Video by Maggie Hadley – Article by India Leeming
Responder’s 1NT, often called the “Dustbin 1NT”, often causes confusion in bridge learners. Many people remember the bid to mean “6-9 HCP”, “no fit in Partner’s suit” or “any old rubbish”. The truth is that these are all part of the answer: but not the whole answer! The bid should not be thought of in terms of what it shows but what it denies. It simply means “I couldn’t do anything else”. No wonder it’s so difficult to get your head around!
So let’s decide on an order of priority for what you should do if your partner opens 1 of a suit:
- If you only have 0-5 HCP, pass.
- If your partner opened 1 of a major and you have support, support the major.
- If you have a 4+-card major, bid the major. Exception: If you have a game-forcing hand opposite a rebid of 1NT* by Partner, you can bid a longer minor first.
- If you have support for Partner’s minor, support the minor.
- If you can bid your longest suit at the next available level**, bid that suit.
- If you cannot do any of the above, bid 1NT: it’s the only bid that’s left!
Notice that the 1NT response is right at the bottom of the pecking order! It should be a last resort if you are unable to make any other bid.
* If you play Acol, Partner’s 1NT rebid promises 15 HCP, so you will need 10+ HCP to force to game later. If you play Standard American, Partner’s rebid only promises 12 HCP, so you will need 13+ HCP instead.
** Remember: you need 6+ HCP to bid a new suit at the 1-level; you need 10+ HCP to bid a new suit at the 2-level.
Let’s look at some examples:
- 1♠ – 1NT
1NT says “I do not have support for your ♠; and I only have 6-9 HCP, so I was not strong enough to bid my longest suit at the 2-level”.
- 1♥ – 1NT
1NT says “I do not have support for your ♥; I do not have 4 ♠; and I only have 6-9 HCP, so I was not strong enough to bid my longest suit at the 2-level”.
- 1♦ – 1NT
1NT says “I do not have 4 ♥ or ♠; I do not have support for your ♦; and I only have 6-9 HCP, so I was not strong enough to bid my longest suit at the 2-level”.
- 1♣ – 1NT
1NT says “I do not have 4 ♥, ♠ or ♦; I do not have support for your ♣***; and I only have 6-9 HCP, so I was not strong enough to bid my longest suit at the 2-level”.
*** If you play Standard American, you will bid 1NT only with precisely 3-3-3-4 shape (S-H-D-C). If you play Acol, you can also choose to do so with that shape, despite having support for your partner’s clubs: you have such a balanced hand that you will normally find that NT plays better than your minor fit.
Now have a go at the following question:
Q. Which hand/hands match this auction: 1♦ – 1NT?
- ♠ 5432 ♥ KQ6 ♦ 64 ♣ JT95
- ♠ K72 ♥ 5 ♦ Q53 ♣ Q87632
- ♠ 843 ♥ A86 ♦ T75 ♣ QJ82
- ♠ A86 ♥ 974 ♦ KT4 ♣ KT98