Blum on Bridge 1 No Trump - X
	A most common stumbling block in many partnerships is how to solve the problem of a double by the opponents after the partner's 1NT opening bid with you holding virtually nothing. Suppose you hold 43-97-543-865432. If you bid 2 clubs partner is going to think it is Stayman, a conventional bid asking him to bid a major suit. Even if you are ancient and don't use Stayman, partner will think it is an ongoing bid with a club suit. As in the English language where there are synonyms for certain words, in bridge there are bids that are used conventionally to avoid potential land mines. Today we will discuss those options - keeping in mind, as has often been stated in this column, a bid of NT guarantees even distribution. I know I'm being redundant when I say there can be no singletons, or voids. Thus, opener must hold at least a doubleton in your suit. By inference, if responder has a five-card suit the partnership holds the majority, 7-6 in the suit. With Mary Mason, my favorite and long-time local partner, we employ the "SOS redouble" by the responder who has less than six hcps. If you have six points or more it is usually better to pass and leave partner in his doubled 1NT contract. The opponents won't be too happy if he makes it as the declarer has the extra advantage of knowing where the concentration of the defenders points are located. After the opponents double, a redouble by the responder to the opening 1NT is not for penalty. Rather, it is conventional, having a meaning that is unusual and that must be alerted (defined to the opponents). The redouble demands partner to bid 2 clubs. In bridge terms this 2-club bid is known as a relay that gives the responder a chance to show his best suit. In the case of the hand shown in paragraph one, the responder would pass because clubs is his best suit. However, if we change his hand to 43-97-865432-543 he would bid 2-diamonds which the opening bidder must pass. We are assuming that the defenders have not entered the auction, for if they do we have been taken "off the hook" and have no cause to use our SOS convention. Should you as responder hold a weak hand where one of the two major suits is your long suit, bid the suit below your long suit. This is known as a transfer bid and demands partner to bid your suit. For example, with no adverse bidding, you hold 43-865432-97-543. Partner opens 1NT-you 2 diamonds. This forces partner to bid the next suit, hearts, your long suit. If your response was 2 hearts, partner must bid 2 spades. One other bid by the responder having less than six points should be mentioned. It is called no points Stayman. Over partner's opening 1NT if you are specifically 4-4-4-1, and your singleton is a club, even though you have no points, bid 2-clubs. This asks partner to bid his four-card major. If he has none, he must bid 2-diamonds, your four-card suit (I know I'll get a call from someone saying, "But I was 3-3-2-5 and we were left in a six-card diamond fit"). Hey, I'm a writer, not a magician. I want to give you a variance on the SOS redouble that gives you an added option. After the opponents double if you, the responder passes, it demands your opening 1NT partner to redouble. Partner must alert your pass, as it's conventional. If you have a six or seven point hand you can pass the redouble. With a bad hand bid your lowest ranking four-card suit. Partner must pass if he has three or four cards in your suit. If he has only two, he bids up-the-line his four-card suit. The bidding proceeds until at least a 4-3 fit is found. It is really not that complicated. Suppose you the responder hold 965-J843-J762-87. You pass the double, which partner alerts announcing he must redouble. He does and after rho passes you bid 2-diamonds, your lowest ranking four-card suit. Partner will pass if he has either three or four diamonds. I want to give you a card counting situation. There is one combination that partner could hold that he should not pass your 2-diamond bid if he has specifically three diamonds. What is that combination? The exception is that when opener is 4-4 in the major suits he realizes you, the responder, have less then four clubs because you bid your lowest ranking four-card suit. That suit was diamonds. So you must be at least 3-3 in the majors. In this case, partner should bid 2-hearts over your 2-diamond bid. Redoubling puts tremendous pressure on the opponents. Quite often one of them will make a call and once again you can wipe your brow with relief.