Strong no-trump 15-17, five-card majors. Points are high card points unless it says otherwise, length and shortage points count only once you have a fit. Game needs 25 between you.
Side 1
1. Opening bids
| Your hand | Open |
|---|---|
| 0-11 | Pass |
| 15-17 balanced | 1NT. A poor five-card major (at most one honour) may be included. Exactly 15-17: a good 14 is still not a 1NT opening |
| 12-19, five-card or longer major | 1 / 1, the major always has five. Bid your longest suit first; with 5-5 or 6-6, the higher-ranking first (spades) |
| 12-19, no five-card major | A minor. 1 with four+ diamonds; otherwise 1, which may be as short as two (the short club). A five-card minor is opened naturally |
| 20-22 balanced | 2NT |
| 23+ balanced, or 9+ playing tricks | 2, artificial, forcing to game (only 2-2-2NT may be passed) |
| ~8 playing tricks in a long strong suit | 2 / 2 / 2, the strong two, forcing one round |
2. Responding bids
| You hold | Bid |
|---|---|
| 0-7 balanced | Pass |
0-7, five-card or | 2 / 2 / 2, weak take-out. Opener passes |
| 8+ with a four-card major | 2 Stayman, see the panel below |
| 8-9 balanced | 2NT, invites. Opener passes with 15, bids 3NT with 16-17 |
| 10+ balanced | 3NT |
| 10+, five-card major | 3 / 3, forcing. Opener raises with three of the suit, else 3NT |
| 8+, six-card major | 4 / 4 |
Never respond in a four-card suit.
| You hold | Bid |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | Pass |
| 6-9 with support | Raise one level. A major promised five, so three-card support is enough (four for 1, five for 1). Shortage points, and 1 for each trump over four, count now |
| 10-12 with support | Jump raise (1-3), invitational |
| 13+ with support | Raise to game (1-4) |
| 6+, a suit at the one level | Bid it, a four-card major first. Forcing one round |
| 10+, a suit at the two level | Bid it, 2 over 1 promises five. Forcing one round |
| 6-9, no fit, no one-level suit | 1NT |
| 10-12 balanced, no fit | 2NT |
| 13-16 balanced, no fit | 3NT, or a forcing suit bid first |
Over 1, remember it may be as short as two: a club raise needs five clubs, and a four-card major comes first.
Side 2
Opener’s second bid, and what to do when the opponents get into the auction.
2c. Responding to the strong openings
| Auction | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 2NT-Pass | 0-3 only |
| 2NT-3NT | 4-12 balanced, no four-card major; 13-15: 6NT |
| 2NT-3 | Stayman: 4+ with a four-card major |
| 2-2 | Negative, under 8, the default reply |
| 2-a suit | Positive: 8+ with a good five-card suit (2NT: 8+ balanced) |
| 2-2NT | Negative to a strong two: 0-7, even with trump support (the raise needs 8+) |
| 2-3 | 8+ with three-card support |
| 2-3NT | 8-11 balanced, no support, no suit |
3. Opener’s rebids
| Situation | Rebid |
|---|---|
| Balanced, too weak for 1NT (12-14) | Opened a minor → rebid 1NT |
| Balanced, too strong for 1NT (18-19) | Opened a minor → jump to 2NT |
| Your own suit again | Always six+ cards. Minimum level 12-15; jump 16-18 |
| A new suit | Shows 5-4. A reverse (a higher suit at the two level) needs 16+ |
| Raise partner’s suit | Four-card support (three for a two-level response). Single 12-15, jump 16-18, game 19+ |
Partner raised your major (1-2) | Pass a minimum; 3 invites with 16-18; game with 19+ |
Partner jump-raised (1-3) | 4 with 13+ total (shortages count); pass with 12 |
| After 2-2 | 2NT 23-24 (may be passed), 3NT 25+, a suit is natural, game-forcing |
4. When the opponents bid
| Your action | You need |
|---|---|
| Overcall, one level | 8-16 with a good five+ card suit |
| Overcall, two level | 12-15 with a six-card suit (or a strong five) |
Jump overcall (1-2) | Strong: 15-16, good six-card suit. Not forcing |
| 1NT overcall | 16-18 balanced, a stopper in their suit |
| Take-out double | 12+, at most two of their suit, support for the other three, asks partner to choose |
| Double of their 1NT | Penalty, 17+ with a good long suit to lead. Their no-trump is strong, so the bar is higher |
4b. Responding to overcalls and doubles
| You hold | Bid |
|---|---|
| 0-8 | Your cheapest suit, never pass. Four-card major before a longer minor |
| 9-11 | Jump in your suit |
| 12+ | Bid game in your best suit, or 3NT with the opponent’s suit stopped |
| You hold | Bid |
|---|---|
| Under 3 of partner’s suit | Pass, support or stay quiet |
| 3-11 with support | Raise to the level of the fit: 8 trumps → two level, 9 → three |
| 12+ with support | Raise to game in partner’s suit |
| You hold | Bid |
|---|---|
| 2-5 with support | Single raise |
| 6-9 with support | Jump raise |
| 10-12 with support | Raise to game |
| 10+, no support | Redouble |
This handout goes with the Beginner course in 5-card majors.
