Responding to a 1 NT opening bid
an integrated approach
1NT = 12-14pts
With flattish hands you need a combined total of 26 pts to have a 66% of success, but with a total of 25 pts then the success rate falls to around 52%. A 5 card suit shifts the chances of success up 1 notch. Suits that have 10s and 9s can also do this especially in combination with other honours
1.Use Stayman 2 
to look for a 4 card major suit in opener's hand. Use red suit transfers to
tell partner you have a 5 card major (weak or strong)
2.Action after the transfer is completed. Pass to show a weak hand, bid 2NT/3NT show 11 pts and 12-15 pts respectively, with a 5 card major. Bid a new suit to show a hand of at least 5-4 distribution and forcing to game
3. The 2
and 2NT responses to 1NT
(i)The 2
response is redundant, so use it to show a 11pt hand with a 5/6 card minor
suit containing preferably 2 honour cards. Parner can bid 2NT/3NT according
to strength
(ii) The 2NT responses shows 12 pts , no 5 card minor
(iii) A 3NT response shows 12pts with a 5 card minor/to 15 pts, with or without a 5 card minor. Parner will not have a 4 card major otherwise would have bid Stayman first
4.Showing a weak hand with a 6 card minor
Use Stayman, but over any bid from partner bid
3 /
,
non forcing
Alternative bids to show a weakness take-out in a minor
(i) bid 3/
direct over 1NT. Section 5 will need modifying
(ii) OR use the 2
response to include a weak 6 card minor. The re-bids by opener can then be
modified : 2NT as before with a 12-=13 pt hand which you can convert to the
minor, and 3 bid showing 14pts, and
asking you to pass with a long suit
or bid 3 with that suit, or bid 3NT
with the invitational (not weak) hand as in section 3
5. Showing a 6 card suit with possibility of a slam in the suit or NTs, around 18pts +
Bid the suit at the 3 level. Opener then shows aces by cue bidding
Over 3/
with a minimum hand and no support signs off in 3NT, rather than making a
cue bid. Over 3
/,
with no aces signs off at the 4 level in the major, but also can bid 3NT with
a minimum hand, no aces and 2 cards in the major. Then partner can sign off
in 4 of the major etc
See section 4 alternatives to show a weakness take-out
6. Asking for aces.
Bid 4
to ask for aces direct over the 1NT bid, otherwise if there has been any other
bids use 4NT
7. If you do NOT play red suit transfers
Then 2//
is a weakness take-out in the suit
2NT asks for maximum/minimum from opener
responses at the 3 level show a 5 card suit and is forcing to game/ or the long minor if you choose this option, with the major bids showing a game going hand.
