Editing User:Brian/Bridge/Responding to a one-level minor opening

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This page is incomplete.
 
This page is incomplete.
  
Partner's bid shows something like 12 to 21 total points and denies a 5-card major. However, partner might have a 4-card major, so if you have a 4-card major, you should bid it so you and partner can find a 4-4 major fit.
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Partner's bid shows something like 12 to 21 total points and denies a 5-card major. If partner bid diamonds, they almost always have 4+ diamonds, but rarely only 3. If partner bid clubs, they usually have 4+ clubs but sometimes only 3. Therefore, you should only raise partner's minor with at least 4 cards in that minor. But wait! Before raising partner's minor, you should first explore the possibility of a 4-4 major fit. Partner doesn't have 5 of a major, but might have 4 of a major, so if you yourself have a 4+ card major, you should try to find a fit. If you can find a fit in a major suit, it is better to play in the major suit than in a minor suit.
  
Lacking a 4-card major, you might consider raising partner's minor suit. If partner bid diamonds, they almost always have 4+ diamonds, but rarely only 3. If partner bid clubs, they usually have 4+ clubs but sometimes only 3. Therefore, you should only raise partner's minor with at least 4 cards in that minor.
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==Without interference==
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===Very weak hands===
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A very weak hand contains 5- HCP.
  
Evaluate your hand, and categorize your hand as one of the following:
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I have a very weak hand but 5+ card support for partner's suit → Consider making a preemptive raise to the 3 level. (The more unfavourable the vulnerability, the better your suit needs to be.)
* ''Weak:'' 5- points
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* ''Minimal:'' 6–10 points
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* ''Invitational:'' 10–12 points
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* ''Game-forcing:'' 13+ points
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Then consult the appropriate chart below depending on whether RHO has bid over partner's opening.
+
  
Note that "game-forcing" does not necessarily mean forcing to game. It sometimes stops in 4 of a minor, even though that's not game.
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Otherwise → Pass.
  
==Without interference==
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===Minimal hands===
{| class="wikitable"
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A minimal hand contains 6 to 10 HCP.
|+Responding with a weak hand
+
 
|-
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I have a minimal hand and a 4+-card major → Bid 1 of the major. (With both majors, bid hearts first.)
! If... !! then...
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|-
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I have a minimal balanced hand → Bid 1NT.
| I have 5+-card support for partner's major
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| Consider making a preemptive [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|raise]] to the 3 level. (Factors to consider are suit quality, overall strength, and vulnerability.)
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I have a minimal unbalanced hand, I am on the low end of the range, and I have 5+ card support for partner's suit → Make a preemptive [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|raise]] to the 3 level.
|-
+
 
| Otherwise
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I have a minimal unbalanced hand, I am on the high end of the range, and I have 4+ card support for partner's suit → [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|Raise]] partner's suit to the 2 level. (That is, a single raise is stronger than a double raise. This is the '''inverted minors''' convention.)
| Pass.
+
 
|}
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I have a minimal unbalanced hand, partner's suit is clubs, and I have 4+ diamonds → Bid 1♦.
 +
 
 +
None of the above apply → Usually bid 1NT. This can sometimes be a lie, showing an unbalanced hand, for example if partner opened 1♦ and you have some unusual distribution like 2-1-3-7, or (more likely) you're too strong for a preemptive double raise or too weak for a single raise. In the latter cases it's a judgement call whether to bid 1NT, upgrade, or downgrade your hand.
 +
 
 +
===Invitational hands===
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An invitational hand opposite a 1-level minor suit opening contains 10/11 to 12 HCP. Typically, even with a 8-card fit in the minor, you will try to play in notrump if possible, so avoid counting extra points for shortness.
 +
 
 +
I have an invitational hand and a 4+-card major → Bid 1 of the major. (With both majors, bid hearts first.)
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 +
I have an invitational hand with stoppers in the other 3 suits → Bid 2NT.
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 +
I have an invitational hand with 4+-card support for partner's minor → [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|Raise]] partner's suit.
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 +
I have an invitational unbalanced hand, partner's suit is clubs, and I have 4+ diamonds → Bid 1♦.
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I have an invitational balanced hand, or my only shortness is in partner's suit → Bid 2NT. Partner will think you're likely to have stoppers in the other 3 suits, which might not be the case, but hey, sometimes that can't be avoided (like when a 1NT opening is raised to 3NT). And you probably have at least a partial stop, since you have a decent amount of HCP, right?
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Otherwise (I have an invitational unbalanced hand and none of the other cases apply) &rarr; This case is annoying and luckily doesn't come up too often. It means partner opened 1&diams; and you have length in clubs, <i>e.g.</i>, a 1336 distribution (and the singleton spade isn't an ace). If you are a passed hand, respond 2&clubs;. If you're an unpassed hand, you can't respond 2&clubs; because that would be game forcing. So instead you have to use your judgement. You can take a risk and respond 2NT anyway, or you can downgrade your hand and bid 1NT, which is (obviously) more likely to make than 2NT or 3NT.
 +
 
 +
===Game-forcing hands===
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A game-forcing hand contains 13+ HCP. Note that even with an 8-card fit, you will want to try to play in 3NT, since some additional strength is usually needed in order to make a 5m contract. In rare cases you'll have to stop in 4m because you have neither the stoppers for 3NT nor the strength for 5m, so "game-forcing" doesn't really mean forcing to game, but rather "forcing to 3NT or 4 of a suit".
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 +
I have a 5+-card major &rarr; Bid 1 of the major. With two five-card majors, bid 1&spades; (you will have an opportunity to show hearts later).
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 +
I have a 4+-card major &rarr; Bid 1 of the major. With two four-card majors, bid 1&hearts; (so partner still has the chance to show spades).
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 +
I have 4-card support or better for partner's minor &rarr; [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|Raise]] the minor. (Don't worry&mdash;this is forcing.)
  
{| class="wikitable"
+
I have stoppers in the other 3 suits &rarr; Bid 3NT.
|+Responding with a minimal hand
+
|-
+
! If... !! then...
+
|-
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| I have a 4+-card major
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responders's rebids after one-over-one|1 of the major]]. (With both majors, bid hearts first.)
+
|-
+
| I have a balanced hand
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after a balanced notrump response|1NT]].
+
|-
+
| I have 5+ card support for partner's suit and I am on the low end of the range
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| Make a preemptive [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|raise]] to the 3 level.
+
|-
+
| I have an unbalanced hand, partner's suit is clubs, and I have 4+ diamonds
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after one-over-one|1&diams;]].
+
|-
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| None of the above apply. I have support for partner's minor but I'm too strong for a double raise.
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| Use your judgement. Your options are to downgrade your hand and make a double raise anyway, upgrade your hand and make a [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|single raise]], or lie about your hand being balanced and bid 1NT.
+
|-
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| None of the above apply because partner opened 1&diams; and I have an unbalanced hand long in clubs.
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| If your partnership plays weak to intermediate jump shifts, bid 3&clubs;. Otherwise respond 1NT&mdash;it is a lie but you have no other choice.
+
|}
+
  
{| class="wikitable"
+
I have 4+ cards in the other minor &rarr; Bid the other minor at the cheapest level (1&diams; or 2&clubs;).
|+Responding with an invitational hand
+
|-
+
! If... !! then...
+
|-
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| I have a 4+-card major
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responders's rebids after one-over-one|1 of the major]]. (With both majors, bid hearts first.)
+
|-
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| I have stoppers in the other 3 suits
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after a balanced notrump response|2NT]].
+
|-
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| I have a 4+-card support for partner's minor
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| [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|Raise]] partner's suit.
+
|-
+
| I have an unbalanced hand, partner's suit is clubs, and I have 4+ diamonds
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after one-over-one|1&diams;]].
+
|-
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| I have a balanced hand or my only shortness is in partner's suit
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after a balanced notrump response|2NT]]. There's a small chance that notrump is doomed, but that's a risk you have to take to avoid missing game.
+
|-
+
| Otherwise (I have an unbalanced hand and none of the other cases apply because partner opened 1&diams; and I have length in clubs, for example with a 1336 distribution)
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| If you are a passed hand, respond [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after non-game-forcing two-over-one|2&clubs;]]. If you're an unpassed hand, and your partnership plays invitational jump shifts, bid 3&clubs; since you can't bid 2&clubs;. If neither of those two options are available, you'll have to respond 1NT or 2NT.
+
|}
+
  
{| class="wikitable"
+
Otherwise (I don't have stoppers in all of the other 3 suits, but either I have a balanced hand or my only shortness is in partner's suit) &rarr; Bid 3NT. Yes, there's a small risk that opponents will be able to run a suit, but it's worth taking.
|+Responding with a game-forcing hand
+
|-
+
! If... !! then...
+
|-
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| I have a 5+-card major
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responders's rebids after one-over-one|1 of the major]]. With two five-card majors, bid 1&spades; (you will have an opportunity to show hearts later).
+
|-
+
| I have a 4+-card major
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| Bid [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responders's rebids after one-over-one|1 of the major]]. With two four-card majors, bid 1&hearts; (so partner still has the chance to show spades).
+
|-
+
| I have 5+-card support for partner's minor and a void or small singleton in a side suit other than clubs
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| Make a [[User:Brian/Bridge/Splinter|splinter bid]].
+
|-
+
| I have 4+-card support for partner's minor
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| [[User:Brian/Bridge/Subsequent bidding after an inverted minor raise|Raise]] the minor. (Don't worry&mdash;this is forcing.)
+
|-
+
| I have stoppers in the other 3 suits
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| Bid 3NT. TODO: What about with 16+ points? What if partner responds?
+
|-
+
| I have 4+ cards in the other minor
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| Bid the other minor at the cheapest level ([[User:Brian/Bridge/Responders's rebids after one-over-one|1&diams;]] or [[User:Brian/Bridge/Responder's rebids after two-over-one|2&clubs;]]).
+
|-
+
| Otherwise
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| Go back and look more closely... one of the options above must apply.
+
|}
+

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