alt=""/>K. No good – East won 
What should have happened
Correct bidding sees North-South alight comfortably in 2
Tip 3
Open 1
Deal 4
Auctions that begin with a 1NT opener are radically different from all other auctions. They are not conversations, rather: ‘This is what I’ve got: now you choose!’ A 1NT opener rarely bids again whereas a one-of-a-suit opener must bid again if his partner changes the suit. You must not forget/neglect to open 1NT when you are supposed to. You will never be able to correct the mistake later. There is no bid that says ‘Sorry partner, I forgot to open 1NT last time!’ A 1NT opener shows 12–14 points and a balanced hand (no void, no singleton, and no more than one doubleton). There are just three balanced shapes – 4432, 4333 and 5332.
What happened
When South forgot (or was dazzled by his diamonds) to open 1NT, there was no recovery. His 2NT rebid theoretically showed a balanced hand with more than 14 points, so his partner went on to game (assuming there to be 25 partnership points).
West led
What should have happened
1NT making.
Tip 4
Never forget to open 1NT with a balanced hand and 12–14 points. You can’t recover.
Deal 5
There are Bridge cultures – the USA and France amongst others – that prefer the Strong Notrump (15–17). In Britain the Weak Notrump (12–14) is more commonly played. The pluses and minuses of the Weak Notrump versus the Strong Notrump can be argued ad nauseam. What matters more is that you and partner know which notrump you play, and that you stick to it. Throughout this book I will assume a Weak Notrump. Indeed that is my preference. I like to open 1NT with those oh-so-common flat minimums, describing my hand so well in one go. However, do not open 1NT merely because your hand ‘looks notrumpy’ and you can’t think of an alternative.
What happened
When South opened 1NT, his partner passed, ‘knowing’ that the partnership could not have the 25 points required for game. Declarer won
Nine tricks made – underbid.
What should have happened
3NT – game bid and made.
Tip 5
Do not open 1NT with more than 14 points (assuming you play the Weak Notrump).
Deal 6
Last deal we observed that you must stick to your notrump point range (assumed to be 12–14). This deal we stress that your hand must also be balanced. Question: What is a balanced hand?
Answer: The word ‘balanced’ refers not to the location of the honours but to the number of cards in each suit. There are three balanced distributions – 4432, 4333 and 5332. Do not open 1NT unless you have one of these three distributions. Or you may suffer South’s fate…
What happened
Against 1NT, West led the
