it for Puppet Stayman, 3C shows 5-5 in the minors, weak.
- 3D shows 5-5 minors, strong.
- 3H shows 5-5 majors “invitational” (but in practice you never stop in 3)
- 3S shows 5-5 majors strong (game forcing, slam interest)
Gerber
- 4C asks opener for aces. The partnership can stop in 4NT.
- 5C asks for kings.
- Example sequences:
- 1NT – 4C
- 1NT – 2C – 2H – 4C
Quantitative Slam Invitations
- 1NT – 4NT invites 6NT. Do it with 15-17 HCP. It’s not asking for aces.
- 1NT – 5NT is forcing to at least 6NT and invites 7NT. Do it with 20-21 HCP. Don’t worry if you forget this one; it never happens.
Things to Discuss With Your Partner
- Do you open 1NT with a 5 card major? With two doubletons?
- Is the sequence 1NT – 2C – 2D – 2H/2S weak or invitational?
- Do you play 4 suit transfers or do you just relay with a minor suit bust?
- Do you use a 3C response as Puppet Stayman or as 5-5 weak?
- Do you play the sequence 1NT – 2C – 2D – 3H as showing 5 hearts, 4 spades (natural) or do you play Smolen, i.e. 3H shows 5 spades and 4 hearts)?