Facts sheet 2 : 1NT Opening & NT responses

Scoring 2
Part score contracts (less than 100 trick points : receiving 50 bonus points) are :

  • 1NT or 2NT (40 + 30 = 70 trick pts)

  • 1♥ 1♠ or 2♥ 2♠ or 3♥ 3♠ (3 x 30 = 90 trick pts)

  • 1♣ 1♦ or 2♣ 2♦ or 3♣ 3♦ or 4♣ 4♦ (4 x 20 = 80 trick pts)

Game score contracts (100+ trick points : receiving 300 bonus points Not Vulnerable) are :

  • 3NT (40 + 30 + 30 = 100 trick pts) - 4NT - 5NT

  • 4♥ 4♠ (4 x 30 = 120 trick pts) - 5♥ 5♠

  • 5♣ 5♦ (5 x 20 = 100 trick pts)

You need a total of 26 valuation pts to make a Game contract in NT, ♥s or ♠s

You need a total of 29 valuation pts to make a Game contract in ♣s or ♦s

You need a total of 33 valuation pts to make a Small Slam contract (12 tricks)

You need a total of 37 valuation pts to make a Grand Slam contract (13 tricks)

1 NT Opening and NT response
The principal NT Opening bids are :

1NT = 16 - 18 HCP+LP and a balanced hand shape   (2NT = 22-24   3NT = 23-25)

NT responses to a 1NT opening bid are :

  1. 1NT - Pass = 0-7 pts

  2. 1NT - 2NT = 8-9 pts
    1. Opener Passes with only 16 points
    2. Opener bids 3NT with 17-18 points

  3. 1NT - 3NT = 10-14 pts   (Opener then Passes)

  4. 1NT - 4NT = 15-16 pts       1NT - 6NT = 17-19 pts     1NT - 7NT = 20+ pts

Opening lead to a NT contract
Lead your longest suit.

  1. lead the top of a solid sequence (K Q J   or   Q J 10   or   J 10 9   or   10 9 8,   but   A K Q)

  2. lead K from A K x x (to "have a look at Dummy")

  3. lead the 4th highest card

If Partner has made a bid, lead your highest card of his suit.