No Trump Bidding Theory

I am one of few bridge players who advocate a 15-18 hcp opening 1NT bid. Here's why. To make a NT game typically requires 25 hcp or more. To bid 3NT with 25 points is about a 50% proposition. At MATCH POINTS it is about as good to miss a 50% game as bid it. If you bid it you must play the cards well, and make it or you get a bad score. In my experience a plus score is twice as good as a minus score on the average. So, the rule I use is to bid game if we have a combined holding of 25 hcp OR MORE. With 25 OR LESS play below game level. To make an intelligent decision the hcp range must be clearly defined as a TWO POINT range. If you typically have 12+ hcp for a minimum opening, 12 hcp in partners hand is always INVITATIONAL. As a result of this all limit bids by responder should show 11-12 and be game invitational. Of course there are always other factors like LTC and law of total tricks but with balanced hands point count is a good reference. Now, what should an opening 3NT show? It's not gambling, unless you play that. I think it should be 25-26 hcp. This ties to our 3NT game requirement. 23-24 is shown by opening 2 Clubs and rebidding 2NT over a negative response. A 2NT opening would show 21-22 hcp. (THIS ALL SOUNDS OLD FASHIONED BUT TRY TO BID ACCURATELY WITH A 21-23 OR 20-22 hcp 2NT opening.) To show 19-20 hcp you simply open one of a suit, then jump rebid to 2NT.
Finally, you open 1NT with 15-18 hcp,since you are 2 levels from 3NT. You can bid game with 10+ hcp and pass with 7 hcp or less. With 8-9 hcp you invite game. There are many ways to do this. Traditionally you raise to 2NT and pard can bid game with 17-18 hcp and pass with 15-16 hcp.
Let's see what happens if we open a more usual 15-17 1NT. Now pard bids 3NT with 10 hcp and passes(REALLY HE SHOULD, see 25 point rule above)with 8 hcp or less. He now invites game with 9 hcp. Opener has an easy rebid. He raises to 3NT with 16-17 and passes with 15(a dog). But what a price to pay. To show 18-19 you open 1 of a suit and rebid 2NT. The nature of the beast is that this bid will often be passed with a minimum 6 point hand(or less) and the contract is in danger. Further, The 2NT opening is now 20-21 hcp, with many people shading down to 19 hcp. To show 22-23 you open 2C and rebid 2NT. This means a 3NT opening must be made with 24+ hcp in violation of our 25+ rule for game in NT. Many look for solutions such as showing 22-24 with a 2NT rebid. We know this wont work.

In summary, try the 15-18 1NT opening. Your bidding will improve and you will get better results. Much more to come. Your comments are always welcome.

Happy bridging, SPADEWOOD.