Responding to 1NT Openings

Responding to 1NT with 6+ Minors

Now that you have got to grips with major suit transfers, we move on to minor suit transfers, which we use for weak hands with six or more cards in a minor. This distinction between the suit types - that we always transfer with 5+ cards in the majors, but only with 6+ cards in a weak hand in the minors - is one that is often forgotten by inexperienced players, so do try to fix that in your mind.

Try some hands

Hand 1

What is the right bid after your partner opens 1NT? In the play, you must be careful of the defence ruffing before you’ve even had a chance to draw trumps.

Hand 2

Again, you need to decide the right bid after partner opens 1NT. Equally important, should you be worried about the defence generously setting up heart tricks for you?

Hand 3

This time, you’ve opened 1NT and need to decipher partner’s response. The defence will keep on trying to throw ruffs at you, and you will have to keep stopping them.

Hand 4

What’s the best way to show a hand with a good, long minor? And how do you ensure that you take advantage of it in the play?

Back

Responding to 1NT Openings with 6+ cards in a Minor Suit

You will be happy to hear that this topic is much shorter and simpler than responding to 1NT with 5+ cards in a major. There is another rap performance from the fruit though.

Question 1/3

Penelope has opened 1NT and Walter has a really weak hand - only three points. What should he bid?

Explanation: Weak hands with six or more cards in a minor should force their partner to play in the minor suit at the three level. This turns hands that might be completely useless in NT into hands that can take tricks in the minor trump suit and allow declarer to get to the weak hand to takes finesses. The bid that we use to transfer to either minor suit is 2♠. Opener will bid 3♣ over this, and responder can pass with clubs or correct to diamonds. Here, Walter is planning to pass 3♣ when Penelope bids it

Another very weak hand for Walter opposite his partner’s 1NT opening. He has learned the system, and bid 2♠ as a minor suit transfer, over which Penelope has done as she is required to do, and bid 3♣. What should Walter do now?

Walter just wants to play in 3♦ with this hand. His diamond suit will be useful as trumps, so he should correct Penelope’s 3♣ bid to 3♦, and she will know to pass.

What should Walter bid in response to Penelope’s 1NT opening with this hand?

Walter has 9 points as well as his six card suit. Whilst we would usually consider nine points as invitational opposite 1NT, when you also have a six card suit (which will be a good source of tricks) most 9 point hands should make nine tricks. As there is no room below 3NT for invitational bids with minor suits, hands with 6+ cards in a minor and nine points should just bid 3NT.

The links will take you to the Bridge Training website, where you can have a go at bidding and responding to Minor Suit Transfers. You will then be able to play the hands and see if you can make your contract. Have as many goes as you like if you don’t succeed the first time.