Belle Harris - 1NT Lesson for beginners

---

General rules for a 1NT Hand

15-17 HCP and a Balanced Hand

NO 5+ card Hearts or Spades

NO Void suits

NO Singleton suits

At most only ONE Doubleton suit

Balanced Hand means that the suit distribution is:

5-3-3-2 where the 5 card suit is a Minor suit

4-4-3-2

4-3-3-3

Objective is to maybe find an 8+ card Heart/Spade suit fit, which will yield an extra trick in a suit bid over a NT bid.

Jacoby Transfers

Bid 2 Diamonds to show a 5+ card Heart suit, looking for a 3-4 card support

Bid 2 Hearts to show a 5+ card Spade suit, looking for a 3-4 card support

After Opener completes the transfer...

Then bid your Normal 1NT Response that you would have bid as if you didn't have a 5+ card Heart/Spade suit

Example:

1NT - P - 2D -  P     Asking Partner to Bid Hearts

2H -  P - 2NT - P     Checking if partner likes the transfer with 8-9 HCP

P                                      Partner doesn't like the transfer with 2 Hearts

3H                                   Partner likes the transfer with 3-4 Hearts

2H - P -3NT - P        Checking if partner likes the transfer with 10+ HCP

P                                       Partner doesn't like the transfer with 2 Hearts

4H                                   Partner likes the transfer with 3-4 Hearts

0-7 HCP, PASS

8-9 HCP, 2NT

10-14 HCP, 3NT

15+ HCP, Consider Slam

Note:

The only exception playing in NT would be to play in a Major suit with an 8 card fit, which will yield an extra trick.

Example:

2NT making is 120 game points

3 Hearts/Spades making is 140 point

3NT making is 400 or 600 game points depending on NV/V

4  Hearts/Spades making is 420 or 620 game points depending on NV/V

 Objective is to maybe find an 8+ card Heart/Spade suit fit, which will yield an extra trick in a suit bid over a NT bid.

Stayman 

Bid 2 Clubs asking partner to  bid a 4 card Major suit, looking for a 4 card support in the Majors.

Opener Responds

Bid 2 Diamonds to deny any 4 card Major suit

        After Opener denial, then bid your Normal 1NT Response

Bid 2 Hearts to show a 4 card Heart suit

        If NO 8 card Heart fit, then bid your Normal 1NT Response

        With an 8 card Heart fit and 8-9 HCP, raise to 3 Hearts, else PASS

        With an 8 card Heart fit and 10+ HCP, bid game at 4 Hearts, else PASS

Bid 2 Spades to show a 4 card Spade suit

        If NO 8 card Spade fit, then bid your Normal 1NT Response

        With an 8 card Spade fit and 8-9 HCP, raise to 3 Spades, else PASS

        With an 8 card Spade fit and 10+ HCP, bid game at 4 Spades, else PASS

NOTE:

After partners bids 2NT/3NT denying a fit in that suit, if you had both 4 Hearts and 4 Spades then bid the other Major suit showing an 8 card suit fit in the other suit.

Example:

1NT - P - 2C - P     Asking for a 4 card Major

2H - P - 3NT - P     Shows a 4 card Heart suit, but partner had 4 Spades

4S                                  Had a 4 card Spades suit also

Bid 2 Spades to show a 6+ card Minor

        Opener will bid 3 Clubs

                If Clubs was your long suit, then PASS

                ELSE correct the bid with 3 Diamonds

NOTE:

This is a defensive bid as opponents will probably have the Major suits

Bid 3 Clubs to show a 6+ card Club suit

Bid 3 Diamonds to show a 6+ card Diamond suit

NOTE:

This is an information bid asking the 1NT Opener to either play game at 3NT or bid game in the Minors. Usually 3NT is the better choice, but sometimes if your team is stacked in the Minors, then game in Minors is better.