NT sample hands with shortage
     
 
to "Walsh" responses to 1NT this page was last updated: 30-Oct-2008
to "Swedish" responses to 1NT  
to "NT bidding book"  
 
     
 
 
If you wish you can download the Word Doc file for printing.
 
     
     
     
 

Bidding with shortage opposite partner's 1NT opening

 
     
 

These hands were supplied by Paul Quodomine in order to illustrate how the ‘Walsh” system of responses to 1NT works when responder has a singleton (or void). I have also included the bidding using the ‘direct ambiguous splinters' from the NT bidding book. Janne Roos also supplied the bidding for his ‘Swedish' system but it does not have a feature for responder to show shortage.

 
     
 
1. The 'Walsh' responses as defined by Paul Quodomine
2. The 'Swewdisg' responses as defined by Janne Roos
3. The ‘Definitive Guide to NT bidding…' as defined by Terry Quested.
     
Hand 1   'Walsh System'
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
AKx xxxx   1NT 2NT (shortage or to play in 3)
Ax KJxx   3 3 (singleton or void )
Axxx x   4 5  
109xx AQJx   pass    
               
'Swedish' System   'Quested' System  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
1NT 2   1NT 3 (, , or shortage)
2 3NT   3 3NT (singleton or void )
          5 pass (5c shows little slam interest)
 

5 is a superior contract to 3NT

     
________________________________________________________
               
Hand 2   'Walsh System'  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
Qxxx xxxx   1NT 2NT  
KQx Axxx   3 3NT (singleton or void )
Kx AQxx   pass    
KQJ10 x        
               
'Swedish' System   'Quested' System  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
1NT 2   1NT 3 (, , or shortage)
2 4   3 3 (singleton or void )
pass       3NT pass  
               
  3NT is a superior contract to 4s      
________________________________________________________
               
Hand 3   'Walsh System'  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
Axx KJxx   1NT 2NT  
AK10x QJx   3 3 (singleton or void )
Qxxx x   3 3NT 4315
Kx Axxxx   4 pass  
               
'Swedish' System   'Quested' System  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
1NT 2   1NT 3 (, , or shortage)
2 3 (good cards with 5 's) 3 3NT (singleton or void )
3NT pass   4 pass  
               
  4 is a superior contract to 3NT      
________________________________________________________
               
Hand 4   'Walsh System'  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
Ax Kxxx   1NT 2NT  
AQxxx KJx   3 3NT (singleton or void )
QJx Axxxx   4 pass  
Kxx x        
               
'Swedish' System   'Quested' System  
           
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
1 4 (splinter) 1NT 3 (, , or shortage)
4 pass   3 3 (singleton or void )
          4 pass  
               
 

If you open this hand with 1NT (as Paul and I do) then you may miss the good 5-3 fit in other methods.

________________________________________________________
               
Hand 5   'Walsh System'  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
Kx Axxx   1NT 2NT  
AQx KJx   3 3 (singleton or void )
xxxx x   4 4 (cue bid)
AQJx Kxxxx   4NT 5 (1430 + responses)
          6 pass  
               
'Swedish' System   'Quested' System  
               
Opener Responder   Opener Responder  
1NT 2   1NT 3 (, , or shortage)
2 3 (good cards with 5 's) 3 3NT (singleton or void )
3 3 (cue bids) 4   ('s are trumps)
4 4 (cue bids)   4 RKCB for 's
4NT 5 (1430 + response) 5   (2 keycards + Q)
6 pass     6  
               
  This is a difficult slam to reach without the knowledge that responder has shortage, allowing opener to show slam interest
 
________________________________________________________
               
 

So what can I (Terry) say about these three systems?

 

The Swedish one is just a little too alien for me, and I like to be able to open 1NT with a 5-card major. But if that's what they play in your neck of the woods then I guess you have to know it. However, it did not cope too well with these hands as there is no mechanism for responder to show a 3-suited hand.

 

The ‘Walsh' system obviously works well of course and is easy on the memory. But I'm not a fan of Minor Suit Stayman (SARS is far Superior) and I like 4-way transfers.

 

The “Quested' system obviously also works, but is not quite as good as ‘Walsh' with these example hands (it arrives at the same contract but it's harder on the memory). The advantage is that the ‘Quested' system has other features that ‘Walsh' does not (SARS, ASID, 4-way transfers, Quest transfers etc.). But, as I said, it's a lot harder on the memory.

   
 

Paul Quodomine, Janne Roos, Terry Quested

 
 
  Pattaya Bridge Club - www.pattayabridge.com
 
     
 
to conventions