• The partnership's priority is to play a MAJOR suit contract first, then play a NO TRUMP contract second, and as a last resort, to play a MINOR suit contract.
• Determine the suit to play, then determine the contract level to play.
The opener's bid of 1 ♦ indicates:
• 12 to 21 HCPs
• no 5+card major suit
• cannot open in No Trump
• has at least a 3-card diamond suit
The responder's bid is based upon:
• Points in the responder's hand (the location of the points does not matter)
• Suit Length of each suit
For bid selection purposes:
• responder must have 6+ pts in order to make a positive bid
• responder assumes the opener has only 12 HCPs
Very Important: The partnership prefers to play a major suit contract. Since the opener does not have a 5+card major suit, the opener could not open in a major suit. However, the opener might have a 4-card major suit but could not open it. The responder first tries to learn if the opener has a 4-card major suit.
The priorities of responses to an opening in a minor suit are different than responding to an opening in a major suit. Follow the indicated priorities when responding to an opening bid of 1 ♦ .
If the responder has:
• 0 to 5 pts: - bid PASS - there are not enough points to respond.
• 6 to 20 pts (in order of priorities):
Propose the better 4+card major suit
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If the responder has a 4+card major suit, and the opener has the same 4-card major suit, the partnership can still play a major suit contract. Propose the better 4+card major suit and see if the opener also has the same 4-card major suit. Since the responder proposes a new 4+card suit, make the bid at the lowest possible level in case the opener does not accept that new suit. The bid level depends upon the responder point count range. If the responder has:
• 6-16 pts: Propose the Better Major suit 1 ♥ or 2 ♠ - The 1-over-1 restriction does not prohibit this bid. This bid indicates 6+ points and a 4+card major in the mentioned suit. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
• 17-20 pts: Propose the Better Major suit 2 ♥ or 2 ♠ - This jump-shift indicates the responder has 17+ points and a 4+card major suit. This bid provides the opener the options to play the contract in No Trump, play the contract in the proposed major, or explore a slam contract. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
Responder has a 5+diamond suit. When supporting any opening bid, the 1-over-1 restriction does not apply.
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The partnership has an 8-card fit in diamondss and can play a contract in diamonds. The partnership has found a suit to play. Ignore the clubs - the opener might not have clubs. Take the known 8-card fit in diamonds instead of hoping for something better. Support the diamond suit with a diamond response at the appropriate point range level. If the responder has:
• 6 to 9 pts: Bid 2 ♦ - a single raise indicates the point count range. There are not enough combined partnership points for a game in a minor suit.
• 10 to 12 pts: Bid 3 ♦ - a double raise indicates the point count range. There are not quite enough combined partnership points for a game in a minor suit.
• 13 to 16 pts: Bid 2 NT - an artificial bid indicating 5+card diamond support in this point count range. A triple raise to 4Diamonds eliminates the option of playing game in 3 No Trump. The 2NT artifical bid provides the opener with the options to play the contract in diamonds or to play a game in No Trump.
• 17 to 20 pts: The responder has 2 options
1) Bid 3 NT - an artificial bid indicating diamond support in this point count range, and commits the partnership to a game-level contract. Gives the opener the option to play the contract in No Trump, or to play the contract in 5 ♦ .
2) Bid 5 ♦ - a quadruple raise committing the partnership to a game in a minor suit - opener will consider this a closeout bid
Propose the 4+card club suit
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If the responder has:
• 6-9 pts: Propose 1 NT . Since clubs is a lower hierarchy than diamonds, the 1-over-1 restriction prohibits bidding a new suit at the 2-level. This bid indicates no 4+card major, less than 5-diamonds and indicates nothing about the club suit. The responder has too many points to PASS. This artificial bid keeps the bidding open. The opener does not have to respond.
• 10-16 pts: Propose 2 ♣ . When holding 10+ points, the 1-over-1 restriction does not apply. This bid indicates no 4+card major, less than 5-diamonds, and a 4+card club suit. This keeps the bidding at the lowest possible level in case the opener does not like the clubs suit. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
• 17-20 pts: - Propose 3 ♣ . This jump-shift proposal indicates 17-19 points with a 4+card club suit. This keeps the bidding at the lowest possible level in case the opener does not like the clubs suit. Since this bid is a new suit, the opener must respond.
When the opening suit is diamonds, the 1-over-1 restriction does not prohibit a No Trump bid.
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The responder cannot propose a major suit (less than 4-cards each), cannot support a diamond suit (less than 5-cards), and cannot propose a club suit (less than 4-cards). The responder has a balanced hand (3-3-4-3) and must propose a bid in No Trump. The responder cannot PASS. A PASS indicates 0-5 pts, which is misleading. If the responder has:
• 6-16 pts: Propose 1 NT . The opener does not have to respond.
• 17-20 pts: Propose 3 NT . This double jump-shift bid indicates the point count range with a balanced hand, and commits the partnership to a game-level contract. This bid provides the opener the options to play the contract in No Trump or to explore a slam contract. The opener does not have to respond.
• 21+ HCPs:
Responder has 21+ pts - There are enough points for a slam. Bid 4 ♣ (Gerber) to ask the opener for the number of aces the opener holds.
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