D3 RESPONDING TO YOUR PARTNER'S OPENING WEAK NO TRUMP

1. Weak hands with no 5 card suit, less than 11 points, PASS. Partner has made a limit bid. You are in the part score zone.

2. Weak unbalanced hands, 0-10 points, with 5+ cards in ¨ © or ª

Bid 2 of the suit. This is a 'weak take out' and opener must not bid again,

This is a 'drop dead' bid. You are in the part score zone

3. Strong unbalanced hands, more than 12 points.

You are in the game zone.

Bid 3 of your 5 card suit. This is a 'strong take out' and opener must not let the bidding die short of game. Opener supports on 3 card support or bids 3NTwith 2.

With a 6+ card major, bid game yourself, partner has already guaranteed at least 2 trumps

With a 6+ card minor, maybe 3 NT will be the most economical game.

4. Strong balanced hands without a 4 card major

With 11 to 12 points, invite game with a bid of 2NT

With 13 to 19 points, bid game with a bid of 3NT

With 20 to 21 points invite slam with a bid of 4NT

With more than 21 points bid 6NT

5. Balanced hands with a 4 card major (© ª) with 11+ points

An 8 card major suit fit usually plays 1 trick better than No Trumps. The Stayman convention of 2§ over 1NT is designed to find 4/4 major suit contracts.

2§ by responder says to partner, 'do you have a 4 card major? (says nothing about § )

2¨ by the opening no trump bidder then says 'no I don't'. (says nothing about ¨ ) or

2© or 2 ª by the opening no trump bidder says 'yes I do' ( bid the hearts first with both)

If responder has found an 8 card major fit, then responder controls the final contract, i.e.

Invite game by bidding 3©/3ª with 11/12 points

Bid game (4© /4ª)with 13 to 19 points

Move to slam with more than 19 points

If there is no 4 card major fit, then treat the bidding as a normal balanced type as in paragraph 4.

(Note that if responder bids 2§ Stayman, the bid guarantees one 4 card major. In the sequence 1NT P 2§ P 2© P 3NT P ? , the no trump bidder should bid 4ª if he has a 4 card spade suit as well. Responder must have spades, otherwise why was he messing about with Stayman at all?)

6. Weak hands with § (6 card § suit 0-10 high card points)

Bid 2 § (initially Stayman), then rebid 3§ . Opener must pass e.g. 1NT P 2§ P 2© P 3§ P P P.

7. Invitational hands with a 5 card major with 10 to 12 high card points.

Bid 2§ (initially Stayman), then rebid the major at the 3 level e.g.1NT P 2§ P 2¨ P 3© P ?.

Responder with 12 points passes. With 14 points and 3 hearts, bid 4© ,with 14 and 2 hearts 3NT.

8. Weak 3 suiter hands with ¨ © ª (0-10 high card points) bid 2§ and pass partner's bid..