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WEAKNT.CVA
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1995-08-30
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WEAK NOTRUMP - FOURTH SEAT ONLY
With a marginal fourth seat opening such as S-93 H-AJ76 D-Q103
C-KJ87 in a matchpoint game, you figure that your side is a slight
favorite to make a plus score if you can stop at a low level. If
you open 1C, however, you could be in trouble if partner jumps to
2NT. Or suppose someone bids spades. If it's partner, you must
either pass or rebid 1NT. If you pass, she may have only four
spades. If you rebid 1NT, she may raise. If either opponent bids
spades, you may get outbid. Finally, if you open a standard weak
notrump (12-14 HCP) partner may try for game. What to do? In
deciding, consider the following:
1) Game chances are practically nil.
2) Neither opponent could open, even in third seat, so their hands
(and suits) are limited.
3) In view of 2), partner is unlikely to have a bad hand.
4) A 1NT opening prevents a one-level overcall.
5) The danger of being outbid is lessened if fourth hand has four
spades.
6) The main goal with a marginal hand in this position is to get
a plus score of any sort, not to achieve the optimum result.
7) You do not want to get as high as 2NT or three of a suit with
such hands.
Putting all these considerations together leads to the idea that
a 1NT opening in fourth seat should be treated differently from
other positions. The following describes such an approach:
At match point scoring only, a fourth seat opening 1NT bid shows
11-13 HCP, balanced. It tends to deny a spade suit, with which a
suit opening is preferable. With the highest ranking suit there is
less need for a preemptive 1NT opening that risks shutting out your
own major. With four very weak spades in a 4-3-3-3 hand, the 1NT
opening is acceptable.
Game will rarely be reached voluntarily--the 1NT opening gives up
on game unless partner has passed an unusual hand.
Responses
No Stayman, no transfers. Any two-level response is a sign-off, but
2C or 2D shows hearts too (unless you're prepared to bid again if
opener bids 2H). With spades and a minor you pass 1NT, since opener
is not supposed to have spades. Be quicker to bid 2H with five
hearts than to bid 2S with five spades--opener will sometimes have
four hearts. A 2NT response is unusual, even in competition, asking
for opener's longer minor. With equal length, opener bids 3C.
If You Don't Open 1NT
After opening one of a suit in fourth seat, a 1NT rebid shows
14-16 HCP; a jump rebid of 2NT shows 17-18 HCP, and a 3NT rebid
shows 19 HCP or more. The jump notrump rebids can be weaker than
usual because responder is unlikely to have a bad hand when the
opponents are doing so much passing.
A non-jump 2NT or 3NT rebid is standard:
South West North East
Pass Pass Pass 1H
Pass 2C Pass 2NT shows 15-16 HCP
Opening one of a suit does not promise 14 HCP or more--opener may
have a weak hand that is unsuitable for a notrump opening, or may
have a spade suit. Only when he rebids notrump or makes some other
strong call does he show a good hand.
The complete text of WEAK NOTRUMP - FOURTH SEAT ONLY includes a
section that covers action when the opponents come into the
bidding: Are doubles for business or takeout? Must opener reopen
if an overcall is passed around to him?
WEAK NOTRUMP - FOURTH SEAT ONLY was published in the Contract
Bridge Forum, November 1991.