Conventions in responding to notrump openings Larry Hammick larry@hammick.com 2000.06.06 Contents ;Introduction ;Responding to 1NT without interference ;;Stayman ;;Gladiator ;;Jacoby transfers ;;Smolen ;;Texas and South African Texas ;;Gerber ;;Inviting slam ;Responding to 1NT with interference ;;Lebensohl ;Responding to 2NT ;;Stayman ;;Baron ;;Transfers ;;Flint ;Responding to 3NT or equivalent ;Introduction An opening 1NT is more narrowly defined than most other openings, especially one-level openings. In any system which uses a natural 1NT opening, repsonding to 1NT is a "subsystem" quite different from the approach-forcing method. The responder has a sort of captaincy, and, in the case of transfers, effectively gets two consecutive bids. ;Responding without interference ;;Stayman Along with the new-suit-forcing principle and the takeout double, Stayman is one of the most important conventions in bridge. It is an example of what is called a "relay for distribution", and was the first such convention to achieve a wide following. The response of 2C requires opener to name a 4-card major if he has one; if he hasn't, he makes the artificial bid of 2D. With both majors, some pairs bid hearts, some spades, and some bid the stronger suit. Actually an agreement is not necessary, unless you are using some further conventional continuations. For if, say, it goes 1NT-2C- 2H-3NT, opener can now say 4S on 4 cards, because 2C implied interest in a major suit. In principle, 2C shows at least invitational strength and promises another bid. But it may be used on a weak hand with short clubs and a little of everything else, with the intention of passing any rebid by opener: Qxx Jxxx xxxxx x The worst that can happen is that you land in a 5-2 diamond fit, but even there your hand will be better than at 1NT. If responder rebids 2 of a suit (necessarily a major) it shows five. "Forcing Stayman" means that opener must bid again in this case; most players (including Stayman himself) prefer that this be non-forcing but invitational. Using a 16-18 point NT, Goren recommends that opener conceal a major if it is weaker than Qxxx or JTxx. It is indeed good business not to bid weak suits on strong hands. AJxx opposite xxxx, for instance, is an inadequate trump suit for slam. It is by no means necessary or desirable to wheel out the Stayman convention merely because you have a 4-card major. Some of the cases in which responder should avoid it: He is 4-3-3-3. There is apt to be no extra trick or control at the suit. He is balanced and has more than enough for 3NT. 3NT is probably cold but 4 of the suit risks a bad trump break or defensive ruffs. He has slam interest but his 4-card major is weak. Another suit (such as a 5-3) may be better, and 6NT may have chances in two suits rather than one. His points are concentrated in the short suits or in minor honours. 3NT is apt to be better. He has a solid five-card major. A tenth trick need not exist at the suit. Two-way Stayman: 2C is Stayman, normally with less than game-forcing strength. 2D is a game force, asking initially for a 4-card major or 5-card minor; with neither the rebid is 2NT. In the sequence 1NT-2D-2NT-3C, 3C (the "Baron corollary") asks for the exact shape: 3D 3-3-4-3 3H 2-3-4-4 3S 3-2-4-4 3NT 3-3-3-4 Two-way (or double-barreled) Stayman was adopted into the original Precision system but is nowadays out of fashion. Because of its built- in redundancy, it is probably not the best treatment. Weissberger convention: 1NT-2C-2D-3D asks for a three-card major. This is of value if responder's rebid of 3H or 3S is invitational rather than forcing. It shows invitational or better values, 5 spades, and either 5 hearts, or 4 with game-forcing strength. Opener bids spades with 3 of each major, but must bid game if in the upper range of strength. Schenken responses: The Schenken "Big Club" system uses a 16-18 NT. 2C is Stayman, and 2D is a game force which initially asks for major-suit _strength_ such as AJx or KQx (or longer). When responder has a singleton, this is useful for avoiding a hopeless 3NT and (like a splinter bid) for evaluating the fit in side suits. ;;Gladiator 2C is a tranfser to 2D; responder passes or corrects to his suit with a weak 1-suiter. Other rebids by responder are invitational. 2D is game-forcing, initially asking for (but not showing) a four-card major. 2H and 2S are forcing for 1 round. 3 or more of a suit shows slam interest. Roman Club and other systems have used varieties of Gladiator. Since 2C denies a good hand right away, Gladiator sometimes scores when the auction becomes competitive, as for example when using a weak 1NT. ;;Jacoby transfers 2D is a transfer to 2H and shows 5+ hearts 2H is a transfer to 2S and shows 5+ spades After these transfers, a new suit by responder at the 3-level is forcing for one round, and 2NT or a raise to 3 of the major is invitational. (Responder's artificial first "suit" is a new suit if he rebids it.) On the Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC) a rebid by responder in any new suit is game-forcing, including the 2-level case of 1NT-2D-2H-2S. The transfer convention was published by Sweden's Olle Willner in the early 50's, but is named after the 1956 Bridge World articles by Oswald Jacoby. Although they took a long time to become standard, transfers opposite 1NT and 2NT are a very logical notion. They often place the declaration in the strong hand, avoiding an opening lead through strength, and keeping scattered honours hidden from the defence. In addition, they effectively give responder two consecutive bids, which is sensible inasmuch as the opening bid (1NT or 2NT) has already described the opener's hand. In particular, with an invitational or game-going 5-3-3-2, responder can rebid 2NT or 3NT respectively, having shown a five-card major en route. Using transfers, 2C is always Stayman. 2S is not needed as a natural signoff; some pairs use it as Minor Suit Stayman, forcing to game, in which case opener rebids 2NT with no minor. There are many other ways to fill in the meanings of the remaining responses to 1NT. Below is that of SAYC. Response to 1NT 2S Transfer to 3C, intending to pass or sign off in 3D. 2NT Natural, invitational. 3C/3D A fair six-card or longer suit, inviting 3NT. 3H/3S Natural and forcing, with slam interest and a six-card or longer suit. If the 1NT opening is a strong type and may contain 17 or 18 points, some pairs allow opener to decline the transfer if he has a maximum hand and a fit for the major suit. He may jump to three of major or make some kind of game try in a side suit or in NT. ;;Smolen Smolen is an adjunct to Stayman which puts the declaration in opener's hand when responder has 4-5 or 4-6 in the majors. North South North South 1NT 2C 2NT 3C (Stayman) 2D 3H or 3S 3D 3H or 3S In both cases 3H/3S shows 4 of that suit and 5-6 of the other major. There is a second-round transfer to a 6-card major when 6-4, e.g. 2NT 3C 3D 3S 3NT 4D -- 6 hearts, opener now bids 4H. ;;Texas and South African Texas These bids aim to put contracts of 4H or 4S in the opener's hand. A low-level transfer would achieve the same end if the opponents were to stay out of the auction, but if responder is highly unbalanced (his hand, I mean) they might not. Texas Transfers: 4D is a transfer to 4H 4H is a transfer to 4S South African Texas: 4C is a transfer to 4H 4D is a transfer to 4S With a hand of good support and controls, opener may suggest a slam by declining the transfer, bidding the intermediate suit (D or H) instead. ;;Gerber Gerber is an ace-asking convention to take the place of Blackwood in responding to 1NT or 2NT. The bid is 4C, and opener rebids by steps: 4D: 0 or 4 aces 4H: 1 ace 4S: 2 aces 4NT: 3 aces If responder continues with 5C, it asks for kings in the same way. Gerber 4C is occasionally useful on hands such as 6-5-1-1. The continuation to 5C, asking for kings, is quite illogical; fitting cards are more important than odd kings for a seven-bid. ;;Inviting slam After an opening 1, 2, or 3NT, an immediate raise to 4NT invites 6NT. In theory opener may now show a good suit, but whether that is forcing is not definite. To invite 7NT, an old convention (once part of Goren) is to bid 4D (forcing) and follow with 6NT. ;Responding with interference Traditionally, after 1NT is overcalled at the 2-level, a new suit at the 2-level is not invitational. Originally 2NT had its usual meaning, but that also came to be played as competitive, not inviting game. Three of a suit is traditionally forcing for one round. If 1NT is doubled, 2 of any suit is a natural rescue. 2NT may be used in some artificial sense on good unbalanced hands, and a redouble on good balanced hands. ;;Lebensohl Lebensohl is a method of responding when partner's 1NT has been overcalled with 2 of a major. 2 of a suit is competitive, not invitational, but opener may raise in competition. 2NT is a transfer to 3C. Then: 3 of the enemy suit asks for a major and denies a stopper in the enemy suit. 3 of a suit which responder could have bid at the two level is invitational. 3 of any other suit is a signoff. 3 of the enemy suit asks for a major and shows a stopper in the enemy suit. 3 of any other suit is forcing, with five or more. Opener may now bid three of a major, for responder need not be one-suited. 3NT is a signoff with a stopper in the enemy suit. ;Responding to 2NT ;;Stayman Without any other agreement, any response is game-forcing, including 3C, which is Stayman (with a 3D negative response). ;;Baron If 3C is game-forcing, it may as well be "Baron" rather than Stayman. Baron 3C asks for opener's cheapest 4-card suit (4NT if clubs only), whereupon both partners bid 4-card suits "upwards" (i.e. cheapest first) at least until a suit is agreed or 3NT is reached. This can help find a 4-4 for a minor suit slam, and will sometimes expose a poor fit which might otherwise end up in a hopeless 6NT. If opener bypasses 3NT it shows a fit for responder's most recent suit. ;;Jacoby transfers 3D and 3H are transfers to 3H and 3S respectively, showing five cards or more. Unless responder passes at his next turn, these are forcing to game. If 2NT may be 22 HCP or more, opener may show a maximum 2NT plus a fit by declining the transfer, bidding a side ace instead. ;;Flint The first "weak transfer" convention to achieve a wide following was Jeremy Flint's 3D. It allows responder to stop the auction in 3H or 3S with a very weak 1-suiter. Opener is expected to rebid 3H, whereupon responder passes or corrects to spades. But if the 2NT opening is quite strong, say 22-23, opener may decline the transfer if he has good heart support. He then bids 3S; responder passes with spades or corrects to 4H. Likewise with good spade support, opener bids 3H as expected, but then, if responder removes to 3S, opener raises. With a willingness to go game in either major, opener rebids 3NT or 4H instead of 3H. A Flint 3C, with Stayman 3D, has also been used. 3C may be based on a very weak 1-suiter in anything except clubs. If 2NT is weaker, say 20-21, Flint is more often valuable even though the game-going sequences won't occur. ;Responding to 3NT or equivalent Although they are rare, some understanding is needed about responses to the opening 3NT, or a forcing opening followed by 3NT. Goren's responses: 4C is Gerber 4D is Stayman Anything else is natural and not forcing. Sayc responses: 4C is Stayman 4D/H are transfers to the majors. Probably a better scheme (recommended by Reese & Bird) is to use 4C as Baron, other suits natural, and all responses forcing as far as 4NT.