ACBL15 – Bidding: Unusual Notrump Ward Trumbull
Oct 18, 2005
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WHAT IS IT?
It is a competitive bid to indicate you have a hand with two five card suits (or longer) and want your partner to pick one.
WHEN DO YOU MAKE THE BID?
There are two ways you can make the bid:
notrump is the Unusual Notrump.
pass), any notrump bid by you (1, 2, 3 or even 4) is the Unusual
Notrump.
NOTE: The second type Unusual Notrump is the way it was developed
by Alvin Roth in 1948. Unfortunately, most bridge players miss
out on it because they don’t recognize it. However, the first
type has become more common because it is recognized.
WHICH TWO SUITS
Your partnership has two options:
1. It’s for the minors only. This is most popular but is limiting.
2. It’s for the unbid suits (by opponents). This frequently will be two
of three unbid suits. This is my preference.
Note: Dehra Iverson clarified
(on 8/20/2019), that if you play Michael's, then unusual NT is for the
minors only. This is the Ward's Michael's/Unusual bidding explained in
lesson ACBL15M.
ACBL15 – Bidding: Unusual Notrump Oct 18, 2005
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HOW MANY HIGH CARD POINTS?
It should not be an opening hand because you could double or overcall the higher of the two suits. It does depend on the vulnerability.
Your Team Opponents Team Suggested HCP
-------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------
non-vulnerable non-vulnerable 5-10
non-vulnerable vulnerable 3-10
vulnerable non-vulnerable 8-11
vulnerable vulnerable 5-10
HOW DO YOU AND PARTNER DETERMINE THE SUIT?
1. Minors Only
Your partner picks whichever minor suit that he/she has the most
cards. Heaven forbid - it might be only a two card suit.
2. Three Unbid Suits
Your partner bids the lowest of the three suits in which he/she has
3+cards. If that’s one of your two suits, you pass. If not. you bid your
suit above partner’s suit. If partner can live with that suit, he/she
should pass. If not, partner must bid the third suit and you then
pass.
WARNING
Some people use the Unusual Notrump with 4-6 distribution. Don’t do
It. Invariably, partner will bid your 4 card suit.
ACBL15 – Bidding: Unusual Notrump Oct 18, 2005
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EXAMPLE – with 5/5 distribution
RHO opens one spade and you’ve got 5 diamonds and 5 hearts with 7
HCP.
Spade Hearts Diamonds Clubs
x K x x x x Q J x x x J x
So you overcall 2 notrump. Partner’s hand is:
Spades Hearts Diamonds Clubs
K x x x x x x x K Q x x x
He/she bid 3 clubs. You now bid 3 diamonds. He/she knows the third
suit is hearts and bids 3 hearts.
Passed Hand Double
The Unusual Nortump is an extension of the Passed Hand Double
(PHD). See ACBL02 for doubles. With PHD, the doubler has at
least 4/4 in the opponent’s two unbid suits, or possibly 4/5 or 5/4.
With 5/5 in unbid suits (2 or 3 unbid), use the Unusual Notrump.
Example PHD:
LHO You RHO Partner Comment
------------ -------------- ------------ ------------- ---------------------
1 club pass 1 heart pass
2 hearts double 4/4 in diamonds
and spades
Example Unusual Notrump:
LHO You RHO Partner Comment
------------ -------------- ------------ ------------- ---------------------
1 club pass 1 heart pass
2 hearts 2 notrump 5/5 in diamonds
and spades