After an opening of 1NT

From Simplex

The Principles for Responder's 1st Round Bid

Simplex Principles of 1st Round Responses to 1NT
  • PRINCIPLE 0: Almost always open, overcall and respond with your clearly longest suit. (That is, except when responding to an opening/overcall of Three of a Suit, when it is often better to bid one's cheapest 4+ card suit.)
  • PRINCIPLE 5: 1NT, whether bid as an opening, overcall or response, does not claim a stopper in any suit bid by the opponents.
  • PRINCIPLE 9: Simplex is a fundamentally natural bidding system. The only gadgets used are 2♣ Redshift, 4NT Blackwood, and the Simplex 2NT.
  • 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:
    1. Show support for partner's major.
    2. If you are weak (0-9 HCP), show support for partner's minor.
    3. Make the bid you would have made, had you been opener.
    4. If you are strong (10+ HCP), show support for partner's minor.
    5. Show support for partner's minor.
    6. Double the opposition's bid if it has taken away your opening bid.
    7. 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.
  • PRINCIPLE 30: Do not double their strong (i.e. 16+ HCP), natural bids.

1st Round Bids available to Responder

Box R1B
(Version 1.0)
Responding to 1NT
Bid
Meaning
Forcing?
Where to next?
Pass
0-8 HCP, five clubs or fewer, five diamonds or fewer, no 5+ holding in hearts or spades
NF
2♣
1NT:2♣ is 3-card Redshift, requesting the 1NT bidder to reply with his cheapest 3+ card suit — i.e. 2♦ or 2♥. Responder has one of:
  • 6+ club suit and a weak hand (i.e. 0-9 HCP), planning to bid 3♣ on the next round whatever opener replies. (K1#4)
  • Weak hand (i.e. 0-9 HCP) and 5-card heart suit, when he passes 1NT bidder's 2♥ or bids 2♥ after 1NT bidder's 2♦.
  • Weak hand (i.e. 0-9 HCP) and 5-card spade suit, when he rebids 2♠.
  • Balanced or semi-balanced hand containing 10-11 points, when he will rebid 2NT. (R3#3)
  • Good hand (i.e. 10-13 HCP) and 5+ card suit in ♦, ♥ or ♠. He will rebid the suit at the 3-level whatever Opener responds. (K1#3)
  • Very good hand (i.e. 14-16 HCP) and a 5+ card suit. He will rebid the suit at the 4-level whatever Opener responds.
  • Or exceptionally, Weak hand (i.e. 0-9 HCP), at least four cards in each red suit, and a shortage in spades (i.e. either a singleton or void), when he will pass whatever the 1NT bidder replies, preferring to play in, at worst, a 4-3 trump fit rather than NT with a spade shortage.
F
2♦ / 2♥ / 2♠
Weak (0-10 points) and a 6+ diamond/heart/spade suit.
NF
2NT
12-14 points, balanced or semi-balanced, no 4+ card major, stopper in the enemy suit (if they have bid).
NF
3♣ / 3♦ / 3♥ / 3♠
17-22 points and cheapest 4+ card suit.
NF
3NT
15-16 points, balanced, probably no 4+ card major, stopper in the enemy suit (if they have bid).
NF
4NT
19-20 points, balanced. Quantitative inquiry. Opener:
  • passes on 11-12 HCP,
  • bids 5NT on 13-14 HCP, and
  • bids 6NT on 15-16 HCP
NF

The Principles for Opener's/Overcaller's 2nd Round Bid

Simplex Principles of 1st Round Responses to 1NT
  • PRINCIPLE 6: If Opener/Overcaller rebids his suit on the second round, this shows a suit longer than the five cards originally promised. A simple rebid — e.g. 1♥ then 2♥ — shows a 6-card suit. A jump rebid — e.g. 1♣ then 3♣ — shows a 7-card suit. (NB This principle is not enforced if responder showed a strong hand in the first round — i.e. 2NT, 3x, or 4NT.)
  • PRINCIPLE 7: No extra values are needed to bid any 4+ card suit at the two-level on the second round. There is no concept of a 'barrier' or a 'reverse'.
  • PRINCIPLE 9: Simplex is a fundamentally natural bidding system. The only gadgets used are 2♣ Redshift, 4NT Blackwood, and the Simplex 2NT.
  • PRINCIPLE 12: After a suit-raise by partner — e.g. 1♦:2♦ or 1♥:3♥ or 1♠:4♠ or 1♣:5♣ — do not bid on. That is, unless the opponents are trying to steal your contract and you have extra suit length beyond the five cards your initial bid promised.
  • PRINCIPLE 20: After opening/overcalling One of a Suit or 1NT or doubling on the first round, you can bid another 4+ card suit at the 2-level on the second round, even if responder passed.
  • PRINCIPLE 21: If you had a hand worth opening at the 1-level and you have another 5+ card suit, you should bid it at the 3-level on the second round, even if responder passed.
  • PRINCIPLE 26: After the second round, your doubles are for penalties — do not double purely because RHO has just taken your bid away.
  • PRINCIPLE 28: 2NT in reply to a suit bid is always the Simplex convention. 2NT in reply to 1NT is always quantitative, showing 12-14 HCP balanced.
Box O2B
(Version 1.0)
Opener's Rebid after opening One of a Suit (1♣, 1♦, 1♥, 1♠)
Responder's Bid
Opener's Rebids
Meaning
Forcing?
Where to next?
One of a New Suit
Pass
Minimum opening hand (i.e. 8-12 HCP), little support for responder, no other 4+ card suit.
NF
One or Two of a New Suit
4+ card suit.
NF
1NT
11-16 HCP and fairly balanced with a 5-card suit.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 2-level
6-card suit.
NF
Raise Responder's suit to the 2-level
3-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
2NT
The Simplex 2NT: 10+ HCP and 4+ card support for Responder's suit.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 3-level
7+ card suit.
NF
Raise Responder's suit to the 3-level
4-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
Raise Responder's suit to the 4-level
5-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
Raise Responder's minor to the 5-level
6-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
1NT
Pass
8-10 HCP and a 5-3-3-2 shape.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 2-level
6-card suit.
NF
Two of a New Suit
4+ card suit.
NF
2NT
12-14 HCP, balanced or semi-balanced.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 3-level
7+ card suit.
NF
3NT
15+ HCP, balanced.
NF
Two of a New Suit
Pass
Minimum opening hand (i.e. 8-12 HCP), little support for responder, no other 4+ card suit.
NF
Two of a New Suit
4+ card suit.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 2-level
6-card suit.
NF
2NT
The Simplex 2NT: 10+ HCP and 4+ card support for Responder's suit.
NF
Raise Responder's suit to the 3-level
3-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
New Suit at the 3-level
5+ card suit.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 3-level
7+ card suit.
NF
Raise Responder's suit to the 4-level
4-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
Raise Responder's minor to the 5-level
5-card support and less than 10 HCP.
NF
2NT
Rebid of Opener's suit at the 3-level
Up to 13 HCP.
NF
Cue-bid of cheapest 1st-round control
14+ HCP.
F
Three of a New Suit
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 3-level
Minimum opening hand (i.e. 8-12 HCP), less than 4-card support for responder, no other 4+ card suit biddable at the 3-level.
NF
Three of a New Suit
4+ card suit.
NF
3NT
Balanced, preferably with the other two suits stopped.
NF
Rebid of Opener's original suit at the 4-level
6+ card suit.
NF
Raise Responder's suit to the 4-level
3+ card support and 8-12 HCP.
NF
4NT
Blackwood: 13+ HCP.
NF

2nd Round Bids available to Opener/Overcaller

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