Chapter 2 - Responses To 1NT opening

Question 1

Your partner has opened 1NT. Describe her hand.

Answer 1

12-14 points, no voids or singletons and a maximum of 1 doubleton.

Question 2

When responding to your partner’s 1NT opening, how many points should you assume he/she has when calculating points between you.

Answer 2

12

She has 12-14 but you should assume the minimum

Question 3

Your partner opens 1NT. You have a balanced hand and 0-7 points. How do you respond?

Answer 3

Pass. You are already down.

You need at least 21 points to make a 1NT bid. You can only count on 12 points from partner plus your 0-7 points for a total of 12- 19

Question 4

Partner opens 1NT and you have a balanced hand with 8-10 points. How do you respond?

Answer 4

Pass

You need 21 points to make a 1 NT bid. Partner’s 12 bankable points plus your 8-10 will only ensure a 1NT contract at best (20-22 pts). You need 23-24 points to make 2NT.

Question 5

Partner opens 1NT and you have a balanced hand with 11-12 points. How do you respond?

Answer 5

2NT

Or, with a 4 card major suit, bid 2 club (staymen)

Question 6

Partner opens 1NT and you have a balanced hand of 13-18 points. How do you respond?

Answer 6

3NT

You have a minimum combined point count of 25

Question 7

Partner opens 1NT. You have a balanced hand too. What is the minimum number of points you need in order to respond?

Answer 7

11

Question 8

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand. Excluding a staymen response, what do you need to respond in a suit?

Answer 8

5+ cards in the suit you bid and 0+ points.

Better to bid a 5+ suit at the 1 level (the weak take-out), even with 0 points, than to stay in NT. (Never bid a 4 suit over 1NT, however. If you don’t have 5+, just pass).

Question 9

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand with 0-11 points and a long suit of 5+ clubs. How do you respond?

Answer 9

2 club

note: It will look like staymen to partner so be prepared to bid 3 clubs next bid.

Question 10

You open 1NT and partner responds 2 diamonds, hearts or spades. What does your partner hold and what should you respond?

Answer 10

Partner has 0-11 points and 5+ cards in that suit. PASS.

This is a weak take out - they may have no points!

Question 11

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand, 11+ points and exactly four cards in a major suit. How do you respond?

Answer 11

2 Club

This is the staymen convention. You are telling partner you have 4 in a major suit and are asking them if they have at least 4 in hearts or spades. Partner will either reply 3 diamonds (if they don’t have either) or 3 hearts/3 spades if they do.

Question 11

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand with 12-18 points but no 5 card major. What do you bid?

Answer 11

3NT

Question 12

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand with 10-11 points (but don’t have the 4 card major you need for Staymen)

Answer 12

Bid a 5+ suit at the 2 level. If you don’t have a 5+ suit, pass.

Question 14

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand with 12-18 points and one 5 card major (exactly 5 cards, in either hearts or spades). What do you bid?

Answer 14

Bid the 5 card major suit at the 3 level.

If partner has 3 of your suit he will raise it to the 4 level in response, if not he will bid 3NT

Question 15

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand with 12-18 points and exactly 5 cards in BOTH majors. What do you bid?

Answer 15

3 spades

If partner responds 3NT, try bidding 4 hearts next bid

Question 16

Partner opens 1NT. You have a distributional hand with 12-18 points and a 6+ card major suit. What do you bid?

Answer 16

Bid the 6+ major suit at the 4 level.

Partner has a balanced hand so is guaranteed to have the two more suit cards you need

Question 17

The only time you should respond to a 1NT opener with a minor suit at the 3 level is….

Answer 17

…if you are looking for a slam

Otherwise you should stay in NT rather than bidding the minor suit.