Notrump Self Quiz #1 Answers

Notrump Quiz Answers

	N	S	N	S	N
A	1NT	2§	2©	3NT	P
A Stayman response, a four (+) card Heart suit by opener, and a game bid by responder indicating 10+ HCP and four Spades. Opener passes rather than bidding the Spade game, indicating a lack of four Spades.

	N	S	N	S
B	1NT	2©*	2ª	P
A Stayman response, a four (+) card Heart suit by opener, and a game bid by responder indicating 10+ HCP and four Spades. Opener passes rather than bidding the Spade game, indicating a lack of four Spades.

	N	S	N
C	1NT	2NT	P
A traditional raise, indicating no 4 or 5 card major and a hand worth a game try if opener is maximum. Opener passes, indicating a minimum. Responder is 3-3 or worse in the majors, so must have a minor suit, but probably no shape.

	N	S	N
D	1NT	3¨*	3NT
An invitational hand by responder, and the invitation accepted by opener. 8+ with 6 Diamonds in dummy.

	N	S	N	S	N	S
E	1NT	2© *	2ª	2NT	3ª	3ª
A Jacoby transfer to Spades, indicating five in responders hand, followed by a 8-9 point call of 2 NT. Opener, with 3+ Spades but weak, prefers a safe 3 Spades rather than the game try or a 3 NT contract. With 16-17, opener should try game, particularly with a side suit.

	N	S	N	S	N
F	1NT	2¨ *	2©	4©	P
A Jacoby Transfer to Hearts, followed by a jump to game. Responder has distribution and values for a game in Hearts regardless of openers Hearts, but wants opener to play the hand. Responder must have 6+ Hearts, and 10+ points including distribution.

1NT

4©

A direct leap to game in Hearts, and responder wants to play it. Note the contrast with example F. Responder has 6+ Hearts and shape, with 10+ support points.

(Texas or South African Texas conventions can be used in these situations, but they are not included in this book. We don't use them because Jacoby Transfers serve the purpose. In any case, this opportunity seldom comes up. )

	N	S	N	S	N
H	1NT	2ª *	3§	6§	P
A Minor Suit Stayman inquiry (2ª ) for a 4+ card minor in openers hand, followed by a slam try in Clubs. Opener has 4+ Clubs and responder has good Clubs with 18+ support points and good distribution values. As Blackwood wasn't used, responder probably has a void.

	N	S	N	S	N
I	1NT	2§	2©	3§	P
A Stayman sequence used as a weak transfer to 3 Clubs. Responder has 5-6 weak Clubs and 7 or fewer HCP. Opener has 4+ Hearts, but is not maximum and has no good fillers for Clubs. Basically a misfit hand.

	N	S	N
J	w	3¨ *	P
An invitation to game with a good Diamond suit in dummy, but game declined by opener. Opener is minimum, with no good fit for Diamonds. Responder has 8+ HCP and at least semi-solid Diamonds.

	N	S	N	S	N	S
K	1NT	3© *	4©	4NT	5©	6©
A slam try in Hearts by responder, support in Hearts by opener, followed by Blackwood. Opener has 3+ Hearts and 2 Aces. Responder has 6 Hearts and 17+ total support points with shape.

	N	S	N	S
L	1NT	2§	w¨	P
A lucky break for a weak South - North doesn't have any four card majors and bid 2 Diamonds. South intended to bid Three Diamonds - weak - but instead can pass the North bid.

	N	S	N	S
M	1NT	2 ©*	3ª	?!	An improper bid !
Opener must bid 2 Spades. The only bid allowed by opener is the transfer to 2ª as directed by responder. If opener has such a strong hand, he should have opened one of a suit in the first place. No Trump is a limited opening bid. You cannot suddenly find additional strength, even if you uncover an Ace. Some pairs play Super Accepts - which this bid is called - but we don't, and so this is an error.

	N	S	N	S
N	1NT	2§	2NT	?!	An improper bid !
Opener must not bid 2 NT. Opener must bid 2¨ , 2© , or 2ª . No others bids are allowed. Opener is limited to 15-17 points and must cooperate in a search for a major or allow responder to close the bidding at the 2 level, or transfer to a minor. Trust and discipline win, not unilateral action, especially by limited hands. This can't logically show a maximum when there is only a three point range for opener to begin with.

	N	S	N	S
O	1NT	2§	2ª	3 © ?!	An improper bid !
Responder must have five Hearts for his bid, and should therefore have bid Jacoby. With 5 Hearts and 4 Spades, he should bid 2¨ - a Jacoby Transfer to 2 Hearts - and then two or three Spades, according to values, over the forced transfer by opener. Since opener has denied four Hearts by the 2ª bid, responder cannot logically bid 3© in this sequence.