The Rebid of 1NT, 13-17

This is lifted lock, stock and barrel from the Flint-Pender system, described in Tiger Bridge by Jeremy Flint. Not many people use an extended range these days, but I want to give it a try. I think the constructive tools available are OK (just not widely known these days), and the chief weakness would be in competitive auctions. But in practice, if the opponents are going to interfere, they typically do so straight away, and the 1NT rebid doesn’t become an issue.

When opener rebids 1NT after a 1-over-1 response, it is common for players to treat that as showing a hand too weak for a 1NT opening if they open a strong 1NT, which leaves it not very well-defined. When you open a 12-14 no-trump, it is common to say that the 1NT rebid shows 15-16, 2NT 17-18, and 3NT 19-20. That is playable, but there are advantages to extending the range of the 1NT rebid. Opener is not forced to open 1NT with a 13 or 14-count if the texture of the hand looks unsuitable, and the top of the range extending to 17 makes for a sound overall structure of NT rebids.
1plum – 1grape; 1NT = 13-17
1plum – 1grape; 2NT = 18-19 or a bad 20
1plum – 1grape; 3NT = game-going based on a long minor suit (don’t “rescue” to a major)
2NT opening = good 20 up to 22
2C – 2D; 2NT =23-24
This all only works if we can handle constructive bidding after the 1NT rebid. To do that, we use two artificial inquiry bids for responder to find out what opener has, if responder thinks there may be game. (This can get marked on the convention card as two-way new minor forcing, but actually, Flint-Pender pre-dates NMF).

The first inquiry is 2C as a range query. Opener rebids:
2D = 13-14
2NT = 17
With 15-16, opener rebids two of responder’s major if he has 3-card support, otherwise two of the other major. If the bidding started 1C – 1D; 1NT – 2C; opener bids 2 of his better major.
Responder will normally be in the 8-11 hcp range to use this inquiry, since otherwise there’s no point to it. (With 12+, responder always wants to be in game, and with less than 8, there’s no game to be had). When minimum, opener should let the bidding die at the two level, at the first reasonable-looking spot, after making his 2D response. Alternatively, responder might be 16+ and trying to judge whether there’s a slam, but in that case he won’t be making another bid at the two level.

The other artificial inquiry is 2D, which is game-forcing, and is a sort of checkback Stayman, asking about opener’s major-suit holding. Opener shows a 4-card major that he bypassed when bidding 1NT, or 3-card support for responder’s major, or bids 2NT. Opener can choose not to mention a 4-card major on the way to 1NT, but only when he is in the 15-17 range. So this sequence, for example:
1C – 1H; 1NT – 2D; 2S
means not only that opener has four spades, but also that he has 15+. The inference isn’t available when opener didn’t have a chance to bid his suit, for example
1C – 1S; 1NT – 2D; 2H
In this case, opener is showing 4 hearts, but not saying anything about his strength.

The continuations after these bids, and other responses to the 1NT rebid, are essentially natural. Some examples:

1plum – 1grape; 1NT – 2NT; natural, 10-11 hcp
1plum – 1grape; 1NT – 3NT; natural 12-16 hcp
1C – 1H; 1NT – 3H; Not forcing, emphasis on good hearts
1C – 1H; 1NT – 3C; Not forcing, probably 4-5 in hearts and clubs. Responder isn’t interested in game unless opener is near maximum.
Contrast with
1C – 1S; 1NT – 2C; 2H – 3C; or
1C – 1D; 1NT – 2C; 2S – 3C;
In both those sequences, the last bid is forward-going and forcing.