| Simplex Principles of 1st Round Responses to Three of a Suit
|
- PRINCIPLE 9: Simplex is a fundamentally natural bidding system. The only gadgets used are 2♣ Redshift, 4NT Blackwood, and the Simplex 2NT.
- PRINCIPLE 10: Responding hands with trump support but less than 10 HCP bid immediately to their total trump level. (For example, after a 1♥ opening by partner, a hand containing 6 HCP and four cards in the heart suit would immediately raise to 3♥. Partner is known to have at least five hearts. Add those five to the four that responder has makes nine. Take six from nine means a raise to the 3-level.) Equally if opener has less than 10 HCP but support for responder's suit, he will bid to the total trump level on the second round.
- PRINCIPLE 11: If a bidder cannot make the first-round bid his hand merits (because the opposition have already taken the auction too high), the bidder simply doubles, with an implied message to partner: "RHO has just taken my opening bid away, and I believe it is safe for you to bid at this or one level higher."
- PRINCIPLE 13: Ignore first-round doubles by the opponents. Carry on and make the bid you would have made if the opponents had passed.
- PRINCIPLE 18: An opening bid, overcall or response of Three of a new Suit guarantees four or more cards in the suit and 17-22 HCP.
- PRINCIPLE 19: Responder's first-round responses to an opening of one or two of a suit should be:
- Show support for partner's major.
- If you are weak (0-9 HCP), show support for partner's minor.
- Make the bid you would have made, had you been opener.
- If you are strong (10+ HCP), show support for partner's minor.
- Show support for partner's minor.
- Double the opposition's bid if it has taken away your opening bid.
- Bid 1NT with 8-16 HCP and no biddable suit.
- PRINCIPLE 22: Always bid the cheaper of two equal-length suits.
- PRINCIPLE 23: Except for strong (17+ HCP) hands and responses to doubles, four-card suits are never explicitly bid in the first round.
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| Box R1A
(Version 1.0)
| Responding to One of a Suit (1♣, 1♦, 1♥, 1♠)
|
| Bid
| Meaning
| Forcing?
| Where to next?
|
| Pass
| 0-7 HCP and less than 3-card support for partner's suit
| NF
|
|
| Double
| Unable even to bid 1NT. RHO's overcall has taken his bid away.
| NF
| Box O2A
|
| One of a New Suit
| 5+ cards, 8-16 points, compliant with Rule of 18.
| NF
| Box O2B
|
| 1NT
| 8-16 HCP and no other available bid — i.e. the 'dustbin' bid. The hand will contain fewer than four cards in opener's suit. The hand may contain four cards in another suit, or a 5-card suit not now biddable at the 1-level.
| NF
| Box O2B
|
| Two of a New Suit
| 6+ cards and 3-16 points
| NF
| Box O2B
|
| Raise to Two of the Suit
| 3-card support and 0-9 HCP
| NF
| Box O2C
|
| 2NT
| 4+ card support and 10+ HCP
| F
| Box O2B
|
| Three of a New Suit
| 4+ cards and 17+ HCP
| GF
| Box O2B
|
| Raise to Three of the Suit
| 4-card support and 0-9 HCP
| NF
| Box O2D
|
| Raise to Four of the Suit
| 5-card support and 0-9 HCP
| NF
| Box O2E
|
| Raise to Five of Opener's Minor
| 6+card support and 0-9 HCP
| NF
| Box O2F
|
