Inverted minors

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The inverted minors bidding system is designed to find a fit for at least a Game contract between the partners by leaving bidding room at the beginning to find the best fit.

In normal bidding systems, a response of 2 in a minor to an opening One bid in the same minor (1 Diamond-2 Diamonds or 1 Club-2 Clubs) indicates a fairly weak had but support in the trump suit. A jump support bid in the same minor suit (1 Dimaond-3 Diamonds or 1 Club-3 Clubs) would indicate a limit raise with a hand of around 10 points and good support in the trump suit. There isn’t really a bid to indicate strong support (at least opening points) as well as length in the trump suit – except maybe 2 No-Trump response or a simple suit shift.

The “inverted minors” system is designed to find out if the partners could possibly have a fit for 3 No-Trump and/or a Game in a minor suit at the 5 level. Therefore, the bids in the minor suits are “inverted.” A jump from the One level to the 3 level in a minor suit means “I have that minor suit but nothing else and a weak hand,” something normally indicated by a 2 bid. On the other hand, a One Diamond-Two Diamonds sequence indicates a strong hand with Diamond support (or Clubs as the case may be).

That advantage of bidding inverted minors is that it leaves more room for bidding and finding the right contract. The partners now have more room to bid their respective second suits and see if there is a fit for 3 No-Trump. Remember that 3 No-Trump making 5 will always beat a 5 Diamonds or 5 Clubs contract on points.

When the Bridge Burglar tried to explain the concept of “inverted minors” to an intermediate bridge player, he at first thought it had to do with the latest scandal among the Catholic clergy, but this concept refers strictly to the minor suits (Diamonds and Clubs) in bridge.

Return to the Bridge Burglar’s Guide to Bridge Bidding Conventions

Comments

  1. Donna Barker says:

    I would like to know what the ACBL rules are regarding alerts and inverted minors – after the initial response is made.

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