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What’s Standard? by David Lindop

This series is based on Grant With this hand we could ♠ Q 9 3 Standard, a set of conventions and The 2♣ Opening make a positive response ♥ QJ 5 agreements that are in popular use of 2NT. This response ♦ K 8 4 today, such a 15-17 1NT openings, takes up bidding room, ♣ J 8 7 3 five-card majors, and weak two- and Responses so most partnerships bids. A summary chart of Grant reserve it for balanced hands of Standard and the corresponding About 80% of the time, responder about 8-12 points with no more than can be found at bids 2♦ and awaits developments. one ace or king. With aces and kings, www.AudreyGrant.com. The site Suppose partner opens ♠ 8 6 3 it’s usually best to bid 2♦ and wait 2♣ and we have this also has Grant Basic, a simpler set ♥ 9 7 4 2 to hear what partner has to say. of agreements. hand. We can’t pass since ♣ ♦ 6 4 Opening Balanced Hands Earlier articles in this series 2 is forcing. Instead ♣ we respond 2♦, waiting 8 6 5 2 Strong balanced hands of 22 or more appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and ♣ can also be found under ‘Articles’at to hear what partner has to say next. points are opened 2 . The plan is to rebid notrump at an appropriate level: www.AudreyGrant.com. Even with enough ♠ 4 strength that a slam is 2NT with 22-24 points; 3NT with 25- ne level opening bids cover a ♥ Q 8 7 6 4 likely, it’s usually best ♦ 27 points; 4NT with 28-30 points... wide range of strength...up ♦ K 7 and so on (if we are ever so fortunate). to start with a 2 ♣ A 7 5 4 2 Oto about 21 points. They are response. We’ll tell In addition, we use an opening bid not forcing, however. Responder can partner about the strength of our of 2NT to show 20-21 points. pass with fewer than 6 points since hand as the auction progresses. This gives us a way to describe a the partnership is unlikely to have of any strength: enough combined strength for game. Positive Responses ♦ With a hand so strong that game is We don’t have to respond 2 when BALANCED HANDS ♣ likely even if responder has fewer partner opens 2 . We can choose to 12-14 Open one of a suit, than 6 points, opener needs a forcing make a positive response. planning to rebid notrump opening, one that responder won’t pass. POSITIVE RESPONSE TO 2♣ at the cheapest level. At one time, such hands were 15-17 Open 1NT. opened at the two level with a strong With about 8 or more points: • 2♥, 2♠, 3♣, or 3♦ shows a 18-19 Open one of a suit, two-bid but the modern style is to planning to rebid notrump use opening bids of 2♦, 2♥, and 2♠ good five-card or longer suit. jumping a level. as weak two-bids. All strong hands are • 2NT shows a balanced hand opened with an artificial, forcing 2♣. with mostly queens and jacks. 20-21 Open 2NT. The Grant Standard guideline is: 22-24 Open 2♣, planning to A positive response commits the rebid 2NT. 2♣ OPENING partnership to at least game and 25-27 Open 2♣, planning to • 22+ if balanced; shows interest in reaching slam. A rebid 3NT. • 9+ tricks if unbalanced. positive response in a suit shows a 28-30 Open 2♣, planning to “good” five-card suit—typically rebid 4NT. This article will focus on handling two of the top three honors—or a reasonable six-card or longer suit— strong balanced hands, but first we ♠ K J 8 2NT. With a balanced need to consider what responder typically two of the top four honors. ♥ AK hand of 20 points, we does when partner opens 2♣. With this hand we ♠ A Q 9 7 3 ♦ K J 10 6 open 2NT. The 2NT can respond 2♠. Our The 2♦ Response ♥ 6 ♣ K Q 8 3 opening is not forcing. There are many possible schemes spades are likely to ♦ K 8 3 Responder can pass for responding to 2♣, but the most be of value even if ♣ 7 6 4 2 with no interest in reaching game. partner’s suit is hearts. ♣ popular...and straightforward...is to ♠ AQ J 2 . With 22 high- ♦ Although this hand card points, start with use 2 as an artificial waiting ♠ K 4 ♥ K J 8 7 3 response. This leaves the maximum has 10 high-card points, ♦ 2♣. This is forcing. If ♦ ♥ A 9 K Q J ♦ room for opener to describe the we’d respond 2 , ♦ ♣ A J partner responds 2 , waiting. Our suit isn’t Q 9 7 5 3 rebid 2NT, showing a strong hand. Responder’s strength ♣ J 8 6 2 and distribution can be shown later good enough to make balanced hand of 22-24 points. The in the auction. a positive response by jumping to 3♦. 2NT rebid is not forcing. BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 9, NO. 5 MAY/JUNE 2005 BB

As with opening 1NT bids, it’s 4♠ is an excellent contract; West WEST EAST usually best to describe this type of has only one spade loser, one heart ♠ K J 8 4 ♠ Q 3 hand as balanced, even with a five- loser, and one club loser. 3NT ♥ AK 8 ♥ J 9 4 card major. If we were to rebid 2♥, would be a poor contract. The ♦ K Q 4 ♦ A 8 7 we’d be showing a strong unbalanced defenders can establish enough ♣ AK J ♣ Q 10 6 5 2 hand with five or more hearts. heart tricks to defeat the contract. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♠ AQ 2♣. This hand has WEST EAST 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass ♥ AK9 24 high-card points ♠ K Q J 7 2 ♠ 10 4 2NT Pass 4NT Pass ♦ A K Q 10 7 but we can add 1 ♥ Q 8 ♥ J 9 7 5 3 6NT Pass Pass Pass ♣ Q 10 6 point for the five- ♦ AK 5 ♦ Q 7 4 3 With a balanced hand and 24 card suit. We plan to jump to 3NT ♣ K Q J ♣ 5 2 high-card points, West opens 2♣. over the expected 2♦ response. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH East doesn’t have a good enough ♣ ♦ The Auction After 2NT 2 Pass 2 Pass suit to make a positive response of 2NT Pass 3♦ Pass 3♣. Instead East makes a waiting If partner opens 2NT or opens 2♣ ♥ ♦ ♦ 3 Pass 3NT All Pass bid of 2 . West completes the and rebids 2NT after a 2 response, With 21 high-card points plus 1 description of the hand with a 2NT we can use similar methods to those length point for the five-card suit, rebid. East has 9 high-card points after a 1NT opening bid: West treats the hand as a balanced 22- plus 1 length point for the five-card 24 points, opening 2♣ and rebidding suit. East knows the partnership has RESPONSES AFTER 2NT ♦ ♣ ♦ 2NT over the 2 waiting response. a total of about 32-34 points. AND 2 -2 -2NT With a five-card heart suit, East starts To invite slam, East raises to 4NT. 3♣ Stayman by transferring to the . West This isn’t the 3♦ Transfer to hearts simply accepts the transfer; West since no suit has been agreed. It is a 3♥ Transfer to spades doesn’t try to show the spade suit. quantitative raise. With a maximum, 3NT To play in game With only five hearts, East gives West accepts the invitation and the 4♣ Gerber (ace asking) partner a choice of games by bidding excellent slam is reached. West can 3NT. With only a doubleton heart, promote two spade tricks to go with 4NT Invitational to slam West passes. 3NT is a good contract. the two heart tricks, three diamond 6NT To play in slam Declarer can promote four spade tricks, and five club tricks. tricks and two clubs to go with the The Auction After 3NT We can assign meanings to other three sure winners in diamonds. 4♥ ♣ responses, such as 3♠, but that’s When opener starts with 2 and would have four quick losers. jumps to 3NT over a 2♦ response, outside the scope of Grant WEST EAST Standard. We have enough for now ♠ ♠ there isn’t much room left to explore A 4 9 8 7 6 4 3 for the best game. Still, the partnership to handle most hands. ♥ A K 9 2 ♥ 7 3 should have some agreement about For example, consider how the ♦ AQ7 6 ♦ 8 4 what happens next. A reasonable auction might go if these are the ♣ Q J 4 ♣ 9 7 5 approach is to use similar methods combined East-West hands: WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH to those after a 2NT. So, 4♣ is WEST EAST 2NT Pass 3♥ Pass ♠ ♠ ♠ Stayman (probably more useful than K Q 7 2 J 10 6 4 3 Pass Pass Pass Gerber), 4♦ and 4♥ are transfers, ♥ A 8 ♥ 7 2 ♦ ♦ With a balanced hand and 20 and 4NT is an invitational raise. A Q J 2 K 6 4 3 high-card points, West opens 2NT. ♣ K Q J ♣ 9 5 2 It’s even more challenging if East has no points but the hand opener rebids 4NT. Fortunately...or WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH should play better with spades as unfortunately...such hands are rare. 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass the suit. East bids 3♥ to ♣ So most partnerships don’t have any 2NT Pass 3 Pass transfer opener to spades. After conventional agreements. 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass West dutifully bids 3♠, East passes, With 22 high-card points, West leaving the partnership in partscore. After a Positive Response starts with 2♣ and rebids 2NT after In 3♠, West will have to lose at If responder makes a positive the 2♦ waiting response. East has least two spade tricks and two club response after the 2♣ opening, the only 4 high-card points but that tricks, and may lose more. However, auction tends to develop naturally. should be enough for game when at least this contract has a chance. There’s no need for Stayman or West has at least 22. With a four- For example, declarer can eventually transfer bids. card major suit, East uses the get to the East hand by trumping a ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ , 3♣. West heart to try the diamond . A In the next issue, we’ll look at how shows a four-card spade suit and contract of 2NT by West would the partnership handles unbalanced East raises to game. have no chance. hands after a 2♣ opening. BETTER 15 BRIDGE VOL. 9, NO. 5 MAY/JUNE 2005