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Weakness Take-outs of 1NT by Andy Hung

In this section, we will be looking at weakness take-outs of suit responses to a 1NT opening. That is, removing partner's 1NT opening to 2♦, 2♥, or 2♠, telling partner that you have a five-card (or longer) suit with a weak hand, and prefer playing there instead of 1NT.

Assume in all cases that 1NT is 12-14 points and a balanced hand.
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Question 1

  South
♠ K Q J 7 6
♥ 5
♦ 10 8 5 3
♣ Q J 5 		 
Q: 1 - Here you are sitting South as responder, and partner opens 1NT. Do you want to bid? If so, what do you bid?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♠. This hand can only be played in a part-score (your maximum point -count is just 23). Although you have the majority of the points you may think 1NT is a fair spot, especially as you may make five tricks in Spades. However, this is assuming that partner has the ♠A. What if partner doesn't have that card?Then your Spades may rot in dummy. Therefore, it is best to remove partner's 1NT by signing-off in 2♠. This bid is to play, and partner is not allowed to bid on.

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Question 2

  South
♠ Q 9 5
♥ Q J 8 7 6 2
♦ 8 5
♣ 9 2 		 
Q: 2 - Do you bid or pass? If the former, what do you bid?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♥. Many players think that you simply cannot bid with only 5 points because if you do, partner will be bidding into the stratosphere! This simply isn't the case, however, when responding to a 1NT opening bid. Here,bidding a new suit says you want to play there and it usually signifies a weak hand. You are boss of the auction and what you say should be the final word.

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Question 3

  South
♠ 8 4 2
♥ J 8 7 5 3
♦ 5
♣ Q J 8 7 		 
Q: 3 - What do you do over partner's 1NT opening?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♥. Despite holding a weaker suit this time (cf Q2), you should still respond 2H. With an unbalanced hand, you can visualise that you would often do better in a suit contract as opposed to a 1NT contract. Wouldn't it be great news if partner has three or even four-card support!

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Question 4

  South
♠ 10 8 7 3 2
♥ J 8 7
♦ Q 7 5 3
♣ 3 		 
Q: 4 - What do you respond over 1NT?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♠. You must rescue your partner from 1NT to 2♠. The suit quality is horrendous (there's no doubt about that!), but how useful (or useless) would the Spade suit be if partner declares 1NT, compared to if you play in Spades where there is a trump suit? Sure, 2♠ may well be defeated but what is going to happen to 1NT? Going one or two off in 2♠ may well represent a better score than watching partner play in 1NT down plenty as the opponents reel off their Clubs.

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Question 5

  South
♠ 5 3
♥ 10 8 6 4 3 2
♦ 8 5 3
♣ 4 2 		 
Q: 5 - Now we're talking business. What do you reply to 1NT?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♥. "Even with 0 points!?" Yes! Because you have zero points, in fact. This example illustrates the importance of removing the 1NT to a suit contract. We can all agree that this hand will provide partner exactly zero tricks in 1NT. However, in 2♥, our hand can at least provide two, or three, or even four tricks. If 2♥ goes down (and you expect it to, let's be honest) it is damage limitation. Do you seriously think 1NT is going to stand a chance? Your 2♥ bid is a sign-off so don't worry, partner won't push you up higher since you have told him to shut up and table the dummy. In fact, it is likely that the opponents will bid something and win the auction. If they don't, however, and you play in 2♥ you should be pleased that you got away with a steal, no matter how many tricks 2♥ fails by.

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Question 6

  South
♠ A K 8 5
♥ K 5
♦ 10 9 8 7
♣ A 4 2 		 
Q: 6 - Here, we are in the opposite seat where we open the bidding with 1NT. Partner has now bid 2♠. What do you do now?
SouthWestNorthEast
1NTPass2♠Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass. Although you have fantastic support for partner and you are holding a maximum, partner's 2♠ bid is a weakness take-out which could consist of zero points! You should therefore Pass and be glad that you have a great dummy for partner. Often at this game you have to do what you are told to do - and this is one of them. Partner has said "Shut up" so we must - um - shut up and Pass.

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Question 7

  South
♠ K 9 8 7 5
♥ 7 4 2
♦ Q 8
♣ J 4 3 		 
Q: 7 - What do you reply over 1NT?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♠. Despite holding a balanced hand, it is still best to take out 1NT to 2♠. Statistics show that more tricks are made in Spades on hands like this than are made in No-trumps. Do you want to argue with statisticians? Nope, us neither.

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Question 8

  South
♠ 5 2
♥ 9 8 7 5 4
♦ J 7 5
♣ 6 5 2 		 
Q: 8 - What do you reply over 1NT?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♥. With (apparent) confidence! Try to look on the bright side. If you pass 1NT, do you think your Hearts are worth anything? No, quite! In 2♥ however, your Hearts may be worth one or two (possibly three) trump tricks. If you look confident maybe you'll buy the auction in 2♥. If you go down, so what? You didn't expect a plus score when you picked this pile of muck up, did you? Even though this hand is balanced, the same logic still applies as if it were an unbalanced hand - your playing potential is best suited in a suit contract (2♥) where there are trumps than compared to a 1NT contract.

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Question 9

  South
♠ 4
♥ J 10 6 4 2
♦ Q 9 8 7 2
♣ 5 2 		 
Q: 9 - What do you reply?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2♥. With two suits of equal length to choose from, it is usually best to lean towards the major suit. It is essentially a guess since it depends on what support partner can provide you with, but it's always good to fall back on general principles. When in doubt, play in a major.

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Question 10

  South
♠ 7 3
♥ K 9 6
♦ K Q J 9 8 2
♣ A 6 		 
Q: 10 - What do you reply?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 3NT. Some players like to make pointless bids on hands like these, such as 2♦. Remember that partner will Pass 2♦ if you bid it - you have told him to shut up so he will. You are boss of the auction so must exert your authority - you know of game values so must bid game. 5♦ is miles away so you should have a pot at 3NT (nine tricks are easier than eleven). "I had to show you my Diamonds" said a partner of ours after making a fatuous bid of 3♦ on a hand such as this. "Thank-you", we replied, courteously, "but we'd have seen them when you put the dummy down."

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