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What’s Standard? by David Lindop

This series is based on Grant WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Standard, a set of conventions and Minor Suit Openings 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass agreements that are in popular use and Responses 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass today, such a 15-17 1NT openings, 2♠ five-card majors, and weak two- a four-card or longer suit. This style By bidding and rebidding spades, bids. A summary chart of Grant — where 1♣ could be a two-card suit partner will assume we have five of Standard and the corresponding — is alertable since it is not standard. them. However, since we opened 1♣, convention card can be found at Opening a three-card minor suit is partner can infer that we must have six www.AudreyGrant.com. The site sometimes referred to as the “short clubs. With five spades and five clubs, also has Grant Basic, a simpler set club.” This is a misnomer. We actually we would have opened the higher- of agreements. open the longer minor, which could ranking suit, 1♠. Partner should be Earlier articles in this series be a “short” diamond suit. It’s best well placed to decide the best contract. appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and to eradicate the term “short club” can also be found under ‘Articles’at from our vocabulary. It creates too Being Prepared www.AudreyGrant.com. many problems in our thinking. Having said that we generally open ♦ the longer suit, there are exceptions. n Grant Standard, there are no ♠ A Q 7 2 1 . With two four-card With a minimum opening bid, we conventions directly associated ♥ 5 minors, the popular ♦ ♦ want to avoid reversing: bidding a Iwith minor suit openings. The Q 10 7 5 practice is to open 1 , second suit at the two level that is ♣ opening bids and responses are all ♣ A J 8 3 although opening 1 higher-ranking than our first suit. “natural.” That doesn’t mean there’s is also acceptable. If we open 1♣, we will nothing to consider. We still have to ♣ ♠ J ♠ A 8 6 3 1 . This hand is too be awkwardly placed discuss our “treatments” to make sure ♥ ♥ K 7 5 strong to open 1NT. 8 7 5 if partner responds we are in agreement with partner on ♦ ♦ AQ 5 With a choice between AKQ 6 1♠. We don’t want to the meaning of certain bids. ♣ A J 3 three-card minors, it’s ♣ Q 8 6 4 3 ♣ rebid 1NT with an Minor Suit Openings standard to open 1 . unbalanced hand and we don’t want When opening a minor suit, we use ♠ KJ 4 1NT. Opening 1NT to rebid 2♣ with such a weak five- the following guidelines: ♥ A J takes priority over card suit. ♦ K 8 3 opening a minor when A bid of 2♦ would be a reverse — MINOR SUIT OPENINGS ♣ K 8 7 5 2 we have a balanced a bid at the two level in a higher- • Open the longer minor. hand of 15-17 points. ranking suit. The trouble with • With two four-card or five- ♠ 1♥. With two five- reversing with a minimum hand is ♦ K 4 card minors, open 1 . ♥ Q 8 7 6 4 card suits, we open the that it may leave responder poorly • With two three-card minors, ♦ A K J 7 5 higher-ranking. This placed. If responder has only 6 or 7 ♣ open 1 . ♣ 7 will usually make it points, we may get the partnership easier to show both much too high. Responder would ♠ 4 3 1♣. With no five-card suits. If we are West, for example, now have to bid 3♣, for example, if ♥ A 9 5 2 major suit and a hand the bidding might go like this: responder prefers clubs to diamonds. ♦ KJ 5 too weak to open 1NT, WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH So, we should reverse only with a ♣ K Q 8 3 we open the longer 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass medium strength or stronger hand. minor. 2♦ With this hand, we can avoid the ♠ A Q J 4 1♦. One consequence We conveniently show both our problem by opening 1♦. If partner ♥ Q 9 7 2 of requiring a five-card suits and partner can choose to play responds 1♠, we are now prepared ♦ J 7 5 major to open 1♥ or 1♠ partscore in either suit at the two to rebid 2♣, a lower-ranking suit at ♣ A 4 is that we sometimes level ... by passing 2♦ or bidding 2♥. the two level. We won’t have have to open with a ♠ 1♣. We generally reversed and partner won’t expect three-card minor suit. We still open A 10 8 7 3 us to have extra strength. Of course, ♥ — open the longer suit, the longer minor. This is considered ♦ even when we have a partner will assume our diamonds a standard bid and is not alertable. J 5 are as long or longer than our clubs. ♣ A Q 8 7 5 4 five-card major suit. Some players prefer to open 1♣ By starting with 1♣ But that’s the small price we pay for with this type of hand, so that an we can plan to describe the hand to avoiding an awkward rebid problem opening bid of 1♦ always promises partner with some sequence such as: if we open 1♣. BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 9, NO. 4 MAR./APR. 2005 BB ♠ A This hand presents a usually be easier to take nine tricks WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♥ K J 8 6 3 similar dilemma. In in 3NT than eleven tricks in 5♣ or 1♣ Pass ? ♦ ♦ Q J 7 6 5 2 theory, we’d like to 5 . Even if the partnership stops in This hand has 6 ♠ ♣ ♦ 8 4 2 open 1 and then bid partscore, notrump contracts score high-card points plus ♥ Q 3 and rebid hearts to show six diamonds better than minor suit contracts. 1 length point for the ♦ 9 8 5 2 and five hearts. However, we don’t In Grant Standard, we use the five-card suit. With no ♣ K J 7 6 3 want to reverse with a minimum hand. most straightforward set of ranges major suit to bid and an unbalanced ♥ The practical solution is to open 1 , for notrump responses: hand, raise to 2♣. ♠ leaving us with a convenient rebid of A jump raise to 3♣ K 8 4 ♦ ♠ NOTRUMP RESPONSES TO 1♣ OR 1♦ ♥ 2 if partner responds 1 or 1NT. is an invitational — 4 So, even with the straightforward 1NT 6-10 points ♦ Q 7 6 2 limit — raise showing ♣ guidelines for opening a minor suit, 2NT 11-12 points about 11-12 points. A J 8 6 3 there is still some room left for 3NT 13-15 points When raising a minor suit, responder judgment if we want to be prepared usually does not count dummy for our rebid. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH points. The heart shortness will be Responder’s First Priority 1♦ Pass ? useful if the partnership plays with When partner opens 1♣ or 1♦, our With 7 high-card ♠ K 8 4 clubs as trumps. However, if opener priority is to bid a four-card or points plus 1 length ♥ Q 7 3 chooses to play in 3NT, the heart longer major suit. Major suits get a point for the five-card ♦ J 5 shortness will be a liability, not an ♣ higher trick score than minor suits club suit, we would J 9 8 6 3 asset. Since game is more likely to and it’s easier to make game in a respond 1NT with this hand. A be played in notrump than a minor ten-trick contract of 4♥ or 4♠ than response of 1NT shows 6-10 points suit, it is usually best to err on the side an eleven-trick contract of 5♣ or 5♦. but no four-card or longer major suit. of caution ... but it’s a judgment call. If partner opens ♠ With 12 high-card ♠ Q 10 8 Responder will tend to have five- J 10 5 3 ♥ 1♦, we respond 1♠ ♥ 4 points, we would jump KJ 7 card or longer support for opener’s ♦ to 2NT with this hand. ♦ Q 9 2 minor suit when raising. After all, with this hand rather K Q 10 7 2 ♣ than raising to 2♦. If ♣ 8 6 2 This is an invitational A 9 8 5 opener could have a three-card suit. partner has support for spades, we’ve bid. With a minimum opening, partner Responder will usually have other found a major suit fit. If partner can pass and stop in partscore. options with only four-card support. doesn’t have support for spades, we It’s important to check that our Still, if nothing else seems suitable, can always return to diamonds. partnership is in agreement with the a raise with four-card support is fine. Opener is more likely to have For example, consider how the meaning of the 2NT response to 1♣ four, five, or six cards in the minor auction might go if these are the or 1♦. At one time, it was common suit than three cards. combined East-West hands: to treat the jump to 2NT as forcing, WEST EAST showing 13-15 points. However, the A Forcing Raise ♠ K Q 9 4 ♠ J 10 5 3 popular modern style is to use it as In Grant Standard, there is no artificial ♥ QJ ♥ 4 an invitational bid. forcing raise of opener’s minor suit ♦ A J 9 3 ♦ K Q 10 7 2 This hand has 14 ♠ K 10 6 when responder has 13 or more ♣ K Q J ♣ 8 6 2 high-card points plus ♥ AQ ♦ points. There are methods available WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1 length point for the Q 9 7 5 2 (such as inverted minor suit raises), ♣ 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass five-card diamond suit. K 8 3 but they involve complexities outside 4♠ Pass Pass Pass Even though we have support for our current scope. In 4♠, we’ll make ten tricks, los- diamonds, notrump takes priority This doesn’t usually present a ing a spade, a heart, and a club. 5♦ when we have a balanced hand and problem since responder has other has no chance, since we have to lose no four-card or longer major suit. options. A new suit response is the same three tricks. If we were to Raising Opener’s Minor forcing, so responder can start by raise diamonds right away, partner With no four-card or longer major bidding the other minor suit and would likely try 3NT, which will be suit to bid and a hand unsuitable for show the support later. defeated three or more tricks. notrump, responder’s next option is WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Responder’s Second Priority to raise opener’s minor suit: 1♣ Pass ? With no four-card or longer major With this hand, we ♠ 8 7 2 RAISING OPENER’S MINOR SUIT to bid, responder’s next priority is to simply respond 1♦ ♥ 6 4 bid notrump with a balanced hand. 6-10 points Raise to the two level and wait to hear ♦ AJ 3 If the partnership has enough 11-12 points Raise to the three level opener’s rebid. We’ll ♣ A K J 7 5 combined strength for game, it will then take the partnership to game. BETTER 15 BRIDGE VOL. 9, NO. 4 MAR./APR. 2005