13. 1NT Response System Roadmap
The 1NT Response system Course is for both the advanced player as well as the beginner. It starts out assuming you use no conventions after your Partner opens 1NT. In a step-by-step manner, we tell you which convention you should start using next in a building block manner. The course may actually be easier for the beginner than the more advanced player because they don’t have to unlearn the things that the more advanced player thinks they know, only partially learned, or learned wrong.
The following figure shows the 1NT Response System Conventions that you will be able to play at the end of the course.
There are 14 lessons in the course. OMG! Yes, I know that is a lot, but it is what it is. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Here is a brief description of the lesson topics.
1. 1NT Response System Roadmap: In this FREE lesson we show and discuss a roadmap of how to get from no conventions to what is shown in the above figure. We present which convention should be added in what sequence. Which convention is added in what sequence makes a huge difference! This lesson is FREE so that you can see what the course is all about and you can get used to using SharkBridge!
2. Stayman: How to find a 4-4 major suit fit. Do you know to use Stayman with 4 S/H and 5¨D/C How about with 5S and 4H? If you don’t know, don’t skip this lesson!
3. Jacoby Transfer: Jacoby is the second fundamental building block. If you are new or not sure about the JACOBY Transfer basics, this is a must lesson! Do you know to use Jacoby to bid hands with 5Sª and 5H or 6S and 6H?
4. 2ª Transfer to Minors: A commonly misunderstood and miss-used convention. When do you use it? When do you opt for NT? How is it used to show mild slam interest? Do you know what mild slam interest is? Don’t miss this lesson?
5. Gerber after 1st NT and Last NT: After 1st NT is pretty straightforward. Although not part of 1NT Response System, we cover how used if the last bid was NT as part of this lesson for completeness and so when you tell your Partner you play Gerber, you actually play all of it!
5. Slam Key Card Ask (Blackwood, 1430, 134) after Jacoby and Stayman: How do you use 4C to investigate slam after you have found a S/H fit? Why not use 4NT? Well, because that is used for something else called Quantitative.
5. Quantitative Direct and Quantitative after Stayman: Do you know that both 4S and 4NT are quantitative bids? Do you know what hand shapes Quantitative is used with? Attend this lesson so you know when and how to use it correctly!
6. Texas Direct and Texas Transfer after Jacoby: Yes, the Texas Transfer has different meanings depending on whether you use it directly after your Partner opens 1NT or if you use it after making a Jacoby Transfer.
7. Garbage Stayman: There are several different inferior versions! Our version can be bid with any weak hand with 4-5 S’s and 4 H’s with 0-5 D’s. It is even possible to end up in an easily makeable 4S contract after you use Garbage Stayman.
8. Smolen and Delayed Texas Transfer: These conventions give you the capability to describe specific shaped hands with specific point ranges. They are invaluable in finding the right suit and investigating slam in specific situations.
9. Dual Purpose 1NT Response Bids: There have been several recent refinements to 1NT response bids (2S, 2NT. 3S, and 3NT) to change them from their traditional meaning to ones that have two alternative meanings, including exploring slam in a 6+ suit. These improvements make choosing the right strain, contract level and minor slam tries much easier. Do not miss this lesson, this stuff is really, really neat!
10. Minor Suit Transfers: Wow! Finally! I bet you thought this would be a lot earlier. Nope! You cannot build a house without a proper foundation. Minor suit transfers allow you to transfer to the specific minor suit instead of using 2S to transfer to an unknown minor suit. Doing this allows you to more easily explore whether you want to be a in NT or suit contract. It also sets the stage for next lesson when you are 5-5 in the minors.
11. Exploring 3NT, Minor Suit Game or Slam with 5-4 in the Minors with Two Doubletons: How do you know what the right contract is? Well, it is simple, ask the Opener what he/she has?
12. Exploring Minor Suit Game or Slam with 5-4 in Minors with a H/S Singleton or Void: Now you are 5-4 in the minors with a singleton or void in one of the majors. How do you know what the right contract is? Well, again, it is pretty simple, ask the Opener what he/she has?
13. Game Force Puppet Stayman: The last convention helps to refine Stayman and also allows your Partner to Open 1NT with 5S,3H-32 or 5H,3S-32 with your agreed-to HCP range. It makes the 2C Stayman bid much more exact and simplifies deciding whether you should bid game or not.
14. Opener Jacoby Transfer Super Accept: Every convention discussed up to this point was Responder initiated to clarify the shape and strength of Responder’s hand. The Jacoby Transfer Super Accept The super accept shows 4-card support for the major transferred to suit, if the Opener has no weak suit, one weak suit, or two weak suits. It is very useful in exploring game or slam if the Opener is in 1st or 2nd seat and exploring game if the 1NT Opener is in 3rd or 4th seat.