Walsh No Trump Notes by Rhoda Walsh: Chapter 2

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Rhoda_WalshRhoda Walsh, attorney, is a bridge theorist and champion: she’s WBF Grand Master and ACBL Grand Life Master; also she places 7th in all time masterpoint list for women. With Paul Soloway, John Swanson, and her ex-husband Richard Walsh, in late sixties Rhoda developed the Two-Over-One Game Forcing System, formerly known as Walsh System.

The Walsh Notrump Notes are the Rhoda Walsh’s study on No Trump openings with their developments either in uncontested and contested auctions. We have parted it in ten chapters. Today we publish the Chapter 2: FITS after Stayman. (You can find a concise terminology in Chapter 1: click here »)

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Walsh No Trump Notes

 

by Rhoda Walsh

 

Chapter II

 

Fits After Stayman

 

 

WHAT IT IS: “FITS After Stayman” is a conventional means by which responder to partner’s notrump opening bid or overcall shows slam interest in the major shown by opener’s response to Stayman.

Examples:

1NT-2♣; 2-3♠/4: FITS bids.

1NT-2♣; 2♠-3/4: FITS bids.

3♠ above (and 3 below), shows heart (spade) support, slam interest and distributional hand; 4 shows the same and balanced hand.

 

WHEN IT IS USED: only when responder has slam interest in the major shown by opener’s response to Stayman.

 

 

– After Stayman over partner’s 1NT opening bid or overcall.

a) 1NT Opening bid:

1NT            2♣

2               3♠/4♦ : FITS bids

 

b) 1NT Overcall:

ME    OPP    YOU    OPP

—       1       1NT       Pass

2♣      Pass      2♠       Pass

3/4: FITS bids.

 

– After Stayman over partner’s 2NT opening bid or overcall.

Note: The 4 FITS bid does not apply over a 2NT opening bid. A 4 rebid by responder after using Stayman is natural, showing a 2nd suit and denying a major suit fit.

 

2NT        3♣

3♥           3♠: FITS bid.

.              4: Natural. Four spades. Five+ diamonds, fewer than four hearts. Slam interest.

 

ME    OPP    YOU    OPP

—       2       2NT     Pass

3♣     Pass     3♠        Pass

4♦/4: FITS bid. Note: The 4 FITS bid does apply over a 2NT overcall.

 

– After Stayman over partner’s 2NT rebid following his 2♣ opening bid.

Note: The 4 FITS bid does not apply in this sequence. Here, a 4 rebid by responder is natural, showing a 2nd suit and denying a major suit fit.

 

2♣       2

2NT    3♣

3♠       4: Natural. Four hearts. Five+ diamonds, fewer than four spades. Slam interest.

.           4: FITS bid.

 

Responder’s rebids

(first part)

A) with 16 to 17 psp and a balanced hand.

After a 1NT opening bid or overcall or 2NT overcall (showing an opening 1NT bid), if responder has 16 to 17 PSP and a balanced hand:

Responderjump rebids 4, an artificial, conventional FITS bid.

 

1NT          2♣

2 /2♠     4: FITS bid. Balanced hand. Game forcing. Slam invitational in the major shown by the notrump bidder.

ME       OPP       YOU     OPP

—            2/2♠        2NT         Pass

3♣             Pass           3          Pass

4: FITS bid. Balanced hand. Game forcing. Slam invitational in the major shown by the notrump bidder.

 

Notrump bidder’s rebids:

– Lacking slam interest: The notrump bidder rebids game in the agreed major.

1NT           2♣

2 [2♠]     4: Balanced FITS bid.

4[4♠]: Signoff.

 

– With slam interest: The notrump bidder either cue bids his cheapest [non-agreed suit] control, or rebids 4NT, 1430 RKCB in the agreed major. His choice will depend on his controls in the unbid suits.

 

1NT              2♣

2♥                 4: Balanced FITS bid.

4♠/4NT      [5♣/5]: Control-Bid up-the-line/1430 RKCB [Control-Bids up-the-line].

 

Responder’s rebids

(second part)

B) with 16 to 17 psp and an unbalanced hand.

After a 1NT opening bid or overcall or 2NT overcall (showing an opening 1NT bid), if responder has 16 to 17 psp and an unbalanced hand, responder bids the other major at the three level, an artificial, conventional bid.

1NT           2♣

2[2♠]     3♠[3]: Distributional FITS bid. Four+ hearts [spades]. Unknown side singleton or void. Game forcing. Slam invitational in hearts [spades].

 

ME    OPP     YOU    OPP

—      2/2   2NT    Pass

3♣      Pass      3♠        Pass

4: Distributional FITS bid. Four+ spades. Unknown side singleton or void. Game forcing. Slam invitational in spades.

 

Notrump bidder’s rebids:

 

– Lacking slam interest: The notrump bidder rebids game in the agreed major.

1NT         2♣

2♥            3♠: Distributional FITS bid.

4: Signoff.

 

– With slam interest: The notrump bidder rebids 3NT, an artificial conventional call asking responder to name his short suit.

1NT       2♣

2♠          3: Distributional FITS bid.

3NT: Requests responder’s short suit.

1NT          2♣

2              3♠: Distributional FITS bid.

3NT: Requests responder’s short suit.

 

Responder’s rebids to 3NT after distributional FITS. Responder names his short suit at the four level. Note: If the agreed major is hearts, and responder’s short suit is spades, responder rebids 4 in response to the notrump bidder’s 3NT inquiry.

 

1NT             2♣

2[2♠]       3♠[3]: Distributional FITS bid.

3NT: Requests responder’s short suit.

4♣/4/4: Singleton or void club/diamond/spade[heart].

4NT: 1430 RKCB in hearts [spades].

 

Responder’s rebids after a 2nt opening bid

(after using Stayman)

If responder has 11 to 12 PSP and a balanced orunbalanced hand, responder rebids the other major at the cheapest available level, an artificial conventional FITS bid.

Note:The 4 bid to differentiate the balanced hand from the unbalanced hand is unavailable at this level. The 4 bid after a response to Stayman is used to show a 2nd suit held by responder.

 

2NT          3♣

3[3♠]      3♠[4]: FITS bid [distributional or balanced]. Four+ hearts [four+ spades]. Does not promise a side singleton or void. Game forcing. Slam invitational

.                   4: Natural. Five+ diamonds. Four spades [four hearts]. Game forcing. Slam invitational.

 

Notrump bidder’s rebids lacking slam interest

The notrump bidder rebids game in the agreed major.

 

2NT          3♣

3              3♠: FITS bid [distributional or balanced].

4: Signoff

 

Notrump bidder’s rebids with slam interest

A): If hearts are the agreed suit.

 

The notrump bidder rebids 3NT, an artificial conventional call asking responder ifhe has a side singleton or void.

2NT       3♣

3           3♠: FITS bid (distributional or balanced).

3NT: Asks responderif he has a short suit.

 

– Responder’s rebids lacking a side singleton or void: Responder rebids game in hearts, the agreed major.

2NT       3♣

3           3♠: FITS bid (distributional or balanced).

3NT: Asks responder if he has a short suit.

.               4: No short suit. To play.

 

– Responder’s rebid with a side singleton or void: Responder names his short suit at the four level, even if the singleton or void is in spades.

2NT         3♣

3             3♠: FITS bid, distributional or balanced.

3NT: Asks responder if he has a short suit.

4♣/4/4♠: Singleton or void club/diamond/spade. Game forcing.

Note: Responder cannot rebid 4♥ to show spade shortness (as he can after a 1NT opening bid), since the 4 bid here is used to deny a singleton or void.

 

B): If spades are the agreed suit

The notrump bidder rebids (of necessity) 4NT, anartificial conventional bid asking responder ifhe has a side singleton or void.

2NT        3♣

3♠           4: FITS bid (distributional or balanced).

4NT: Artificial. Asks responder if he has a short suit.

Note: In this sequence, the bid of 4NT is not RKCB. An artificial conventional bid of 5♣ by the notrump bidder (over responder’s 4bid) is 1430 RKCSG.

 

Responder’s rebids (in response to partner’s 4NT inquiry):

 

Lacking a side singleton or void: Responder rebids 5♠, the agreed major.

2NT       3♣

3♠          4: FITS bid (distributional or balanced).

4NT: Artificial. Asks responder if he has a short suit.

.             5♠: No short suit. Nonforcing.

 

With a side singleton or void: Responder names his short suit at the five level.

2NT        3♣

3♠            4: FITS bid (distributional or balanced).

4NT: Artificial. Asks responder if he has a short suit.

.                5♣/5/5: Splinter. Singleton or void club/diamond/heart. Forcing to 5♠.

 

Responder’s rebids after 2♣-2; 2nt

(after using Stayman)

 

The FITS sequences are exactly the same as over a 2NT opening bid.

Note: Inasmuch as the notrump bidder is showing 22 to 24 HCP, responder’s use of FITS shows 9 to 10 PSP.

2♣        2

2NT      3♣

3          3♠: FITS bid (distributional or balanced).

3NT: Asks responderif he has a short suit.

.               4♣/4/4♠:Splinter. Singleton or void club/diamond/spade.

.               4: No short suit. To play.

 

2♣        2

2NT     3♣

3♠         4: FITS bid [distributional or balanced].

4NT: Artificial. Asks responder if he has a short suit.

.             5♣/5/5: Splinter. Singleton or void club/diamond/heart. Forcing to 5♠.

.            5♠: No short suit. To play.

 

ADJUNCTS

 

Responder’s Rebids (after using Stayman), with a Slam Forcing Hand: Responder does not use FITS.

 – After a 1NT opening bid or overcall: If a fit is found, over the notrump bidder’s response to Stayman, responder simply checks for keycards via 4♣, 1430 RKCG (in the major shown by the notrump bidder), before placing the final contract.

1NT         2♣

2/2♠      4♣:1430 RKCG in hearts/spades.

 

ME    OPP    YOU    OPP

—      1♦        1NT      Pass

2♣   Pass    2/2♠    Pass

4♣: 1430 RKCG in hearts/spades.

 

After a 2NT opening bid or overcall, or 2♣-2; 2NT:If a fit is found, over the notrump bidder’s response to Stayman, responder checks for keycards via 5♣, 1430 RKCSG (in the major shown by the notrump bidder), before placing the final contract.

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Walsh No Trump Notes by Rhoda Walsh.

Edited by Paolo Enrico Garrisi

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