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Partner opens 1NT, 2NT or 3NT
1NT in Acol is often a very difficult place to play, the opposition usually have more points than you. So, when your partner opens 1NT you must think about the difficulty s/he will be in if you leave them to play there. If you have a four card Major suit and 11+ HCP
A quick overview of responses
Negative Responses to Partner’s 1NT opening bid
| Opening Bid | Negative Reply | Points | Meaning of Responder Bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1NT | Pass | 0-7 | Game is out of reach and you have no five card suit to bid |
| 1NT | 2C | 8+ | Stayman, promising a 4+ card major asking partner to bid their 4 card major (2H or 2S) if they have one, otherwise rebid 2D (can have as few as 8 HCP for this bid) |
| 1NT | 2D, 2H or 2S | 0-9 | are all sign off bids – promising five cards in the bid suit with only minimum points. |
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Negative Responses to Partner’s 2NT opening bid
| Opening Bid | Responders Negative Reply | Points | Meaning of Responder Bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2NT | Pass | 0-2 | Game is out of reach and you have no five card suit to bid |
| 2NT | 3C | 0-3 | Stayman, promising a 4+ card major asking partner to bid their 4 card major (3H or 3S) if they have one |
| 2NT | 3D/3H/3S | 0-2 | sign off bids – promising five cards in the bid suit with only minimum points. Opener must pass. |
Negative Responses to Partner’s 3NT opening bid
| Opening Bid | Responders Negative Reply | Points | Meaning of Responder Bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3NT | Pass | 0-7 | no five card suit to bid and less than 8 HCP for a slam |
| 3NT | 5D, 4H or 4S | 0-7 | are all sign off bids – promising five cards in the bid suit with only minimum points. Opener must pass. |
Exercise: Your partner opens 1 NT, what should you bid?
Your Hand
- ♠A 3
- ♥J 10 6
- ♦6 4 3 2
- ♣A Q J 5
Answer: Your bid is 2 NT – your 12 HCP added to Partners minimum of 12 HCP mean you are just one point short of game. Partner will bid 3NT if they have 13-14 HCP
