Inverted Majors:

Advantages of Inverted Majors:

• Significantly superior GF raises.
• Agrees with the Law of Total Tricks.
• Mini-Splinters and Bergen co-exist.
• Natural game tries in the Other Major.
• Kokish game tries.
• Low level Slam investigations with the Control Asking Bids.
• Elimination of some of the more awkward bits of the forcing NT over 1 opener.

Disadvantage of Inverted Majors:

Lack of immediate natural 2/1 GF with a minor suit.

Inverted Majors: Heart Raises

• 1 - 1 - Forcing. *See specialized sequences below.
• 1 - 1NT - Non-Forcing. *See specialized sequences below.

Minimum Responses and Game Tries

1 - 2 is 3 card support, minimum raise.

• 2 - I also have 4 spades (natural GT).
• 2 - Where would you accept HSGT?
• 2NT/3/3 - Short suit game tries (NT is short spades).

2/1 GF Responses

1 - 2 - Artificial GF (does not have exactly doubleton heart and 4 spades; any other shape).

GF Raise

1 - 2 (Jacoby 2NT like GF raise).

• 2NT - Minimum opener. No Shortness.
• 3 - Control Asking Bid (CAB). Respond
  • 3 = 0-2
  • 3 = 3
  • 3 = 4 etc.

2/3/3 - Shortness here. CAB not counting short suit K. Respond:

• 3 = 0-2
• step 1 = 3
• step 2 = 4 etc.
• 4 = extreme duplication.

3 - Extra values, no shortness. CAB. Respond

• 4 = 0-2
• 3 = 3
• 3NT = 4 etc.

Masked Mini-Splinter Responses

1 - 2 - Mini-splinter somewhere. Invitation +, 4 card support.

2NT Asking.

• 3/ - Shortness here.
• 3 - Short spades.

Other GF Responses

1 - 2NT - GF, doubleton heart and exactly 4 spades.(4-2-(3/4)-(3/4)).

1 - 3NT - GF, doubleton heart 15 - 17 points. (3-2-4-4).

Bergen Structure

1 - 3 - Mixed minimum raise with 4 card support (If 5 - 7 points, may have shortness, if 7 - 9 points it is flat).

1 - 3 - Invitation, flat hand, 4 card support.

1 - 3 - Pre-emptive Raise.

Inverted Majors:

Spade Raises

1 - 1NT Forcing. *Specialized strong hand sequences by the opener similar to those over 1 opener are not covered here. Minimum Responses and Game Tries

1 - 2 - 3 card support, minimum raise.

• 2 - I also have 4 hearts (natural GT).
• 2 - I also have 5 hearts (natural GT).
• 2NT - Where would you accept HSGT?
• 3/3/3 - Short suit game tries.

2/1 GF Responses

1 - 2 - Artificial GF (any shape, less than 5 hearts)

1 - 2 - GF with 5 + hearts

GF Raise

1 - 2 - Jacoby 2NT like GF raise.

• 2NT - Minimum opener. No shortness. 3 Control Asking Bid. Respond:
  • 3 = 0-2
  • 3 = 1-3
  • 3 = 4 etc.
• 3// - Shortness here. CAB not counting short suit K. Respond:
  • 3 = 0-2
  • step 1 = 3
  • step 2 = 4, etc.
  • 4 = extreme duplication.
• 3 - Extra values, no shortness. CAB. Respond
  • 4 = 0-2
  • 3NT = 3
  • 4 = 4 etc.

Masked Mini-Splinter Responses

1 - 2NT - Mini-splinter somewhere. Invitation +, 4 card support. 3 Asking.

• 3/ - Shortness here.
• 3 is short clubs.

Other GF Responses

1 - 3 - GF, doubleton spade and exactly 4 hearts.(2-4-(3/4)-(3/4)).

1 - 3NT - GF, doubleton spade, 15 - 17 points. (2-3-4-4).

Bergen Structure

1 - 3 - Mixed minimum raise with 4 card support (If 5 - 7 points, may have shortness, if 7 - 9 points it is flat).

1 - 3 - Invitation, flat hand, 4 card support.

1 - 3 - Pre-emptive Raise.

Passed Hand Bidding

1/ - 2/, by a passed hand is Inverse Drury. Pass or move forward using exact same structure as above. 2 Is a simple raise.

Note: When Partner is a passed hand, none of the Bergen structure (other than the preemptive raise) is available.

Instead, all jumps are Fit Showing Jumps. Masked Mini-splinters survive.

Inverse Drury Etc.

1/ - 2/ - Invitational Raise.

Pass - Minimum Hand.

Game Tries

2/NT - Where would you accept HSGT?

2NT/3// - Short suit game tries, as described above.

Slam Tries

3/ - Extra values, no shortness. CAB. Respond 4/ = 0-2, step 1 = 3, step 2 = 4, etc.

3/4// - Splinter. CAB not counting short suit K. Respond

• 4/ = 0-2,
• step 1 = 3
• step 2 = 4 etc.

More Passed Hand Bidding

Fit Showing Jumps

1/ - 2NT/3// - FSJ Invitational Raise. 4 card support with values in this suit (2NT = FSJ with spades over 1).

Masked Mini-Splinters

1/ - 2/NT - Mini-splinter somewhere. Invitation, 4 card support.

Pre-emptive Jump

1/ - 3/ - Pre-emptive Raise.

Specialized sequences over 1

The Forcing Spade

1 - 1 - Relay to 1NT. Denies 4 spades but may have 5+ spades.

Opener must accept the relay if he has any minimum hand with (2/3/4) - 5 - (2/3) - (2/3) shape.

With all other shapes, the Opener is expected to bid his 2nd suit or rebid hearts when appropriate.

Minimum Hand Bids over the forcing 1 Response

1NT Relay accepted.

• P/2// is a minimum hand that wishes to play here.
• 2 is a hand with a doubleton heart, unsuitable for play in NT.
• 2NT - Invitational hand, may have 5 spades, so bid 3 with 3, if accepting.
• 3// - Invitational hand with 6 card suit.
• 3 is 3 card support Invitational.

2/ - Relay rejected due to shape. Second suit. Pass or correct.

Strong Hand Bids over the forcing 1 Response

2 Relay showing Strong Jump Shift values.

Please bid 3, unless you have either a 3 card limit raise (bid 3), or 5 spades (bid 3), 6+ spades (bid 3)

3 - Relay accepted. Over the relay:

• 3 is 6 card suit with Strong Jump Shift values.
• 3 shows 4+ diamonds
• 3 shows 4+ clubs
• 3NT is to play with suitable spade values.

2NT 17 - 18, with suitable spade values.

3/ is 5+ hearts and 5+ clubs/diamonds distributional hand with invitational values.

3 - Invitational hand with 6+ hearts.

3 - Western Cue. Bid 3NT with a spade stopper.

3NT - Unavailable as partner could easily have 5+ spades. You have to go through the Relay sequence.

Specialized sequences over 1 (continued.)

The Non-Forcing Notrump

1 - 1NT Minimum hand with exactly 4 spades, and not 3 hearts. Not forcing.

Minimum Hand Bids over The Non-Forcing 1NT Response

Pass - Play here.

2/ - Shape issues. Second suit. Pass or correct.

2 - 6+ hearts. Play here.

2 - Minimum hand 4-4 spade fit.

Strong Hand Bids over 1NT Response

2NT 17 - 18.

3 - Relay showing Strong Jump Shift values. Please bid 3.

• 3 - Relay accepted. Over the relay
  • 3 is 6 card suit with Strong Jump Shift values.
  • 3 shows 4+ diamonds,
  • 3NT shows 4+ clubs.

3 - 5+ hearts and 5+ clubs/diamonds distributional hand.

• 3/4 - Play here.
• 3/NT - I have diamonds/clubs in that order, and interested in the appropriate game.

3 - Invitational hand with 6+ hearts.

3 - Invitational hand with 4 spades.

3NT - To play.