1/1 Chapter 2

Responding to 1 Level Suit Opening Bids:

A 1NT response to a 1C, 1D, 1H, or 1S opening bid is GAME FORCING, with no reference to any particular suit or denomination. Bidding after this continues in the normal way, but a rebid in a major shows at least a six card suit, 2C or 2D should be natural but can be a good three card suit, though with a balanced 5332 hand the rebid should be 2NT

In such a game forcing situation, any suit agreement or a new suit by the 1NT responder, can be treated as a KEY CARD ASK, which will be covered later

1D is natural and therefore after a game-forcing 1NT response there are no reverses and bidding is pretty well natural, with 2NT showing a balanced hand and no other four card suit. BUT, a jump to 3C can be used as a ‘splinter’ to show 4441 or 4450 (see next, the 1C opening for treatments)

1C can be as short as TWO cards: when opener is 4-4-3-2 with 11-19 HCP. After the 1NT game force, all two level bids are natural and suggest 5+ clubs, 2NT is balanced (may have one 4 card major); BUT .... 3D is an exception and best be used to show a singleton or void in diamonds (i.e. like a splinter) and both majors, i.e. 4414 or 4405. Advancer's second bid of 3H or 3S now sets the suit and is a key card ask. 3NT is again the ‘default’ setting and shows 4414, whereas all step responses are key card answers

2NT response to all 1 level suit openings is a balanced 10-12 HCP but if in response to 1H or 1S obviously denies at least three cards in partner’s suit

Next chapter: a grand start to 1/1