ZAR Points and opening one of a minor

When deciding whether or not you have an opening bid, count your ZAR Points, with 26 open, or at least strongly consider opening. To determine you ZAR points.

1. Count your HCP,
2. Count the number of controls you have (A=2, K=1),
3. Count the number of cards in your two longest suits, and
4. Subtract your shortest suit from you longest suit. Then add all these numbers together.

• 1♣ Minimum 3 card suit. With weak hand (11-13) and four-four in minors, tend to open 1♣
• 1D = More likely to be 4 cards than 1♣, but minimum of 3

Remember when your partner opens 1 minor, he can not have: 9.5 tricks and great one suit hand (open 2D), a strongish three suiter with five or less losers (open 2♣), a balanced hand of 22 or more hcp (open 2♦ or 2♣), nor a strong two suiter with four or less losers (he would open a MisIry tranfer bid of 2NT to 3♦).

1.1 Responses to 1♣
1♣-?
---> 1D With a four card major, show D only with a hand with game force values
----------> 17 to 19 balanced (only on 1C-1D)
----------> 1M, may be three card suit
----------------> 1NT = 6-8 hcp
----------> 2C weak
----------> 2D weak
----------> 3C good suit
----------> 3D strong raise
----------> 3NT balanced 20-21 hcp (normal 2NT opener)
---> 1♠/1♥ = 4+ suit, 5+ points (sometimes lighter)
----------> 1S = tends to be unbalanced (XYZ on, see XYZ)
----------> 1NT = 11-13, can have 4S over 1H (XYZ on, see XYZ)
----------> 3NT = 20-21 hcp ("normal" 2NT opener)
----------> 2C weak, clubs
----------> 2♦ NEW MINOR FORCING BY OPENER
----------> 2M raise, frequently 3 card support very weak raise
----------------> 3♣ invitational, but not forcing
----------------> 2NT inquiry
---------------------> 3♣ only three card support
-------------------------->3♦ re-game try, opener rebids
------------------------------> 3M really sorry I opened, up to you
------------------------------> 3OM stopper
------------------------------> 3NT no stopper in OM
------------------------------> 4♣ splinter OM
------------------------------> 4&diamonds, splinter in diamonds
------------------------------> 4M picture bid, 3226, slight extra values
---------------------> 3♦ four card support, maximum 2M raise, GF
---------------------> 3M four card support, minimum 2M raise
---------------------> 3OM splinter, maximum 2M raise with three card support
---------------------> 3NT splinter in ♦ maximum 2H raise with three card support
---------------------> 4♣ splinter in other major, four card support
---------------------> 4 ♦ splinter in ♦ four card support
---------------------> 4M maximum, four card raise, picture bid (4-2-5-2) no control in either side suit.
----------> 3M raise, four card support, 29 to 32 ZAR points
----------> 4M raise, long ugly clubs, four card support
----------> 4C, long solid clubs, four card support
----------> 3C, long good clubs, three card support, good hand, not forcing
----------> 3♦ , mini-splinter, four card support, same ZAR range as 3M but more dist.
----------> 2NT Jacoby 2NT by opener, strong game try or game force
---------------> 3C will not accept game try
--------------------> 3♦ re-game try
--------------------> 3OM ask for shortness
--------------------> 3M signoff
--------------------> 3NT always choice contracts
--------------------> 4C spinter in other major, still slam try
--------------------> 4♦ diamond splinter, still slam try
---------------> 3♦ Accept game try, no slam interest
---------------> 3H Slam interst, asking opener for shortness, 3S low, 4C upper
---------------> 3S splinter in other major
---------------> 3NT - splinter most in other minor
---------------> 4C - second suit very strong slam try
---------------> 4D - second suit very strong slam try
---> 1NT 9-10 HCP (stronger than 1D then rebid 1NT)
--------------> 2C signoff
--------------> 2D new minor forcing by opener
--------------> 2H/2S strong reverses
---> 2NT 11-12 balanced, no 4 card major (prefer limit raise to 2NT if option)
---> 2♣ Inverted minor, Quasi-Game force.
------------> 2D Minmum unbalanced hand (ie singleton or void somewhere)
-------------------> 2H ask where is singleton (low, middle, high)
------------------------> 2S = diamond (low)
------------------------> 2NT = heart (middle)
------------------------> 3C = spade (high)
-----------> 2H Balanced had that didn;t want to bid NT
-----------> 2S Balanced GF with 5+ clubs
-----------> 2NT = Natural, forcing to 3C (could be 17-19 but see 3NT below)
-----------> 3♣ = 5+ clubs one round force
-----------> new suit jump, GF, splinter, not three suited (would open 2♣)
-----------> Jump to 4 of agreed minor=RKCB
-----------> Jump above 4 of agreed minor=Exclusion RKCB
---> 2D = criss cross, limit raise of clubs (11-bad 13)
---> 2H = Reverse flannery by responder (5+♠ and 4+♥, 4 to bad 10 pts)
---> 2S = Minimum hand, six spades
---> 3C = preemptive raise
---> 3D/3H/3S preemptive jump shifts
---> 3NT 15-17 hcp, balanced, no significant four card major
---> 4♣ solid heart suit AKQJxxx with no side A or K
--------> ask for singlton
-----------> 4&heats, no singleton or void
-----------> new suit, singleton or void in bid suit
---> 4♦ solid seven card spade suit AKQJxxx, no side A or K
-----------> 4♠ to play
-----------> 4♥ ask for singleton
---> 4NT balanced 18/19
---> 4H/4S long suit, to play

Responses to Diamond opening bid

1D-?
---> 1♠/1♥ = 4+ suit, 5+ points (sometimes lighter)
----------> 1♠ = tends to be unbalanced (XYZ on, see XYZ)
----------> 1NT = 11=13, can have 4S over 1H (XYZ on, see XYZ)
----------> 2♣ NEW MINOR FORCING BY OPENER (denies 4S's)
----------> 2D weak
----------> 3♣ weak minor two suiter
----------> 2M raise, frequently 3 card support very weak raise
----------------> 3D invitational, but not forcing
----------------> 2NT inquiry
---------------------> 3♣ three card support maximum,
-------------------------->3♦ not willing to stop (bid 3D immediately in that case)
opener rebids
------------------------------> 3M poor "maximum"
------------------------------> 3OM stopper in this major
------------------------------> 3NT no stopper in OM
------------------------------> 4♣ splinter in clubs
------------------------------> 4♦ , splinter in other major
------------------------------> 4M picture bid, 3262, nice max, but remember no 3D initially
---------------------> 3♦ three card support, minimum 2M raise
---------------------> 3M four card support, minimum 2M raise
---------------------> 3OM splinter, maximum 2M raise with three card support
---------------------> 3NT splinter in &DIAMS:, maximum 2H raise with three card support
---------------------> 4♣ splinter in other major, four card support
---------------------> 4 ♦ splinter in ♦ four card support
---------------------> 4M maximum, four card raise, picture bid (4-2-5-2) no control in either side suit.
----------> 3M raise, four card support, 29 to 32 ZAR points
----------> 4M raise, long ugly clubs, four card support
----------> 4D, long solid diamonds, four card support
----------> 3D, long good diamonds, three card support, good hand, not forcing
----------> 3C, Weak minor two suiter, NOT FORCING
----------> 2NT Jacoby 2NT by opener, strong game try or game force
---------------> 3C will not accept game try
--------------------> 3D re-game try
--------------------> 3OM ask for shortness
--------------------> 3M signoff
--------------------> 3NT always choice contracts
--------------------> 4C spinter in other major, still slam try
--------------------> 4D diamond splinter, still slam try
---------------> 3D Accept game try, no slam interest
---------------> 3H Slam interst, asking opener for shortness, 3S low, 4C upper
---------------> 3S splinter in other major
---------------> 3NT - splinter most in other minor
---------------> 4C - second suit very strong slam try
---------------> 4D - second suit very strong slam try
---> 1NT 6-10 HCP
--------------> 2C new minor forcing by opener
--------------> 2D signoff
--------------> 2H/2S strong reverses
---> 2NT 11-12 balanced, no 4 card major (prefer limit raise to 2NT if option)
---> 2♣Kokish relay, forcing, almost surely to game,
---------> 2D five+ diamonds
---------> 2H specifically 4441 (singleton club), not suited for 2&Club opener
---------> 2S strong club raise
---------> 2NT balanced minimum
---------> 3C club raise, weaker than 2S
---------> 3D solid diamond suit
---------> 3M splinter for clubs
---------> 3NT 17-19 balanced
---> 2D = Inverted minor, Quasi-Game force.
------------> 2H Minmum unbalanced hand (ie singleton or void somewhere)
-----------------> 2S ask where is singleton (low, middle, high)
---------------------> 2N = club (low)
---------------------> 3C = heart (middle)
---------------------> 3D = spade (high)
-------------> 2S Balanced had that didn;t want to bid NT
-------------> 2NT=Natural and forcing to 3 of the agreed minor (could be 17-19 but see 3NT below)
-------------> 3♣ =Balanced minimum hand with 5+ of minor
-------------> new suit jump, GF, splinter, not three suited (would open 2♣)
-------------> Jump to 4 of agreed minor=RKCB
-------------> Jump above 4 of agreed minor=Exclusion RKCB
---> 2H = Reverse flannery by responder (5+♠ and 4+♥, 4 to bad 10 pts)
---> 2S = Minimum hand, six spades
---> 3C = criss cross, limit raise of diamonds(11-bad 13)
---> 3D = preemptive raise
---> 3H/3S = preemptive shifts
---> 3NT = 15-17 hcp, balanced, no significant four card major
---> 4C seven solid hearts, no side A or K, 4D ask for singleton
---> 4D seven solid spades, no side A or K, 4H ask for singleton
---> 4NT balanced 18/19
---> 4H/4S long suit, to play

See the post on NEW MINOR FORCING BY OPENER and the one on XYZ to see how those conventions work.

Kokish Relay

♠ 854 ♥ A32 ♦ KQJ98 ♣ AK

♠ AQ ♥ J84 ♦ ♣ QJ987432

1D - 2C
2D - 3C
3H - 3NT
4C - 4S
5C - all pass

2C = quasi game force, forcing to 4Clubs only. 2D is 5+ diamonds
3C = lots of clubs
3H = 3NT game try, or advanced cue-bid
3NT = spades controlled
4C = after 3NT, this is game force, set trumps, pass is also possible

Bd: 5
Dlr: North
Vul: NS
North
S QJ103
H K106
D AQ54
C 107

West East
S 98642 S AK5
H 432 H J5
D K7 D 1096
C Q42 C AJ865

South
S 7
H AQ987
D J832
C K93
Auction from Junior European championship, July 17, 2005

Open Room:
West North East South
1NT Pass 2D
Pass 2H Pass Pass
Pass

Inquiry 2/1 would be..
West North East South
1D Pass 1H
Pass 2H Pass 4H
Pass Pass Pass

Explaination. North has 12 hcp, 3 control points, and 10 distributional points. With
25 ZAR points, and four spades, open.

South starts with has 10 hcp, 3 control pts, 13 distributional points, then gains 2 pts for singleton spade and fifth heart, and one point for diamond jack. Total of 30. Leap to game is automatic. Four hearts made at other table after an exploratory auction, which seems unnecessary.

1D - 1H
1S - 2C
2H - 3H
4H