4.1 Responses to Major Suit Opening Bids

Responder’s action after an opening bid of 1♥ or 1♠ is dependent on two things: range and number of cards in partner’s suit. Ranges are expressed in dummy points.

Trumps	Range	Response
Two or less	4 - 12¹	1NT
	13+	Bid a 2/1 response if you have a five-card suit 2NT with a balanced 13-15 or 19+ 3NT with 16-18 With 4441 distribution you may have to bid a 2/1 response
Three	4 - 9	Raise partner's major to two
	10 - 12	1♠ or 1NT, then raise the major to three
	13+	Bid a 2/1 response if you have a five-card suit, then raise the major 2NT with a balanced 13-15 With 16+ you can make a 2/1 response in a four card suit.
Four	4 - 9	Preemptive raise with no defensive trick²
	Ace - 9	Make a mixed raise with a defensive trick³
	10+	Make a limit raise with 8 losers
	—	With 7 or less losers, bid a 2/1 response if you have a five-card suit, splinter, or make a forcing raise
Five or more	4 - 9	Raise to game with no defensive trick
	—	With a defensive trick, show a mixed, limit, or forcing raise as the hand warrants in terms of losers (9, 8, or 7 losers respectively).
1. We respond with an Ace, not any 4 HCP.
2. Ace or King outside the trump suit. Hard to believe you could have 9 points and no defensive tricks, but possible if lots of Queens and Jacks.
3. In this case the Ace would be outside our suit.

Responses to 1♥

West	North	East	South
	1♥	Pass	?

1♠	4+ spades, less than 3 hearts unless limit raise or better
1NT	Ace - 12 HCP, forcing for one round, denies 4 good spades or 4+ hearts
2♣	Natural, game force, usually a 5-card suit
2♦	Natural, game force, usually a 5-card suit
2♥	Ace - 9 dummy points, 3 hearts
2♠	4+ hearts, 13+ dummy points, no source of tricks, no small singleton unless too strong to splinter
2NT	13-15 HCP with 2 or 3 hearts, or 19+ with 2 hearts, balanced
3♣	4+ hearts, limit raise (8 loser hand)
3♦	4+ hearts, more than 8 losers, at least one defensive trick
3♥	4+ hearts, more than 8 losers, no defensive trick
3♠	4+ hearts, 10-12 HCP, no good five-card suit, small singleton spade
3NT	16-18 HCP with 2 hearts, usually 3-2-4-4
4♣	4+ hearts, 10-12 HCP, no good five-card suit, small singleton club
4♦	4+ hearts, 10-12 HCP, no good five-card suit, small singleton diamond
4♥	5+ hearts, no defensive trick
4♠	Unused
4NT	RKCB

West	North	East	South
	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	1NT	Pass	?

2♣	5+ spades, 4+ clubs, asks for 2-level preference
2♦	5+ spades, 4+ diamonds, asks for 2-level preference
2♥	4+ spades, 3 hearts, 10-12
2♠	5+ spades, to play
2NT	10-12, almost any shape except 3 hearts, invites game
3♣	5+ spades, 4+ clubs, game force
3♦	5+ spades, 4+ diamonds, game force
3♥	4+ spades, 3+ hearts, game force
3♠	6+ spades, invites game
3NT	To play
4♣	Gerber
4♦ - 4♥	Unused
4♠	To play
4NT	Invitational to 6NT

Responses to 1♠

West	North	East	South
	1♠	Pass	?

1NT	Ace - 12 HCP, forcing for one round, denies 4 spades
2♣	Natural, game force, usually a 5-card suit
2♦	Natural, game force, usually a 5-card suit
2♥	Natural, game force, always a 5-card or longer suit
2♠	Ace - 9 dummy points, 3 spades
2NT	13-15 HCP with 2 or 3 spades, or 19+ with 2 spades
3♣	4+ spades, 13+ dummy points, no source of tricks, no small singleton unless too strong to splinter
3♦	4+ spades, limit raise (8 loser hand)
3♥	4+ spades, more than 8 losers, at least one trick in defense
3♠	4+ spades, more than 8 losers, no defensive trick
3NT	16-18 HCP, 2 spades, balanced hand, may have 4 hearts, forcing on unalanced hand
4♣	4+ spades, 10-12 HCP, no source of tricks, small singleton club
4♦	4+ spades, 10-12 HCP, no source of tricks, small singleton diamond
4♥	4+ spades, 10-12 HCP, no source of tricks, small singleton heart
4♠	5+ spades, no defensive trick
4NT	RKCB

West	North	East	South
	1♠	Pass	3NT
Pass	?

Pass	12-14 HCP, 5-3-3-2, soft values
4♣	4+ clubs
4♦	4+ diamonds
4♥	4+ hearts
4♠	6+ spades, no outside 4 card suit
4NT	Invitational to 6NT, a good 14 HCP, 5-3-3-2
5♣ - 5♠	Unused
5NT	Invitational to 7NT, 18-19 HCP, 5-3-3-2