Strong 1NT

What it shows

Balanced means no singleton or void and no more than one doubleton, so the shape is 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2 (BidMaestro opens 1NT with a five-card major too when the hand is balanced and in range).

Responding to 1NT

Because the picture is so exact, responder can add the two hands together and judge game or slam to within a trick, and several responses exist to find out more:

When they overcall the bid you wanted to make

If the opponent on your right overcalls partner’s 1NT with the very bid you were about to make, double to make it anyway: the stolen-bid double. Over their 2♣ the double is Stayman; over 2♦ it is a transfer to hearts; over 2♥ a transfer to spades; and, playing Minor-Suit Transfers, over 2♠ it is the relay, a weak hand (fewer than 8 high-card points) with a six-card minor. Opener answers exactly as if you had made the bid. A Stayman or transfer bid that is still available above their overcall keeps its usual meaning, as do Texas transfers and the quantitative raises, and playing Lebensohl the 2NT relay handles the weak hands.

If the opponents bid again over a stolen Stayman, opener still answers: two of a four-card major while the two level is available, three of it with a maximum (16 or more high-card points), and otherwise a pass, which denies a major or, with the three level the only room left, declines to volunteer it on a minimum. You then bid game with the four-four fit and 10 or more points counting shortness and extra trumps, compete to three with 8 or 9 high-card points, bid 3NT with 10 or more high-card points and no fit, and otherwise pass.

Other notrump openings

The other balanced openings: 2NT shows a balanced 20–21, and the very strongest balanced hands (22 or more) open an artificial 2♣ and rebid notrump. A balanced hand below 15 is opened with one of a suit and shown with a notrump rebid on the next round, or passed.

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