opening is artificial, forcing and either any strong no-trump (balanced 15 to 17 points), or a minor two-suiter (5431 or 5422) with 11 to 15 points. It has a nominal minimum of 15 points i.e. until opener's rebid, we assume the strong no-trump type.
The strong no-trump type can be any balanced shape, so could for instance contain a five-card major.
All responses are systemic but, because the opening is forcing and there is no negative, one-level responses are strength-neutral. 1NT is limited to 7 points; other responses assume that opener has a strong no-trump, although we avoid precipitate leaps to 3NT.
Opener identifies his hand type by his first rebid, which will depend on the response:
- After 1-1NT, 1-2
or 1-2, opener shows a minor two-suiter by rebidding 3, which disturbs the auction, cancels any previous game force and is non-forcing. This may seem precipitate – especially opposite the strength-neutral 1NT – but both our hands have no major suit, so at the very least we have one minor suit fit and they are highly likely to have at least one major suit fit, and hence it's sensible to get immediately to the spot that the corollary* to the Law of Total Tricks will later demand.
(*If both sides have an eight-card fit, don't let them play at the two-level.) - After 1-1
or 1-1
, opener shows a minor two-suiter hand by rebidding either 2 or 2 which do not have their normal game-invitational and game-forcing meanings. Instead 2 denies a fit, while 2 shows a three-card fit for responder's major, with fit continuations. The 2 rebid can be passed, but otherwise it behaves much like its invitational twin: responder can force to game with an artificial 2, or scramble by bidding in the neutral window.
All other rebids show that opener has a strong no-trump. Opposite one of a major, he will raise with four-card support, bid a four-card spade suit or rebid 1NT. He will pass a 1NT response, and continue generically opposite 2 or 2 (other than avoiding a 3 response).
| West | North | East | South | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pass | 2 | pass | ||
| 3 | pass | pass | pass |
is a non-forcing disturbing bid showing a minor two-suiter.| West | North | East | South | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pass | ||||
| 1 | pass | 2 | pass | ||
| 3 | pass | pass | pass |
showed a minor two-suiter with no fit for spades. 3 is a scramble i.e. to play. With a strong hand, responder would have rebid 2, game-forcing.| West | North | East | South | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pass | ||||
| 1NT | pass | pass | pass |
If they overcall 1 without disturbing the auction, weak responder can pass, so one-level responses now show at least minimum points. And opener should still always rebid 2 or 2 to show a minor two-suiter.
| West | North | East | South | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pass | 1 | dbl | ||
| pass |
or 2.If they disturb the auction, the cheapest bid of a minor will always show a minor two-suiter, while other actions will usually show a strong no-trump.
| West | North | East | South | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | dbl | pass | ||
| 4 |
| West | North | East | South | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | dbl | pass | 4 | ||
| pass |
rebid, so opener's type must remain ambiguous.NEXT: opening one of a major