ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Ward Trumbull
with/without Conventions Dec 4, 2005
Page 1 of 8
Opening bids of 1 or 2 notrump are perhaps the most descriptive bids in bridge. They pinpoint the texture of the hand both as to High Card Point (HCP) count and to suit distribution.
Point Count - Typically the HCP for an opening 1 notrump is 15-17, 16-18 or the range I prefer 15-18. Two notrump count is fairly standard at 22-24 HCP. Often partner’s response to a 1 notrump opening bid asks the
opener if the HCP is at the top (17-18) or bottom (15-16). When you
use 15-17, 16 HCP must be classified as either a bad 15+ or a good 17-. The same applies for 17 HCP with the 16-18 range.
Distribution - There are three suit distributions associated with opening notrump hands. They are:
4-4-3-2
4-3-3-3
5-3-3-2 (where the 5 card suit is not a
major)
NOTE: You don’t open with a notrump bid if your hand
has a void, a singleton or a five card major.
This doesn’t mean you can’t open 1 or 2 notrump with other types of
distributions. For instance, with a six card minor headed by the AK or
AKQ, you could/should open a notrump with:
6-3-2-2
Stoppers - A suit stopper would be an Ax, Kx, Qxx or Jxxx. You do
not have to have a stopper in all four suits to open 1 or 2
notrump. What you do need are the HCP and an
acceptable distribution.
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 2 of 8
Responses Without Any Conventions
If your partnership uses none of the standard notrump response conventions, then your response to an opening 1 notrump by partner should be as follows:
Response Comment
----------------- --------------------------------------------------------
2 clubs or These are Standard American “Drop Dead” bids.
2 diamonds or The suit bid has 5+ cards and 0-7 HCP. The
2 hearts or notrump opener should/must pass.
2 spades
2 notrump The responder has 8-9 HCP and no 5+ card
major. It asks the notrump bidder to pass if his
HCP is at the bottom (15-16) or bid 3 notrump if
it is at the top (17-18).
3 clubs or The responder has 10+ HCP, a long minor suit
3 diamonds (6+ cards) and no desire to play in notrump.
The hand usually has singletons or voids and
may be on the way to a slam. The opener can’t
pass.
3 hearts or The responder has a 5 card major (no more)
3 spades and 8+ HCP. With 3+ cards in that suit, the
opener should bid 4 of that suit. With less than
3 cards in that suit, the opener can pass or bid 3
notrump. Of course 3 notrump might not make
if the responder has only 8 HCP.
4 hearts or The responder has 6+ cards in that major with
4 spades 8+ HCP. The opener should pass.
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 3 of 8
Responses Using Standard American Notrump Conventions
If you and your partner are agreeable, there are several notrump response conventions that are commonly used.
Stayman
Stayman is a notrump bidding convention to see if the partnership has a 4-opposite-4 major suit fit. The idea is that if there is a fit, the strong hand (notrump opener) will play the hand. To invoke Stayman after partner’s opening 1 notrump bid, the responder bids 2 clubs. Note that the responder must have at least 8 HCP.
To invoke Stayman (via 3 clubs) after partner’s opening 2 notrump bid, the responder should have 3+ HCP.
Reqd
HCP Resp. Meaning/Asking Notrump Bidder’s Reply
--------- -------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------
8+ 2 clubs Responder has 1 or 2 2 diamonds - NO
four card major suits. 2 hearts - YES (4 hearts)
ASKING: Does opener 2 spades - YES (4 spades)
have a four card major? |
________________________|
|
Notrump Bidder’s Reply Responder’s Rebid
-------------------------------- -------------------------------
2 diamonds (NO) With 8-9 HCP - bid 2 NT
With 10+ HCP - bid 3 NT
2 hearts or (YES) If you don’t have 4 cards in
2 spades (YES) that suit:
With 8-9 HCP - bid 2 NT
With 10+ HCP - bid 3 NT
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 4 of 8
Stayman: Notrump Bidder’s Reply – Major Fit Not Found (cont.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notrump Bidder
Reply to 2 Clubs Responder’s Rebid Notrump Bidder’s Next Bid
---------------------- -------------------------- -------------------------------------
2 hearts/spades 2 notrump (i.e. no fit) If you have 4 cards in the other
major:
Bid 3 of major if 15-16 HCP
and distribution points
Bid 4 of major if 17-18 HCP
and distribution points
If you do not have 4 cards in
the other major,
Pass with 15-16 HCP
Bid 3 NT with 17-18 HCP
3 notrump (i.e. no fit) If you have 4 cards in the other
major,
Bid 4 of that major
If not:
Pass
Notrump Bidder’s Reply Responder’s Rebid
-------------------------------- ----------------------------------------
2 hearts/spades If you do have 4 cards in that suit,
reevaluate the hand adding
distribution points where void = 3
singleton = 2 and a doubleton = 1
With 8-9 combined points
bid 3 of the major.
With 10+ combined points
bid 4 of the major
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 5 of 8
Stayman: Notrump Bidder’s Reply – Major Fit Found (continued)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notrump Bidder
Reply to 2 Clubs Responder’s Rebid Notrump Bidder’s Next Bid
---------------------- -------------------------- -----------------------------------
2 of a major 3 of that major (fit) Reevaluate your hand for
distribution points.
With 15-16 combined
points pass.
With 17-18+ combined
points bid 4 that major
4 of that major (fit) Pass.
Jacoby Transfer
The purpose of a transfer bid is to have the strong hand (notrump opener) play the hand. Thus the weak hand (responder) becomes the dummy. Note that with Stayman the responder must have 8+ HCP; however, you need NO points to make a transfer bid.
NOTE: When the responder makes a transfer bid of 2 diamonds or 2
hearts (explained below), that conventional bid must be
immediately alerted by the notrump bidder saying
“TRANSFER”.
Reqd
HCP Response Meaning/Demand Notrump Bidder’s Rebid
------- -------------- -------------------------- ---------------------------------
None 2 diamonds Responder has 5+ 2 hearts (no questions ask}
hearts (a demand bid)
2 hearts Responder has 5+ 2 spades (I heard you!)
spades (a demand bid)
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 6 of 8
Jacoby Transfer (continued)
After the transfer bid, the responder has 3 options:
Transfer Bid NT Bidder’s Reply Responder’s Rebid
----------------- -------------------------- ----------------------------------
2 diamonds or 2 of transfer major 0-7 HCP - pass
hearts 8-9 HCP - bid 2 notrump -à|
10+ HCP - bid 3 notrump -à|
|
NOTE: The responder should never bid or rebid his/her long major |
suit, not at the 2 level, 3 level or 4 level. You don’t know if |
your pair has an 8 card fit. |
__________________________________________________|
|
Responder’s Has NT Bidder Got Notrump Bidder’s Next Bid
Rebid 3+ cards in major? Combined Points
----------------- ------------------------- -------------------------------------
2 notrump YES 15-16 - bid 3 of major
YES 17-18 - bid 4 of major
NO 15-16 - pass
NO 17-18 - bid 3 notrump
3 notrump YES Bid 4 of major
NO Pass
Minor Suit Transfer
Jacoby Transfer is a widely used bidding convention. However, Minor Suit Transfer is not as popular, even though the purpose is the same: namely, to have the notrump opener play the hand. Again, NO HCP are needed to make this type of transfer.
Note: The minor suit must have at least 6 cards for a transfer to the 3 level.
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 7 of 8
Minor Suit Transfer (continued)
NOTE: As with Jacoby Transfer, the responder’s transfer bid (2 spades
or 3 clubs) must be immediately alerted by the notrump opener
by saying “TRANSFER”.
HCP Response Meaning/Demand Notrump Bidder’s Rebid
------ ------------- ----------------------------- --------------------------------
0-7 2 spades Responder has 6+ clubs 3 clubs (OK, OK, OK)
Drop Dead demand bid
3 clubs Responder has 6+ diams 3 diamonds (you win)
Drop Dead demand bid
NOTE: The responder must pass partner’s 3 bid.
This is known as “Drop Dead”.
8+ Minor Suit Transfer should not be used. Instead bid 2 notrump
with 8-9 HCP or 3 notrump with 10+ HCP.
NOTE: The only exception is to make a Minor Suit Transfer on
the way to a slam in that minor suit.
Texas Transfer
This is a variation of the Jacoby Transfer. The differences are:
the notrump bidder’s guaranteed 2 cards in that suit, the
partnership has an 8+ card major suit fit.
This is known as the 6/6 transfer……. 6+ cards and 6+ HCP.
ACBL04 – Notrump: Bidding Dec 4, 2005
with/without Conventions Page 8 of 8
Texas Transfer (continued)
Notrump
Reqd HCP Response Meaning/Demand Bidder’s Reply
-------------- -------------- ------------------------------ --------------------
Comb. 8+ 4 diamonds Responder has 6+ hearts. 4 hearts
Demand bid for 4 hearts
4 hearts Responder has 6+ spades. 4 spades
Demand: Bid 4 spades
NOTE: Again the “TRANSFER” alert is required.