[miamijd]

This is a bit off-topic, but someone started asking about what 1NT would mean, so I will venture off on a slight tangent.

After 1M (x), you really should have methods. Probably the most popular method is transfers. Thus, over 1S, you have something like the following:

Pass: Either a hand that doesn't have a bid OR a decent hand that wants to penalize the opponents. If it's the latter, you will X on your next turn.

XX: a hand where you would have bid 1NT if not playing transfers. Probably 7-9 with no spade support.

1NT: requests partner to bid 2C, after which you can pass, go back to 2S with 2 of them and a club suit, or bid on with a good hand

2C: like 1NT, but with diamonds.

2H: A decent three-card spade raise (some play decent 3-4 card spade raise)

2S: A subminimum three-card spade raise (probably 0-5 NV and 4-6 V)

2NT/3C/3D/3H: All show trump support. One of these bids (probably 3H) is going to be the 4-card mixed raise. I like 2NT as GF with 4; 3C as limit raise with 4; and 3D as limit raise OR BETTER with 3. But lots of treatments are possible. After a 1H opener, 2S can join this team and 3H can drop out (although then you have to give up the 2S weak bid over the X, which rarely comes up).

3S: preemptive with generally 4

3NT: GF with unidentified shortness (4C asks)

4C/D: take your pick of several treatments

4H: 5+ spades; preempt with some defense

4S: 5+ spades; preempt with no defense

Cheers,
Mike

[Vampyr]

miamijd, on 2019-August-21, 15:25, said:

This is a bit off-topic, but someone started asking about what 1NT would mean, so I will venture off on a slight tangent.

After 1M (x), you really should have methods. Probably the most popular method is transfers. Thus, over 1S, you have something like the following:

Pass: Either a hand that doesn't have a bid OR a decent hand that wants to penalize the opponents. If it's the latter, you will X on your next turn.

XX: a hand where you would have bid 1NT if not playing transfers. Probably 7-9 with no spade support.

1NT: requests partner to bid 2C, after which you can pass, go back to 2S with 2 of them and a club suit, or bid on with a good hand

2C: like 1NT, but with diamonds.

2H: A decent three-card spade raise (some play decent 3-4 card spade raise)

2S: A subminimum three-card spade raise (probably 0-5 NV and 4-6 V)

2NT/3C/3D/3H: All show trump support. One of these bids (probably 3H) is going to be the 4-card mixed raise. I like 2NT as GF with 4; 3C as limit raise with 4; and 3D as limit raise OR BETTER with 3. But lots of treatments are possible. After a 1H opener, 2S can join this team and 3H can drop out (although then you have to give up the 2S weak bid over the X, which rarely comes up).

3S: preemptive with generally 4

3NT: GF with unidentified shortness (4C asks)

4C/D: take your pick of several treatments

4H: 5+ spades; preempt with some defense

4S: 5+ spades; preempt with no defense

Cheers,
Mike

I like transfers but I prefer a “real” redouble. Now you don’t have to pass and put down the dummy in 1♠X, which is probably not the best score available.