Responding to Partner's 1NT Opening Bid
Simple arithmetic will almost always tell you how high you should place the contract when your partner opens 1NT. If partner opens 1NT (16-18 pts.) and you hold:
0-7 pts. -- Pass or play in 2 of your long suit (5+ cards).
7-8 pts. -- Invite game in notrump or your suit.
9-16 pts. -- Bid a game in notrump or a suit.
17+ pts. -- Bid a slam in notrump or a suit if you have an 8-card fit.
Many pairs choose to use 15-17 pts. for their 1NT opening. If you use this range, add one point to the above guidelines.
Standard American Responses to 1NT
2C = Stayman, asking partner to bid a 4-card major if he has one (see below).
Bid 2C with:QJ32
K5
K763
943 .
2D, 2H or 2S = Signoff, showing a 5+-card suit and 0-7 pts. It tells partner that you think 2 of a trump suit is safer than 1NT. Partner must pass.
Bid 2S with:
2NT = Invitational, showing 7-8 pts. and no major. It invites partner to 3NT.
Bid 2NT with:
3C or 3D = Forcing, with a long suit (5+ cards) and at least game values (9+ pts.). Unless your hand is very distributional or very strong (one with which you want to invite slam in your suit), bid 3NT instead of 3 of your suit.
Bid 3D with:
But bid 3NT with:
3H or 3S = Forcing, with a 5-card suit and game values (9+ pts.). It forces partner to bid. With a 5-card major and 9+ pts., always jump to 3 of your suit to ask partner if he has 3-card support. If partner rebids 3NT, he has only 2 of your suit, so you should pass. If he raises your suit to 4, he guarantees 3+-card support.
Bid 3H with:
3NT = 9-14 pts. and no possible major suit fit. Partner will always pass.
Jump to 3NT with:
4C = Gerber convention, asking for aces.
4H or 4S = 6+-card suit and game values (8-9 or more pts.). Partner will always pass.
Jump to 4S with:
4NT = Invitational to 6NT, showing about 15-16 pts. Opener will bid 6NT if he's on the "top" of his 16-18 pts. He can pass if he has a minimum.
Invite with 4NT with:
The Stayman Convention -- 2C to ask for a major
This convention allows you to find the important 4-4 major suit fit after your partner opens 1NT. To use this bid, responder must have:
At least 7 pts. AND
At least one 4-card major suit.
With these hands, always bid 2C to ask the 1NT opener if he has a 4-card major. Opener will reply by bidding a major suit if he has 4-card length in it (if he has two 4-card majors, he'll bid 2H, the cheaper suit, to keep the auction low). If opener does not have a 4-card major, he bids 2D.
If the 1NT opener bids your 4-card major:
Raise to 4 of that suit if you have game values (at least 9 pts.).
Raise to 3 of that suit if you have invitational values (7-8 pts.).
If the 1NT opener bids a major you don't have:
Make your natural notrump bid -- 3NT if you have at least 9 pts.; 2NT if you have 7-8 pts.
If you have the invitational hand with a 5-card major, bid 2 of your suit (see below).
With any point range, don't bid your 4-card major. The auction has told partner that you have the other major, so there's no reason for you to show it twice. If partner has a fit in that major, he'll show it on the next round.
If the 1NT opener bids 2D (denying a major):
Make your natural notrump bid as above. You now know that partner doesn't have a fit with you, so don't bid your 4-card major.
If you have the invitational hand with a 5-card major, bid 2 of your suit (see below).
Another use of Stayman:
If you don't play Jacoby transfers, Stayman can also be used to start the description of an invitational hand (7-8 pts.) with a 5-card major -- a hand like
To show this type of hand, you start with 2C Stayman. If partner bids 2S (showing a 4-card suit), you've found a 9-card trump fit, and you should raise directly to 4S. If partner answers Stayman with 2D or 2H, you will bid 2S to show a "real" suit and invite game.