"One Banana" A minor suit opening is a neutral opening, but one which contains no five card major and points or distribution inappropriate for a Notrump opening.
Responder must be especially aware of possible strength showing bids on the second round, and both should opt for Notrump if there is no major suit fit. Minor suit contracts at low levels are seldom played, as opponents will come into the bidding, sure that since you didn't bid the majors, you don't have them. This is a sure sign to opponents to balance with the major suits. (See Balancing)
Bid Any 4+ Card Major. Our initial response to a minor suit opening shows any four+ card major suit, regardless of strength, before any longer minor suits. A 1¨ response to 1§ denies any four+ card major suit, as we play it. (Opponents are entitled to know this, and others may bid minor suits first).
Responder will subsequently show strength, but the first obligation remains to find a major suit fit. Opener will raise any major suit with FOUR cards in the suit, not three. Opener will bid Spades over a 1 Heart response if he holds four Spades but not 4 Hearts, as a 1 Heart response doesn't deny four Spades.
N
E S 1§
P 1© Responding with a 4+ card major. 1ª
. . . Opener has 4 Spades but denies holding 4 Hearts We play it this way because of the accurate negative implications -- if you don't bid them, you don't have them. Period.
When this rule is followed without exception, bidding precision, partnership trust, understanding and confidence increase substantially. This offsets the cases where it would be a theoretically correct to bid a longer suit first. Minor suit tricks won't go away -- they'll still be a source of tricks even with a weakish 4-4 fit in a major suit or Notrump contract.
N
E S 1§
P 1¨ "North, I don't have any majors, but I have some Diamonds" 1¨
P 1NT "North, I don't have any majors, I can't raise Diamonds and I can't bid Clubs, either."
(c) Robert D. McConnell, 1998 All Rights Reserved