MAJOR OPEN

Major Suit Openings and Responses:

To open 1 Heart or 1 Diamond, you need a 5 card suit (or more) and 13-21 points.
With 2 five-card suits or 2 six-card suits, always open the higher ranking.
Responder's reply with 3-card support:
Show your strength and remember to count dummy points - and not length points anymore. Revalue
your hand when you support partner's major.
0-5 points: Pass. > This is a sign off bid.
Minimum Hand: 6-9(10) points: Raise opener's major to the 2 level, a single raise.
<This is an invitational bid>.
Medium Hand: 11.12 points:

Jump to the 3 level in the major.

<This is an invitational bid.>

Maximum Hand: 13+ points:

Get to at least game in the major.

<This is an invitational bid. Opener may want to continue to slam.>

Responder's reply without 3-card support:

0-5 points: Pass. <This is a sign off bid>.
Bid 1NT with 6-9(10) points when no other suit is available at the 1-level. This is NOT a forcing bid.
6 or more points: Bid a new 4+ card suit at the 1-level. This can only be 1 ~. This is a forcing bid.
11 + points: Bid a new suit at the 1-or-2-level. This is a forcing bid.
Opener's Rebid
In order to reply to responder, the opener places his hand in one of 3 categories:
Minimum: 13-16 points
Medium:

17-18 points

Maximum: 19-21 points

1. Raise responder's suit with support, revaluing his hand because he will now be the dummy. This
is not a forcing bid.
2. Bid a second suit if 4 cards or longer at the2-level (* must be lower ranking than the first suit).
This is not a forcing bid.
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3. Bid NT with a balanced hand and no other suit. This shows 12-14 points. This is not a forcing
bid.
4. Rebid his major with 6 cards in the suit. This is not a forcing bid.
*With a minimum hand, opener rebids at the lowest level:
a. Either a new suit at the 2-level, or
b. His own suit with 6 cards.
*With a medium hand, opener can make:
a. A jump raise in responder's suit, or
b. Make a jump rebid in his own suit with 6 cards.
*With a maximum hand, opener can:
a. Take the partnership to game, or
b. Jump shift into a new suit.
If responder makes a minimum raise to the 2-level in opener's suit Opener:
a. Passes with a minimum hand,
b. Raises to the 3-level with a medium hand,
c. Goes to game with a maximum hand.
If responder makes a jump raise to the 3-level in opener's suit, Opener continues to game except with a
"minimum minimum" of 13 or 14 points.

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