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BETA's 1NT  Overcall following an opponents 1mi opening bid


Our original use of a 1NT "Multi 1NT' overcall describes a minor oriented distributional hand concerning a good 5+ card minor suit and another 5 card suit - that's  two lowest suits excludes however if opps 1C or 1D can be short <=3 cards
This leaves one of : C+D, C+H & D+H. This is now discarded.

Now this old definition is of little use and I believe those that have followed  the evolution of BETA have largely forgotten the old established 'multi' 1N o'call which  included minor pre-empts EITHER|BOTH minors 5-5+.. There were other rarish possibilities: the other 3 suits, strong 5+ card minor and a 4 card major. Only the latter curiously is where we focus our revised 1N o.call! Essentially showing the 'minor' equivalent of a 2Ma opening!

BETA's revised proposition follows opponents openings of 1mi as long as not defined as showing a strong hand.

A  BETA 1N o'call will announce a strong opening hand equivalent to our successful 2Ma opening but with a 5+ card minor and
 a 4 card 2nd suit, other required is an LTC of <5. However with a 6+ - 4 hand one can be a little more lenient.
Important Note: Responder must not make a minor suit bid so as to avoid the strong hand becoming dummy.

Partner must respond to this 1NT overcall following an opps opening of 1mi, if other opp passes, either by announcing a 4+ card Major: 2H or 2S or else 2NT. If RHO has bid showing a Major suit of precisely 4+  cards, then double shows the other Major, otherwise PASS if RHO made any bid then PASS denies a Major AND if opp passed and you do not hold a Major bid 2NT to keep the bidding open.

Its very important to show your Major if you have one as it allows the alternate contract of a Major game if partner has a fit!

If opps have intervened use PASS - when NOT holding a 4 card Major. Either way partner now has a rebid capability of 3 in his minor unless a 4-4 Major fit is exposed: then a raise is the required bid. Otherwise the 1N o'caller should call 3 of his minor,

Partner's rebid is usually in his 5+ card minor except when when a major fit is located. Bidding his minor suit or showing a major 4-4 fit bids . Bidding then continues as with 2Ma openings with cue-bidding and use of 4NT TURBO.

Blackwood has not proved to be a good way to continue:-  bidding experience has shown a strong tendency to bid failing slams via 4N following a 2Ma opening. Although the 4N option is available our preference is cue bidding and a TURBO 4N.

This revision is pleasing in the sense that BETA now has a 'minor' equivalent to our long time sucessful sequences following  2Ma  opening!

Importantly this approach discovers  any 4-4+ major fit  promptly.This is a critical outcome as a Msjor game needs to be discovered as a priority. It also could sid redirection towaeds a 3N game. These investigated before closing in a minor contract.