Inverted Minors

 

"Standard" methods do not provide for a forcing minor suit raise and many partnerships get around this by playing "Inverted Minors":

       1♣ 2♣ and 1♦ 3♦ are good raises (at least game-invitational, maybe only 4-card support)

       1♣ 3♣ and 1♦ 3♦ are preemptive raises (at least 5-card support)

All of these sequences deny a 4-card major.

 

 4th June, 2008                         Board 16      Dealer West       None Vul

 

 

2♦ was an Inverted Raise, showing at least invitational strength, with Diamond support, and no 4-card major.  Some partnerships like to bid stoppers here, but a simpler (and in our view more effective) style is to bid the hand-type:

-         2NT is a balanced minimum

-         3♦ is an unbalanced minimum

-         2♥ and 2♠ show something in that suit and enough for game

-         Side-suit bids at the 3-level show shortness

If these are the methods in use then West has an obvious 2NT rebid.

 

As luck would have it there was another 1♦ 2♦ auction on Board 25.

            East     South   West    North

                                                Pass

            1♦        Pass    2♦        Pass

            ??

 

East’s hand was:           ♠ K763

                                    ♥ J

                                    ♦ QJT86

                                    ♣ KQ6

It’s another minimum opening, but this one is unbalanced, an obvious 3♦ bid.

 

6th February, 2008

Board 11

South               North

♠ K                  ♠ A54 

♥ KJ4              ♥ A8

♦ 643               ♦ AQT2

♣ AKJT93      ♣ 8652

 

1♣                   2♣

2♥                    2NT

3♣                   3♦

4♣                   4♥

6♣                   Pass

 

The time has finally come for The Wednesday Game to tackle the thorny subject of Inverted Minors, and it is featured as our Convention of the Week.  There are various Inverted Minor follow-ups, this was the meaning of our featured auction:

-         2♣: Invitational values or better, no 4-card major.  North might have bid 3NT (showing 13-15) but reasoned that she was too slammish for that.

-         2♥:  As played by this pair, 2♥ showed something in Hearts and was game-forcing.

-         2NT:  Natural

-         3♣:  Still forcing, of course, presumably interested in a Club slam.

-         3♦:  Shows something in Diamonds, cooperating in the slam hunt.

-         4♣:  Minorwood

-         4♥:  Using 1430 responses, so this shows 0 or 3.

 

 

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