Responses to preemptive openings
Responder to a preemptive opening seldom has a game, so most calls continue the preemption. Raises in this chapter are counted in support points (HCP plus shortness, see hand evaluation).
Weak 2♥♠
Raises follow the total number of trumps more than strength. Responder passes with 3-card support and a weak hand, raises to 3 with 4 cards, and bids game with 5. The 3-level raise is not invitational: it covers 2–14 HCP. With a strong hand, responder asks with 2NT instead.
| 2♥ - | |
|---|---|
| 2♠ | 11+ HCP, 5+♠, 0–2♥ |
| 2NT! | Feature ask, 14+ with 3+♥, rarely 2♥ |
| 3♣♦ | 13–17 HCP, 5+#, 0–2♥ |
| 3♥ | PRE, up to 14, 4+♥, sometimes 3♥ |
| 3NT | S/O, 16–17 HCP, BAL, 2♥ |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 12+ HCP, 0–1#, 5+♥ |
| 4♥ | S/O, any strength, 5+♥ or a strong hand without slam interest |
| 2♠ - | |
|---|---|
| 2NT! | Feature ask, 14+ with 3+♠, rarely 2♠ |
| 3♣♦ | 14–16 HCP, 5+#, 0–2♠ |
| 3♥ | 12+ HCP, 5+♥, 0–2♠ |
| 3♠ | PRE, up to 14, 4+♠, sometimes 3♠ |
| 3NT | S/O, 16+ HCP, 2♠ |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 11+ HCP, 0–1#, 4+♠ |
| 4♠ | S/O, any strength, 5+♠ or a strong hand without slam interest |
Without a fit, responder passes up to about 15 HCP. For example, responder passes 2♥ with ♠K ♥K95 ♦AQJ95 ♣10865, 13 HCP. Vulnerability makes no visible difference to the raises: at favorable vulnerability, 2♥ - 3♥ was bid on 107 of 300 boards, against 100 with nobody vulnerable. Wbridge5 bid 3NT only with 16+ HCP and a doubleton in opener’s major.
Seat
Facing a 2nd-seat weak 2♥, responder is more active. With 12–15 HCP and 3-card support, it bids 2NT or 3♥ and never passes, where facing a 1st-seat weak 2♥ it passed half of such hands. It also bids 2NT with a doubleton more often. New suits still need about 12 HCP.
A passed hand never bid a new suit with 8–10 HCP and five spades over a 3rd-seat 2♥: it passed on all 265 boards.
Feature ask 2NT
Opener shows a minimum by rebidding the suit. With a maximum, opener shows shortness first, then an ace or king in a side suit, and bids 3NT with neither. The help file says only a void is shown, but Wbridge5 also shows a singleton.
| 2♥ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣♦! | MAX, A or K in the suit |
| 3♥ | MIN, 9–11 |
| 3♠! | MAX, 0–1♠ |
| 3NT | MAX, no singleton or void, no A or K in a minor |
| 4♣♦! | MAX, 0–1# |
The cheap 3♠ shows shortness, so a spade feature is not shown. Opener with only a spade feature bids 3NT.
| 2♠ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣♦♥! | MAX, A or K in the suit |
| 3♠ | MIN, 9–11 |
| 3NT | MAX, no singleton or void, no side A or K |
| 4♣♦♥! | MAX, 0–1# |
The minimum ranges 6–8 HCP over 2♥ and 6–9 HCP over 2♠. A maximum is 11–14 points, so a singleton lifts some 6–7 HCP hands. Examples from 2♥ - 2NT:
- ♠Q83 ♥KQ8763 ♦63 ♣64: Bid 3♥, minimum.
- ♠- ♥AQ10864 ♦1092 ♣9732: Bid 3♠, a void with only 6 HCP.
- ♠J10 ♥K87653 ♦A52 ♣105: Bid 3♦, the ace.
- ♠92 ♥AQ10864 ♦Q64 ♣108: Bid 3NT, nothing to show.
Responder’s continuations after the answer were not probed.
Interference
Over a takeout double or a 2♠ overcall, the raises, 2NT, and splinters keep their meanings, systems on. Opener’s answers to 2NT under interference were not probed.
| 2♥ (X) | |
|---|---|
| XX | 14+ HCP, 3♥, rarely 2♥ |
| 2NT! | Feature ask, 13+, 3+♥, usually 4+♥ |
| 3♥ | Up to 14 HCP, 3+♥ |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 12+ HCP, 0–1#, 5+♥ |
| 4♥ | S/O, 5+♥ |
Without support, responder passes even with 16 HCP. The redouble does not look for a penalty.
| 2♥ (2♠) | |
|---|---|
| X | PEN, 10+ HCP, 3+♠, usually 5+♠ |
| 2NT! | Feature ask, 14+ with 3+♥ |
| 3♥ | Up to 14 HCP, 3+♥ |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 12+ HCP, 0–1#, 5+♥ |
| 4♥ | S/O, 5+♥ |
Over a 3-level overcall, the double is still for penalty, and 4 of the opponents’ suit is a strong raise. Responder needs 3 cards to compete in opener’s suit.
| 2♠ (3♣) | |
|---|---|
| X | PEN, 3+♣, usually 5+♣ |
| 3♠ | Up to 14 HCP, 3+♠ |
| 4♣! | Cuebid, 11+ HCP, 3+♠, seen on only 6 boards |
| 4♠ | 12+ HCP with 3+♠, or 5+♠ with any strength |
| 4NT! | RKCB |
A doubleton is not enough to raise over an overcall. Wbridge5 raised with a doubleton on only 2 of 600 boards.
Preemptive 3s
Responder raises to game with a major fit and 10+ HCP. A raise to 4 of a minor continues the preemption. New suits are natural and only seen over minors.
| 3♣♦ - | |
|---|---|
| 3♦ | Over 3♣ only, 15 HCP, 5+♦, rare |
| 3♥♠ | 11+ HCP, 5+# |
| 3NT | S/O, 13+ HCP |
| 4♣♦ | PRE, 0–14 HCP, 4+ cards, or 3 cards with 10+ HCP |
| 4NT! | RKCB, usually 17+ HCP |
| 5♣♦ | 5+ cards with a weak hand, or 3+ cards with 11–17 HCP |
| 3♥♠ - | |
|---|---|
| 4♥♠ | 10+ HCP and 2+ cards, or 4+ cards with any strength |
| 4NT! | RKCB, 13+ HCP |
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that a 3♣ opener answers 4NT as RKCB 0314 in clubs, counting the ♣K, on all 226 boards. So do 3♦♥♠ openers in their own suits, on all 559 boards, ignoring any void. For example, ♠Q2 ♥54 ♦86 ♣KQ109873 bids 5♦.
Over 3♥♠, responder passed 10–15 HCP hands without a fit. It bid 3NT on none of 600 boards and a new suit on one. Over 3♠, 4♥ was natural with seven hearts. Responses over a 2nd-seat 3♣ were the same as over a 1st-seat one.
Interference
Over a double, a redouble shows a good hand, not a penalty. Responder competes with 4-card support and a weak hand.
| 3♥ (X) | |
|---|---|
| XX | 12+ HCP, or less with 5+♥ |
| 4♥ | Up to 11 HCP, 3+♥, usually 4+♥ |
Over an overcall, the double is for penalty.
| 3♣ (3♥) | |
|---|---|
| X | PEN, 3+♥, usually 5+♥ |
| 3♠ | 11+ HCP, 5+♠ |
| 3NT | S/O, 12+ HCP |
| 4♣ | Up to 14 HCP, 3+♣ |
| 4♥! | Cuebid, 14+ HCP, 5+♣, seen on only 5 boards |
| 5♣ | 10+ HCP, 3+♣ |
Gambling 3NT
The gambling 3NT shows a 7–8-card minor headed by AKQ. Probing found no side ace or king in any of 46 openings.
| 3NT - | |
|---|---|
| Pass | To play, usually 12+ HCP with stoppers in side suits |
| 4♣ | Pass or correct |
| 4♦ | NAT, 6+♦ of responder’s own |
| 4♥♠ | S/O, 6+# |
| 6♣♦ | To play, the minor responder can work out from its own top honors |
Responder can often tell opener’s minor. For example, with ♠76 ♥A76 ♦1097 ♣AKQ94, responder knows that opener holds diamonds and bids 6♦.
| 3NT - 4♣ - | |
|---|---|
| Pass | With clubs |
| 4♦ | With diamonds |
Opener corrected on all 58 boards.
Namyats
Responder does not bid the next step over Namyats. It signs off in opener’s major or asks with RKCB 4NT, usually with 14+ HCP.
| 4♣! - | |
|---|---|
| 4♥ | S/O |
| 4♠ | NAT, 8+ HCP, 5+♠ |
| 4NT! | RKCB for hearts |
| 4♦! - | |
|---|---|
| 4♥ | NAT, 7+♥, rare |
| 4♠ | S/O |
| 4NT! | RKCB for spades |
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows the Namyats opener answering RKCB 0314 in its major, ignoring any void, on all 223 boards. For example, ♠97 ♥KQJ109862 ♦- ♣A75 bids 5♠ over 4♣ - 4NT.
4♥♠ and 5♣♦
Over 4♥♠, responder passes up to about 18 HCP and bids RKCB 4NT with slam interest. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that a 4♥ opener answers it as RKCB 0314 on all 112 boards, ignoring any void, and a 4♠ opener on all 122. For example, ♠J32 ♥AKQJ1092 ♦753 ♣- bids 5♠.
Over 5♣♦, responder raises to 6 with slam values, usually 14+ HCP, although a quarter of 14+ HCP hands passed. The raise needs only a singleton in opener’s suit.
| 5♣♦ - | |
|---|---|
| 6♣♦ | Usually 12+ HCP, 1+ cards |
| 7NT | Seen twice, with three aces and long side suits |
4NT
The 4NT opening shows 6-6 in the minors or longer. Responder bids the longer minor, at the 6-level with a good hand, usually 12+ HCP. With equal minors, responder chose either.
| 4NT! - | |
|---|---|
| 5♣♦ | Longer minor |
| 6♣♦ | Longer minor, 12+ HCP |
Not probed
- Rebids after a new suit by responder, and whether those new suits are forcing
- Responses to 3rd- and 4th-seat preempts other than those above
- Interference over 3NT and the 4- and 5-level openings
- Hands under 8 HCP after interference, so the lower ends of those ranges are open