Responding to 1NT with an Unbalanced Hand

When partner opens 1NT you know they hold either 15, 16 or 17 HCP (High Card Points) with a balanced hand. A balanced hand has NO void, NO singleton and at most one doubleton. That means that if you (as Responder) have a 6 card major suit you KNOW you have a fit. Partner MUST have 2 in that suit after all. Even if you (as Responder) have a 5 card major suit you most likely have a fit. Partner only has one doubleton -- it might not be in your major suit. If you have a major suit fit you'd prefer to play in a major rather than in NT.

Let's review the points needed between you and your partner to make a game.

To make game in 4♥ or 4♠ you need between 25 and 32 HCP.
To make a small slam (anything at the 6 level) you need between 33 and 36 HCP
To make a grand slam (anything at the 7 level) you need between 37 and 40 HCP

When responding to partner's opening 1NT this table will help guide you as to what to bid with an unbalanced hand:

Responder has an unbalanced hand with:	Responder bids:	1NT opener does this:
0-7 points and a long ♦ suit	2♦	Pass
0-7 points and a long ♥ suit	2♥	Pass
0-7 points and a long ♠ suit	2♠	Pass
10 or more HCP and 5♥ (not 4♥, not 6♥ -- exactly 5♥)	3♥	Bids 3NT with 2♥ OR Bids 4♥ with 3 or more ♥
10 or more HCP and 5♠ (not 4♠, not 6♠ -- exactly 5♠)	3♠	Bids 3NT with 2♠ OR Bids 4♠ with 3 or more ♠
10-15 points and 6♥	4♥	Pass
10-15 points and 6♠	4♠	Pass
18-19 points and 6♥	6♥	Pass
18-19 points and 6♠	6♠	Pass
22 or more points and 6♥	7♥	Pass
22 or more points and 6♠	7♠	Pass

What do you do with the following hands after partner opens 1NT?

Hand 1

♠A83
♥AJT65
♦82
♣K83



Hand 2

♠Q87643
♥86
♦753
♣Q9



Hand 3

♠965
♥AJT84
♦Q75
♣QJ



Hand 4

♠AQJT9
♥T97
♦K5
♣974



Hand 5

♠AQJ872
♥K3
♦A53
♣A5



Hand 6

♠KT
♥AQT865
♦A6
♣KQ2



Hand 7

♠96
♥A96432
♦853
♣42



Hand 8

♠AKT42
♥QT9
♦JT8
♣Q8



Hand 9

♠AJ9732
♥62
♦AK6
♣87



Hand 10

♠T6
♥QT9764
♦A76
♣86



Hand 11

♠AT7543
♥6
♦K84
♣AJ8



Hand 12

♠AQ3
♥AKJ65
♦T5
♣KQ3



Hand 13

♠KJ875
♥K76
♦K4
♣A73



Hand 14

♠QJ9
♥Q9765
♦AJ43
♣T



Hand 15

♠K6
♥AKJ43
♦T54
♣A87



Hand 16

♠KJ8
♥AT964
♦QT52
♣9



Hand 17

♠KQ876
♥QT4
♦AT84
♣5



Hand 18

♠QT9832
♥87
♦JT54
♣T



Hand 19

♠83
♥T98543
♦8
♣9643



Hand 20

♠J32
♥KT9862
♦J8
♣T7



Hand 21

♠KQ9864
♥9
♦6432
♣87



Hand 22

♠KJT873
♥65
♦KQ
♣K74



Hand 23

♠73
♥K8753
♦AJ5
♣AJ6



Hand 24

♠QT9853
♥AT5
♦K6
♣J8



Hand 25

♠T96432
♥A6
♦J
♣J986



Hand 26

♠A42
♥QJT84
♦KJ5
♣J6



Hand 27

♠Q76543
♥932
♦K3
♣Q2



Hand 28

♠Q9543
♥QJ7
♦Q75
♣AT



Hand 29

♠T3
♥AT8742
♦A72
♣K5



Hand 30

♠AKQ84
♥93
♦AT
♣JT54



Hand 31

♠Q53
♥AJ954
♦K943
♣A



Hand 32

♠9
♥QT9432
♦A53
♣AQ6



Hand 33

♠AT854
♥A72
♦Q8
♣765



Hand 34

♠A2
♥KJ9854
♦Q4
♣A53



Hand 35

♠T87653
♥543
♦T97
♣9



Hand 36

♠K76
♥KJT86
♦A2
♣K73



Hand 37

♠54
♥AQJ873
♦AT3
♣K5



Hand 38

♠K4
♥QJ987
♦K765
♣Q6



Hand 39

♠K2
♥KQ643
♦K97
♣JT5



Hand 40

♠QJT96
♥QJ5
♦84
♣AT4



Hand 41

♠KJ9832
♥64
♦AQ
♣T87



Hand 42

♠QT
♥AKJT3
♦QJ64
♣J3



Hand 43

♠AQ532
♥K3
♦T85
♣JT5



Hand 44

♠A8
♥AKT983
♦432
♣85



Hand 45

♠K75
♥AQJT7
♦Q64
♣74



Hand 46

♠AQJ74
♥K8
♦QJT8
♣J3



Hand 47

♠8
♥A9854
♦KQ4
♣JT87



Hand 48

♠T2
♥AKJ84
♦932
♣A32



Hand 49

♠632
♥AKQ53
♦AJT
♣42



Hand 50

♠QJ3
♥AJT42
♦A7
♣432



Hand 51

♠54
♥KQT842
♦AT
♣J83



Hand 52

♠KJT52
♥A8
♦J4
♣A753



Hand 53

♠J5
♥QJ8764
♦432
♣T7



Hand 54

♠T9
♥K97652
♦T9
♣732



Hand 55

♠AJT864
♥98
♦74
♣AQ5



Hand 56

♠K54
♥QT9862
♦KQ
♣93



Hand 57

♠AT9532
♥KJ
♦A
♣AK52



Hand 58

♠AK875
♥A9
♦J85
♣QT2



Hand 59

♠AK3
♥KT854
♦J8
♣T98



Hand 60

♠982
♥QT8765
♦982
♣3



Hand 61

♠7
♥K86432
♦Q93
♣AK7



Hand 62

♠A7
♥K87632
♦K82
♣K8



Hand 63

♠AQ532
♥AKJ
♦T3
♣J32



Hand 64

♠T53
♥T97632
♦A
♣942



Hand 65

♠K42
♥AQJ94
♦632
♣J9



Hand 66

♠QJ8654
♥K3
♦KT
♣KQ2



Hand 67

♠983
♥AKT98
♦842
♣AQ



Hand 68

♠Q8
♥QT732
♦AT8
♣AK3



Hand 69

♠J84
♥K8743
♦A86
♣AT



Hand 70

♠KT9862
♥74
♦AQ
♣JT7