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Replying to weak 1NT opening, General principles
- Question 1
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 10-HCP 8-loser hand
A Q 9 7 
A 8 7 6
4 3 2
4 2
What is the best outcome you can hope to achieve between you, 80% of the time.1. 4 Spades
2. 4 Hearts
3. 3 NT
4. 1 NT
5. less than game
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- Answer 1
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 10-HCP 8-loser hand
( 5 ). less than game A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 4 3 2 4 2
What is the best outcome you can hope to achieve between you, 80% of the time.
The most you can have is 24 HCP between you. There is a relatively low chance of reaching game with this combined power, and you have no long suits or helpful shape or runs that might otherwise have tipped the balance. With your balanced hand you should pass.
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- Question 2
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 13-HCP 7-loser hand
A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 K 3 2 4 2
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. 3 NT
4. 4 Spades
5. game of some sort
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- Answer 2
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 13-HCP 7-loser hand
( 5 ). game of some sort A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 K 3 2 4 2
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?
The lowest point count you have between you is 25. 25 points is enough for game most of the time. You have a balanced hand, so there is a good chance you will end up in 3NT. Equally, there is a chance that you might find an 8-card Major match and end up in Hearts or Spades.
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- Question 3
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 21-HCP 5-loser hand
A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 K 3 A K J
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?1. 2 NT
2. 3 NT
3. 4 NT
4. 5 NT
5. 6 NT
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- Answer 3
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 21-HCP 5-loser hand
( 5 ). 6 NT A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 K 3 A K J
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?
The lowest point count you have between you is 33. 33 points is enough for Slam in a suit or in NT. With both of you having a balanced hand, bid 6NT
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- Question 4
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7.5-loser hand
A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 Q 3 2 4 2
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. 3 NT
4. 3 Spades or Hearts
5. 4 Spades or Hearts
6. just less than game
7. game
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- Answer 4
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7.5-loser hand
( 6 ). just less than game A Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 Q 3 2 4 2
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?
The lowest point count you have between you is 24. 24 points is not enough for game most of the time. But on the other hand you could have as many as 26 points. You should invite your partner to make the decision: if he has minimum 12 HCP, he should decline the invitation. If he has maximum 14 HCP, he should accept. With 13, the situation is not clear for him.... he doesn't know if you have 11 or 12 HCP. In fact you have 12. See the next question for a clue on how to make things clearer for your poor partner (and potentially get very confused if you are not careful !)
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- Question 5
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
A Q 9 7 K 8 7 6 Q 3 2 4 2
So, one point less than the last question. What is the maximum contract you should try to get to ?1. 1 NT
2. 2 NT
3. 3 NT
4. 3 Spades or Hearts
5. 4 Spades or Hearts
6. just less than game
7. game
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- Answer 5
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
( 7 ). game A Q 9 7 K 8 7 6 Q 3 2 4 2
So, one point less than the last question. What is the maximum contract you should try to get to ?
Assuming you use transfers: With exactly 11 points, bid 2-Spades. This tells your partner you have a balanced hand with exactly 11 points. Problem solved. Your partner will only raise to game if he has maximum 14 HCP. With 13 HCP he'll know to pass, because you did not bid 2NT (guaranteeing exactly 12 HCP). You'll need to be careful that your partner does not interpret your 2 Spade as a transfer to a minor. Beginners will not be able to use this bidding technique.
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- Question 6
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 19-HCP 6-loser hand
A 9 7 5 A 8 7 6 K 3 A K J
What is the maximum contract you should try to get to ?1. 2 NT
2. 3 NT
3. 4 NT
4. 5 NT
5. 6 NT
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- Answer 6
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 19-HCP 6-loser hand
( 5 ). 6 NT A 9 7 5 A 8 7 6 K 3 A K J
What is the maximum contract you should try to get to ?
The lowest point count you have between you is 31. 31 points is not enough for Slam in NT. However, with both of you having a balanced hand, 6NT WILL be possible if your partner has maximum 14HCP. Bid 4NT to invite your partner to make the decision.
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- Question 7
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 16-HCP 6-loser hand
A 9 A 8 10 9 3 A K J 9 8 6
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?1. 1 NT
2. 3 NT
3. 5 Clubs
4. game of some sort
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- Answer 7
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You have this 16-HCP 6-loser hand
( 4 ). game of some sort A 9 A 8 10 9 3 A K J 9 8 6
What is the minimum contract you should try to get to ?
The lowest point count you have between you is 28, enough for 5 Clubs or 3 NT. 3NT will probably be a better contract if you can find a way of dealing with diamonds.
On the question of maximum bid, of course, Slam is unlikely (but not IMPOSSIBLE if your partner has club length and winners (or no losers) in the exact areas where you have quite a few losers).
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- Question 8
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 8-loser hand
A Q J 7 A 8 7 6 4 3 2 4 2
What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 8
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 8-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 Clubs A Q J 7 A 8 7 6 4 3 2 4 2
What should you bid ?
When game is possible (11+ HCP) should bid 2 Clubs (Stayman) when you have one or two 4-card Majors.
By the way, do you know how to respond to 1NT with 11 HCP when you have 2 long Majors and one of them has 5-cards, not 4-cards? Is it still Stayman, or should you "transfer"?
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- Question 9
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 8-loser hand
A Q J 7 4 A 8 7 4 3 2 4 2
What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 9
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 8-loser hand
( 4 ). 2 Hearts A Q J 7 4 A 8 7 4 3 2 4 2
What should you bid ?
When game is possible (11+ HCP) you should bid 2 Hearts (Transfer to Spades) when you have one 5-card Major.
What about two long Majors, one 5-card and one 4-card?
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- Question 10
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
A Q J 7 4 A 8 7 5 4 3 4 2
What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 10
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 Clubs A Q J 7 4 A 8 7 5 4 3 4 2
What should you bid ?
When game is possible (11+ HCP) you should bid 2 Clubs (Stayman) when you have a 5-card Major AND another 4-card or 5-card Major. A transfer bid should be used only when you have ONE long Major.
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- Question 11
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 9-HCP 7-loser hand
A Q 9 7 4 3 K 8 7 4 3 7 4
What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 11
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 9-HCP 7-loser hand
( 4 ). 2 Hearts A Q 9 7 4 3 K 8 7 4 3 7 4
What should you bid ?
Whether game is either on or NOT on (e.g. fewer than 11 HCP) you should bid 2 Diamonds or Hearts (Transfer to Hearts or Spades) when you have a 5-card+ Major. When your partner then immediately transfers to the intended suit of yours, you can then either pass, (or bid further if there is a game in prospect, which many might say there could be in this case, with a 7-loser hand).
At that point one possible overall goal of creating a weakness takeout into your long suit will have been achieved.
(If the two of you don't use transfers, simply bid the long suit directly after the 1NT bid and your partner will know to leave it there).
In this case, you'll be much better off in Spades than in 1NT, which could easily go down disastrously with two such weak short suits.
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- Question 12
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
7 4 A 8 7 A Q J 9 7 4 4 3
What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 12
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner is dealer and opens 1NT. You are using stayman and transfers. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 Clubs 7 4 A 8 7 A Q J 9 7 4 4 3
What should you bid ?
You should bid 2 Clubs (Stayman) when you have a 6-card minor and wish to transfer. Your weak rebid will generally be in the minor suit at the 3-level. Although there are other ways of transfering to a minor, for example by bidding 2 Spades, this method has 2 great advantages: (1) if your partner responds to your 2 Clubs Stayman to deny having a 4-card Major by bidding 2 Diamonds, then you will be able to transfer to the minor at the 2-level. This only works if Diamonds is your long minor suit. (2) Using Stayman for minor suit transfers keeps the 2-Spade bid free to indicate precisely 11 HCP, and 2NT to indicate precisely 12 HCP. All very useful when trying to determine a precise 25HCP total, and thus risking game in 3NT.
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