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© Copyright 1996, Jim Loy
The places where Goren varies from 5-Card Majors have been italicized like this.
1. Convention Card
General Approach - Goren 4-Card Majors: Opening one of a major shows 13+ pts and at least QJxx in that major. Goren says QJ10x.
Strong 2-Bids: Opening 2 of a suit shows 23 hcp or 1 trick short of game. 2NT negative response.
Strong 1NT: Opening 1NT shows 16-18 HCP, balanced, with stoppers in 3 suits.
Non-Forcing Stayman: 2C response, to 1NT opening, asks partner to bid a 4-card major or 2D with no 4-card major.
Double Raise Is Forcing to Game: A double raise response (1H-3H) shows 13+ pts, forcing to game.
Convenient Minor - 3-Card Minor: You occasionally have to open a 3-card minor.
Strong Jump Overcall: Jump overcall shows a strong hand and a strong suit, with near game. Weak Jump overcall was also recommended by Goren.
Gerber Over NT Bid: 4C immediately after a NT bid is Gerber, asking partner for number of aces, and then 5C asks for kings.
Blackwood Over Suit Bid: 4NT immediately after a suit bid is Blackwood, asking partner for number of aces, and then 5NT asks for kings.
2. Opening Bids
1-suit: 13+ pts. Longest suit. At least QJ10x in major or longest minor. Open a minimum 13 pts, if there is a convenient rebid. Q10xx is recommended in some books.
1NT: 16-18 HCP. Balanced. Stoppers in 3 suits. Usually no 5- card majors.
2-suit: Strong 2-bid. 25+ pts and 5-card suit, fewer pts with longer suit. Virtually forcing to game. 2NT is the negative response.
2NT: 22-24 HCP. Balanced. Stoppers in all four suits.
3NT: 25-27 HCP. Balanced. Stoppers in all four suits.
3 or 4 of a suit: Preempt. Weak hand. Long suit. Little side strength.
3. Responses to one of a suit
1/1: One-over-one. Shows 6+ pts, and a 4-card suit. Forcing for one round. Responder shows higher ranked 4-card suit first.
1NT: 6-10 HCP. Denies any 4-card suit that can be shown at the 1-level. Denies support in partner's suit.
2/1: Two-over-one. 11+ pts, and a 4-card suit. Forcing for one round.
raise: 6-10 pts. Qxx support. If this suit is a minor, this bid denies any 4-card major.
jump shift: 19+ pts.
2NT: 13-15 HCP. Balanced. Stoppers in unbid suits. Forcing to game. No 4-card majors at the 1-level.
double raise: 13-16 pts. 4-card support. Forcing to game.
3NT: 16-18 HCP. Balanced. Stoppers in unbid suits.
double jump shift: Preemptive. Long strong suit.
4. Rebids After One Of A Suit
An opening of one of a suit can be bid with a wide range of points (13+). In most cases, opener will limit his point range with his second bid. Several of these point ranges (from Goren's books) are now considered high (reverse showing 17+ pts, for example). The lower values shown in my article on 5-Card Majors are more popular.
After responder's raise, opener passes with a minimum (13-16 pts). He invites game (17-19 pts) by rebidding his suit or bidding 2NT. A new suit is forcing (17+ pts). Or he may bid game with 20+ pts.
After responder's 1NT response, can pass or rebid his suit or bid a new suit with a minimum (13-16 pts). He can invite game (17-19 pts) by bidding 2NT or by jumping in his suit. A reverse shows 17+ pts, and a jump shift shows 20+ pts.
After a 1/1 response, opener normally shows a minimum opening hand (13-16 pts) by rebidding his suit (a rebiddable suit is QJ9xx), or raising partner's suit, or by bidding 1NT. He can bid a new suit with a minimum opening hand or better (13-19 pts). Opener may invite game (with 17-19 pts) by a double raise. A jump rebid of opener's suit shows 19-21 pts. A reverse shows 19+ pts and is forcing. With a very strong hand (21+ pts) opener usually jump shifts. With 19-20 HCP, a balanced distribution, and stoppers in the unbid suit, opener may jump to 2NT.
After a 2/1 response, opener invites game by rebidding his suit (13-15 pts) or bidding a new suit (13+ pts). He shows a strong hand with 2NT (15-18 HCP) or a raise (16+ pts). A stronger hand is 3NT (18+ HCP) or a reverse (17 pts) or double raise (19+ pts) or jump shift (21+ pts).
After stronger responses, opener either rebids to show his points (as above) or places the contract.
Responder's second bid often clarifies his point count as well. With a minimum hand (6-10), he will often pass, unless forced to bid. He will jump to force to game. And he shows in- between values with non-jumps. A new suit is forcing, so he can bid that with a wide range of pts.
5. 16-18 HCP Strong 1NT
An opening bid of 1NT shows 16-18 HCP, a balanced distribution (4-4-3-2 or 4-3-3-3 or 5-3-3-2)., and stoppers in three of the suits. The 5-card suit may be a major. The 16-18 HCP range makes the various point count requirements a point lower than those in my article on 5-card majors.
Responses to 1NT:
2C: Stayman, showing 8+ pts and a 4-card major. See below.
2 suit: 0-7 pts. 5-card suit. Unbalanced. Signoff. Responder signs off in clubs by bidding Stayman 2C, and then rebidding 3C. See Non-Forcing Stayman, below.
2NT: 8-9 HCP. Invitational to 3NT. Balanced or long minor. Opener bids 3NT with a maximum (17-18 HCP).
3 suit: 10+ pts. Good 5-card suit. Forcing to game. Opener raises with 3-card support.
3NT: 10-14 HCP. Balanced.
4 major: 10-14 pts. 6-card suit.
4NT: 15-16 HCP. Balanced.
For Gerber, see Slam bidding, below.
6. Non-Forcing Stayman
A 2C response to a 1NT opening is Stayman, the method for finding a 4-4 fit in a major in this situation. It shows 8+ pts, and at least one 4-card major. It is forcing, and asks partner to bid 2H with a 4-card heart suit, but no 4-card spade suit; or 2S with a 4-card spade suit, and maybe a 4-card heart suit; or 2D with no 4-card major. Some partnerships use 2H to show 4 cards in both majors, rather than 2S.
Responder's next bid, after Stayman:
1NT-2C-2D:
2 major 8-9 pts. 5-card suit. Invitational to game.
2NT 8-9 HCP. Invitational to game.
3C 0-7 pts. Signoff.
3 suit 10-14 pts. 5-card suit. Forcing to game.
3NT 10-14 pts.
1NT-2C-2 major:
2S 8-9 pts. 5-card suit. Invitational to game.
2NT 8-9 HCP. Invitational to game.
3C 0-7 pts. Signoff.
raise 8-9 pts. 4-card support. Invitational to game.
3 suit 10-14 pts. 5-card suit. Forcing to game.
3NT 10-14 HCP. Less than 4-card support.
raise game 10-14 pts. 4-card support.
The point ranges reflect the 16-18 HCP of the 1NT opening. Responder uses the Stayman 2C, followed by 3C to sign off in clubs. The more popular 1NT-3C signoff, shown in my article on 5-Card Majors, is more consistent. Goren doesn't mention Stayman over higher NT openings.
7. Quantitative NT Bids
Goren mentions 4NT, as an invitation to 6NT, only as a response to a 1NT opening. He doesn't mention 5NT as an invitation to 7NT. The scheme shown in my article on 5-Card Majors is standard.
8. Strong Two-Bids
An opening bid of 2 of a suit shows 25+ pts and a 5-card suit (or 23+ pts and a 6-card suit or 21+ pts and a 7-card suit). Forcing to game except when opener rebids his suit after a negative response.
Responses:
2NT: Negative (0-6 pts). Opener rebids his suit to invite game. He needs one trick from partner. Other rebids are forcing to game.
new suit: 7+ pts. 1 quick trick. 5-card suit.
raise: 7+ pts. 1 quick trick.
3NT: 7-9 HCP. Balanced.
9. Preempts: See my article on 5-Card Majors.
10. Competitive Bidding
In Goren's day, the Strong Jump Overcall (15-18 pts, strong suit) was standard. The Unusual 2NT Overcall was not standard. See my article on 5-Card Majors.
12. Slam Bidding: See my article on 5-Card Majors.
13. Forcing Bids
In Goren, an opening two-bid is the only forcing opening bid. A new suit by responder is forcing, unless opener just bid 1NT. A jump shift is forcing to game. Once a suit has been agreed upon, any other suit is forcing. A reverse is forcing.
14. Popular Options
Any of the agreements shown in my article on 5-Card Majors can be substituted into Goren 4-Card Majors. In fact, some of the point ranges for responses and rebids, after a one of a suit opening, are probably fairly unpopular. And the "quantitative" 5NT bid, shown in my article on 5-Card Majors, is probably standard in all systems. The 15-17 HCP 1NT opening, of Chapter 1, can be substituted here easily. And the Strong 2C and accompanying Weak Two- Bids can easily be substituted for the Strong Two-Bids. And the QJxx (or QJ10x) criterion for a biddable major can be shaded toward a stronger suit (AKxx, for example).