INVERTED MINOR RAISES

After partner opens the bidding with 1 or 1, responder will usually either have a 4+ card major suit to show, or a balanced hand suitable for a NT response.  Sometimes, though, responder will have a hand where he wants to support opener's minor.  Playing standard responses, responder can make a single raise to 2m (showing 6-9 points) or an invitational raise to 3m, but he does not have a way to make a forcing raise.  This is one of the situations that Inverted Minor Raises were designed to deal with.  The basic structure of Inverted Minor Raises is as follows (more detail in the sections below):

• Single raise shows 4+ card support and invitational or better values.  This bid is forcing for one round.
• Double raise is weak (preemptive) showing about 6-9 support points.
  Remember:  both of these bids need to be alerted! 

There are several advantages to playing Inverted Minor Raises.

First, when responder has a good hand the auction stays low (2/) , leaving the partnership plenty of room to describe their hands and investigate for game.

Second, using the jump raise to show the weak hands makes it more likely that your side will either buy the contract or prevent the opponents from finding their best place to play.  In many cases the opponents will have a major suit fit on these hands and roughly half the points in the deck.  After a standard 1 (p) 2 or 1 (p) 2 auction, it is pretty easy for them to compete for the partscore since they can enter the bidding fairly safely at the 2-level.  In contrast, it is much harder for them to get involved if they have to make their first bid at the three level.  Your preemptive raise might cause them to pass when they could make 3 or 3, overbid to a game that goes down, or miss a game that makes.

INVERTED MINOR RAISES

~ Both the single raise and jump raise must be alerted.  Don't forget! ~

Single Raise:     1 : 2!     1 : 2!

Invitational or better values (10+ hcp) 4+ card support (preferably 5) No 4+ card major Not suited for a direct 2NT (10-12 balanced) or 3NT (13-15 balanced) response Note: this bid is forcing for 1 round

Jump Raise:     1 : 3!     1 : 3!

Preemptive (no more than 7 hcp)  (With 8-9 hcp we have too many values to raise preemptively, so bid 1NT instead.)  5+ card support (rarely 4 good cards) About 6 to 9 support points (hcp + dummy points) To count your dummy points: add 1 point for each doubleton and 3 points for each singleton. If you have a void, add as many points as you have trump. Shortness in a side suit (at least a doubleton somewhere, but preferably a singleton or void)

These raises are used in conjunction with the following natural NT responses:

1/ : 1NT       ... 6 to 10 hcp, (semi)balanced, no 4+ card major
1/ : 2NT       ... 10 to 12 hcp, balanced, no 4+ card major
1/ : 3NT       ... 13 to 15 hcp, balanced, no 4+ card major
 

Points to consider:

1. Just because we have a hand that *can* make a single raise does not mean that we necessarily *should*.  Before making a 2/ raise, double check to make sure that an initial NT response wouldn't be a better description.  If you start by bidding 2/ when you have an accurate NT bid available you will usually end up in the same final contract... but you will have given the opponents a lot of information along the way.  **Responding in NT does not deny 4+ card support for opener's minor suit.**
    
2. You will sometimes have hands that aren't strong enough for a single raise, but that you don't feel are preemptive in nature either.  In those instances, 1NT will often be a good choice even when you have four cards (sometimes even five!) in opener's minor.  This is particularly the case when you are near the top of your strength in high card points (8-9) and/or have honor cards in your short suits.  Don't worry:  partner will know that you might be somewhat off-shape for your 1NT bids.  One of the side effects of using Inverted Minor Raises is that these in-between hands with support often get "stuck" with an initial 1NT response -- and partner should be aware of this.

With a minimum opening hand, opener may rebid:

• 2NT = balanced minimum.  This bid does not guarantee stoppers in all three unbid suits.
• 3 of the minor = unbalanced minimum.  

Note: you should exercise your judgment when deciding whether to rebid 2NT or 3 of the minor.  While the 2NT bid does not promise that you have every suit stopped, it does show a NT oriented hand, and it will sometimes be more appropriate to rebid 3m even with balanced distribution.  For example you might have all of your values concentrated in two suits, or have only aces and kings in an otherwise empty hand.

Otherwise opener may bid a new suit (natural, forcing for one round) to investigate for 3NT.  A new suit bid is encouraging, so avoid doing this with an absolute minimum opening hand -- try to have at least a queen or so extra (**See note below).  Another way to think about it is that you should be willing to play in game if partner has a non-minimum invite (a good 11+), so a balanced 12-13 count is not sufficient.

• New suit bid (non-jump) = Natural, showing a stopper in that suit.  Does not promise a 4 card suit.
  • Show your stoppers up the line.  If you bypass a suit you deny having a stopper in that suit.
  • Have at least a queen more than a dead minimum opening hand. (**See note below.)

• Opener may also jump to 3NT.  This means that she:
  • is strong enough to want to play in game opposite as few as 10 hcp, and
  • isn't worried about any of the side suits.

Note:  A popular variation is to play that a new suit bid by opener (or responder) after a single raise does not promise any extra values.   Pairs who play this method start bidding stoppers regardless of strength and eventually show a minimum hand (if that is what they have) with a later 2NT or 3m bid.  The advantage to this style is that good hands do not get "shut out" by a quick 2NT/3m bid from partner, which can sometimes make it awkward to determine whether the partnership belongs in 3NT or 5m (or in game at all).  The disadvantage is that it can be harder to tell if the partnership has full values for a game contract, or whether it is safe to push past game to investigate for a minor suit slam.

If opener bid 2NT or 3m, showing a minimum hand, responder may:

With only invitational values:

• Pass
• Correct 2NT to 3m if unbalanced

With game forcing values:

• Bid game directly (usually 3NT, rarely 5m), or
• Bid a new suit (natural, showing a stopper) to investigate for 3NT.  This bid is forcing for one round.

If opener bid a new suit, responder may bid:

• 2NT with both unbid suits stopped and a minimum invite (non-forcing)
• 3NT with both unbid suits stopped and enough for game (12+ points, or a strong 11)
• 3m to show an unbalanced, minimum invite (non-forcing)
• A new suit to show a stopper in that suit (forcing for 1 round)

Points to consider:

1. If either opener or responder ever bids 2NT or 3m, their bid is NON-FORCING and simply shows a minimum hand for the previous bidding.
    
2. After a single raise the auction should progress fairly naturally.  You make a sign-off bid (2NT or 3m) if you have a poor hand, and otherwise bid a suit that you have values in.  If at any point you know what the final contract should be, bid it!  (Easy game, bridge.)  For example, consider the auction:

1 : 2! : 2 : ?             Our hand: AQ 96 QJ83 KJ764

What should we bid?  Well, the one thing that we DON'T do is bid 2 to show our spade stopper.  Yes, we do have one... but so what?  We have enough information to place the final contract... so we bid 3NT and turn our attention to taking nine tricks.  You'll give the opponents less information about opener's hand this way, and you'll also save partner the trouble of having to decide what to bid over 2.  Let him save his brain power for the next time he has to declare a hand... don't you think he needs it?  ;p

3. Remember that since we show stoppers up the line, if either partner bypasses a suit they deny having a stopper in it.  This will often be a key piece of information that we need to recognize and process.  For example, if the auction starts:

1 : 2! : 2

At this point responder knows three important things about opener's hand: 1) she has more than a bare minimum opening (at least in theory), 2) she has a spade stopper, and 3) she does not have a heart stopper.  

Q & A

Q:  How many high card points does a weak jump raise show?  (1 : 3! or 1 : 3!)
A:  The high end of the range is no more than 7 hcp.  With 8 or 9 hcp it is better to bid 1NT even if our hand is somewhat unbalanced, because it is too easy to miss a game if we make a preemptive jump with this high card strength.

The low end is harder to pinpoint, and my advice is not to get too caught up worrying about it.  The jump raise is intended to be preemptive, so distribution and vulnerability are more important than how many honor cards we have.  As an example, we should be happy to raise 1 to 3 holding only: x xxx KTxxx xxxx.  If you are worried about bidding at the three level when you are so weak, think about it this way: if we have only 3 hcp, the opponents are favorites to have some values (and probably a major suit fit) their way... so we want to make it as difficult as possible for them to find their contract by taking away their bidding room.

In general, as long as we have roughly 6-9 total points (hcp + shortness points) and don't go crazy when our side is vulnerable, we'll usually be fine.

The key here is that opener should respect the preemptive nature of our jump raise.  She should *not* play us for many high card points and should be extremely cautious about bidding game over our raise, particularly if we made our bid at favorable vulnerability.

Q:  Are Inverted Minor Raises still used in competition?
A:  No, Inverted Minors are off.  Our response structure becomes:

AFTER A NON-JUMP OVERCALL:

• Single raise of partner's minor reverts to the "standard" meaning of about 6-9 points and 4+ card support (although we would like to have five cards in partner's suit).
  Example:  1 (1) 2 <--- 6-9 points, club support (also denies the ability to make a negative double)
   
• Jump raise, however, is still preemptive: weak, with very good support and some distribution.
  Example:  1 (1) 3 <--- preemptive
   
• Cuebidding the overcaller's suit shows an invitational or better hand with support for opener's suit.
  Example:  1 (1) 2 <--- limit raise (invitational) or better in support of clubs (again, denies the ability to make a negative double)

Note:  This same response structure applies if partner's 1/ opening is overcalled.

AFTER A TAKEOUT DOUBLE:

• Single raise -- same as after an overcall (see above)
   
• Double raise -- same as after an overcall (see above)
   
• Redouble shows 10+ hcp.  If you also play Jordan 2NT! (see below) then the XX usually denies support for opener's suit.  If you do not play the Jordan 2NT convention then you can have support when you XX (and will often raise opener's suit at your next turn to show that you do).
   
• Jordan 2NT!  (Also called Truscott 2NT)  If you play this convention over minor suit openings, then 2NT over the takeout double is artificial and shows a limit raise or better in support of opener's suit (the same meaning as a cuebid of overcaller's suit).  These frees up the redouble to be used only on good hands (10+ hcp) without support, which can be a very useful distinction for partner to know.

Note:  Again, this same response structure applies if partner's 1/ opening is overcalled.

Q:  If we play Inverted Minors, what does it mean if we bid a new suit at the three level?  (For example 1 : 3)
A:  These bids aren't related to Inverted Minors, so you can play them however you like.  A popular treatment (and the one that I recommend) is using them as Splinter bids.  If you are not familiar with the convention then I would suggest simply ignoring these double-jump shifts for the time being.

1 : 3//!   and  1 : 3/!  --> splinter bids showing:

• 6+ card support (partner might only have 3, and we have to guarantee a 9+ card fit)
• No 4+ card major
• Shortness in the bid suit (singleton or void)
• 11+ hcp (enough strength to insist on game, with some slam interest)

You'll note that the auction 1 : 3 is *not* included above.  Playing Standard American or SAYC, 1 : 3 can be used as a Strong Jump Shift (17+ points).  Playing 2/1 Game Forcing, 1 : 3 can show an invitational hand with clubs.  

Q:  Are Inverted Minor Raises still used by a passed hand?
A:  This depends on partnership agreement.  The main options are either to:

• Revert to "standard" minor raises if responder is a passed hand, or  
• Leave the Inverted Minor Raises in place.

I personally use Inverted Minor Raises by both unpassed and passed responding hands, but I think that either treatment is fine.  The important thing is to discuss and decide with your partner what feels most comfortable to you ... and remember what you agree on!

If you do leave them in place, opener should be allowed to pass the single raise with a balanced minimum (by an unpassed hand the single raise is 100% forcing!!) since he knows that responder is limited to less than opening values.

Q:  Why are Inverted Minor Raises alertable?  After all we have the suit that we're bidding!
A:  Even though our bids are natural in the sense that we have length in the suit that we're raising, our bids MUST be alerted because we have a special agreement with our partner about the strength of these raises.  Anytime we have a non-standard agreement about the meaning of a bid, we must alert it.  Our opponents are entitled to know what our bids mean!  They have the right to know that 1 : 2! shows an invitational or stronger hand.  If we don't alert they will assume that our single raise has the standard meaning of 6-9 points with support, but that is not what it means at all.  Therefore it is our responsibility to alert both the single and double raise and to explain our agreement to the opponents.

Q:  What should I say when I make the alert?  Do I just type "inverted minor"?
A:  When we explain an alert we should always give the meaning of our bid and not just the name of the convention: not everyone is familiar with what "inverted minor" means!  On the other hand our explanation doesn't have to be super complicated either.  If you make a single raise, something like "4+ (), inv+" is a perfectly adequate explanation.  Typing "preemptive" will suffice when explaining the alert on a jump raise. 

Q:  Do any bids after the initial 2m/3m raise need to be alerted?
A:  No.  After an Inverted Minor Raise both opener and responder rebid naturally so no subsequent bids need to be alerted.