3.7 Inverted Minor Suit Raises

Why Play Inverted Minor Suit Raises?

When partner opens a minor suit and we have no major to respond but a fit for the minor, the opponents will hardly ever let us play at the two-level. They will see it as their task to push us up to the three-level, and in doing so, will exchange some information and be able to decide better whether they should compete to the three-level!

So, when we have a minimum hand with support, we jump right to 3 of partner’s minor, taking away their chance to communicate and going right to where we are prepared to compete.

On the other hand, when we have enough points to explore for game, we raise to 2 of partner’s minor and this gives us lots of room beneath 3NT to decide which game or slam we want to bid, if any.

West	North	East	South
	1♦	Pass	2♦
Pass	?

Opener’s first obligation is to describe the strength and nature of his hand:

2♥	Either an unbalanced hand with hearts or a concentration of values in diamonds and hearts. In any case, enough values to try for game opposite a limit raise.
2♠	Either an unbalanced hand with spades or a concentration of values in diamonds and spades. In any case, enough values to try for game opposite a limit raise.
2NT	12 - 14 balanced, not forcing
3♣	Either an unbalanced hand with clubs, or a concentration of values in in diamonds and clubs. In any case, enough values to try for game opposite a limit raise.
3♦	A weak, unbalanced hand. To play opposite a limit raise.
3♥	Splinter
3♠	Splinter
3NT	18-19 balanced
4♣	Splinter
4♦	RKCB for diamonds (not in competition)

West	North	East	South
	1♦	Pass	2♦	Inverted Minor Suit Raise
Pass	4♦	Pass	?	RKCB for diamonds

4♥	1 or 4 Key Cards
4♠	0 or 3 Key Cards
4NT	2 Key Cards, no ♦Q
5♣	2 Key Cards, plus ♦Q

Note that 4♦ commits you to playing in diamonds.

After a 4♥ or 4♠ response the next bid (excluding 5♦, which is to play) asks for the Queen of trump. The following two examples illustrate this.

West	North	East	South
	1♦	Pass	2♦	Inverted Minor
Pass	4♦	Pass	4♥	1 or 4 Key Cards
Pass	4♠	Pass	?	Next bid (asks about trump Q)

4NT	No ♦Q
5♣	♦Q

West	North	East	South
	1♦	Pass	2♦	Inverted Minor
Pass	4♦	Pass	4♠	0 or 3 Key Cards
Pass	4NT	Pass	?	Next bid (asks about trump Q)

5♣	No ♦Q
5♦	♦Q

West	North	East	South
	1♦	Pass	2♦	Inverted Minor Suit Raise
Pass	4♦	Pass	4♠	0 or 3 Key Cards
Pass	5♣	Pass	?	Skipped 4NT, so this is asking for Kings

After any response to 4♦, skipping a step (excluding 5♦ which is to play) asks for Kings, up the line. So here 5♣ asks for Kings up the line.

West	North	East	South
	1♦	Pass	2♦	Inverted Minor Suit Raise
Pass	4♦	Pass	4NT	2 Key Cards without ♦Q
Pass	5♣	Pass	?	Trump Queen is known, so asks for Kings

If the trump queen is known, the next step asks for kings, so here 5♣ asks for Kings up the line.

5♦	No Kings to show
5♥	♥K
5♠	♠K, but not the ♥K
5NT	Unused
6♣	♣K, but no major suit king

West	North	East	South
	1♣	Pass	2♣
Pass	?

Opener’s first obligation is to describe the strength and nature of his hand:

2♦	Either an unbalanced hand with diamonds or a concentration of values in clubs and diamonds. In any case, enough values to try for game opposite a limit raise.
2♥	Either an unbalanced hand with hearts or a concentration of values in clubs and hearts. In any case, enough values to try for game opposite a limit raise.
2♠	Either an unbalanced hand with spades or a concentration of values in clubs and spades. In any case, enough values to try for game opposite a limit raise.
2NT	12 - 14 balanced, not forcing
3♣	A weak, unbalanced hand. To play opposite a limit raise.
3♦	Splinter
3♥	Splinter
3♠	Splinter
3NT	18-19 balanced
4♣	RKCB for clubs (not in competition)

West	North	East	South
	1♣	Pass	2♣	Inverted Minor Suit Raise
Pass	4♣	Pass	?	RKCB for clubs

4♦	1 or 4 Key Cards
4♥	0 or 3 Key Cards
4♠	2 Key Cards, no ♣Q
4NT	2 Key Cards, plus ♣Q

Continuations are analogous to 1♦ - 2♦; 4♦. We are committed to playing in clubs.

Inverted Raises Are Not On In Competition

After an overcall, a cue bid is a limit raise or better, a single raise is 6-9, and a jump raise is preemptive. After a double, 2NT is a limit raise with 5+ support, a simple raise is 6-9, and a jump raise is a preemptive raise.