1/1 Chapter 5

Non Forcing Responses to One of a suit openings:
All responses other than 1NT are non forcing. Often when partner opens 1H or 1S it is necessary to
raise with only a three card suit if you don’t want to force to game. That is why I prefer to play ‘five
card majors’
Normal suit responses to 1 level openings:

• Any bid of a suit is non forcing but in the case of a 1H or 1S opening denies 3 card support
• A bid of 2C or 2D over 1H or 1S should be quite weak
• Jumps 5+ cards and 9-11 HCP or 6+cards and weaker
• A 2NT response should be 10-12 and reasonably balanced. With that knowledge opener can pass or rebid their suit to play, or make any rebid to define their hand further
• Most continuing bidding is normal Acol style

If there is ONE LEVEL interference, 1NT is still a game force, but over higher level interference
bidding continues as normal. In rare circumstances it may be necessary to cue bid but in general after
any interference at higher than the two level, bids in a new suit are ‘free bids’ hence forcing

Asking Bids
Key card asks apply in all game forcing situations immediately a suit is agreed, e.g. 1H-1NT-2C-2H or
1H-1NT-2C-3C (but not, of course at game level in which case we use 4NT 1430 Key Card ask)

Responses to Key card asks (below game)
We use the lowest bid in No Trumps as a ‘default’ setting to show no more that two card support and 0
key cards, or if a fit is known, poor trumps and 0 or 1 key card. First step is 1 or 4 key cards, second
step 3, third step 2 without queen of trumps, fourth 3 plus queen of trumps (don’t forget that the steps
don’t include No Trumps which is the ‘crap’ default setting)

There are many advantages with the system I have proposed, the biggest ones being that non forcing
bids can be made at low levels, and also weak opening hands can be diagnosed without the need for
Roman Key Card when a slam is in the offing